Archive for the ‘Distinctly Franciscan’ Category

Distinctly Franciscan: an introduction

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

What makes St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School “distinctly Franciscan” are the Franciscans! And those whose hearts have also been touched by St. Francis and St. Clare. May I recommend just about any literature you can find about St. Francis and suggest some reading? Even take a moment to google “St. Francis of Assisi” and let him enter your life. He animates this school from the foundation to the roof.

His special gifts for the world are: devotion to the beauty and order of creation (it obeys the Creator); his life of joyful penance – so thankful that God calls him to Himself despite his sin; simplicity of life; and a love of God that is superior to the temporary joys of the material world.

When gifts like these are all around you, how can you not rejoice and give thanks? That gratitude and joy is the base from which we Franciscan sisters and brothers, vowed religious or not, grow, serve, persevere and shine.

The shine, yes especially in our children, the shine! That is what makes us distinctly Franciscan.

By: Fr. Patrick Tuttle, OFM

Posted in Distinctly Franciscan, From our Pastor | 1 Comment »

Thank you, Sister Mary!

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

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We’re very blessed to have Sister Mary Schifferle, OSF, as our full-time Religion Teacher. Sister Mary teaches K-3 through Grade 6 four days a week.

On the 5th day, Grades K-3 through Grade 1 participate in a Prayer Service that focuses on the lessons and songs learned during the week.

Grades 2 through 6 participate in the parish noon liturgy as lectors, altar servers, and song leaders.

The children’s joy and piety is a tribute to Sister Mary’s ability to convey a spirit of worship – regardless of their religious denomination. (That’s Sister Mary in the sunglasses!)

Peace and all good!

- Sister Catherine Noecker, OSF

Posted in Distinctly Franciscan, Faithfully Catholic | No Comments »

Why are we distinctly Franciscan?

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Do you know what makes St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School different from any other school in the Diocese of Charleston or in South Carolina? Our marketing/enrollment committee has delved deeply into what makes us unique and has come up with five values that we claim as our CORE—what is truly at the HEART of who we are.

The first value, we decided, is that we are “distinctly Franciscan.” The obvious evidence of that is the presence of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters on the campus.

Our logo has the Tau Cross as its centerpiece. St. Francis blessed every thing he could with this cruciform.

Our artwork depicting St. Francis, St. Anthony, St. Clare, and St. Benedict the Black remind us of what we, like these predecessors, hold to be true: that God is good, all the time; that God’s desire to share goodness is expressed as creation; that creation becomes fully understandable at the birth of Jesus.

Whatever is beautiful, therefore, reflects Jesus’ beauty; whatever is living lives because of him; whatever is true discloses him who is true. With St. Francis, we call every work of creation our “brother” or “sister.”

From this creed we strive to recognize that each child is one to whom has been given a very special status. Students and staff alike help to give each other birth to Christ as together we try to grow in the Life we share.

Our efforts to nurture the on-going growth of awareness of all that is GOD, our attempts to show what it means to give all, to celebrate the richness of this poverty, to embrace our sufferings along with our joys, is what makes us “distinctly Franciscan.”

Posted in Distinctly Franciscan, From our Principal | No Comments »