Regarding friendships, I didn’t know that my best friends
Attending STM has blessed me with meeting so many
in middle school, in reality, weren’t the best of friends to me. I
exceptional people who made a tremendous impact on
believed they were genuine and that I wouldn’t be able to live
who I have become. My friends taught me how to love
without them at STM, but little did I know, I had yet to meet
unconditionally, while Mrs. Manuel taught me to be
my God-chosen best friends. I have made so many friends at
confident and individualistic. Mr. Thompson, energetic and
STM within three short years, and I am continuing to make
spirited, encourages me to remain positive even through my
more; however, there is one core friend group that feeds my
lowest days, while the seniors lead by example in their faith.
inner happiness. These friends support me in everything I
Through all of these influential people and experiences, I
do, care for me, and have my best interests at heart. I can
have immensely grown and continue to grow in learning
always count on them to lead me to be the best version of
who I am and what is important in life. And to think, it all
myself and to encourage me to reach new heights.
began with a simple decision to go to the St. Thomas More
I have learned to make the most of my high school
Open House that one fall night.
years by staying involved in school through clubs and organizations. The most meaningful organization I joined in my time at STM is Campus Ministry. Being born into a Catholic family that went to church most Sundays, I rarely missed. However, since coming to STM, I have not missed one Sunday mass and enjoy going to daily masses when I can. I have been encouraged and pushed to go deeper into my faith and really learn what it means to be connected with God. In addition, my understanding of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has grown immensely. Through retreats and mission trips put on by St. Thomas More Campus Ministry, I have deepened my relationship with Christ and try my best to live as He would want me to live. My most religiously developing experience through STM was definitely the Puerto Rico Mission Trip. I felt a sense of community between myself and my peers that I had never felt before and could not have experienced elsewhere. It was the special feeling of connecting with God and my classmates simultaneously that gave me the extra push I needed to learn to turn to God in my times of need and worry. The mission trip showed me that no matter how many mistakes someone may make, everyone’s good at heart. Everyone has a story. Throughout the year, I attended multiple Kairos retreats and have been taken aback by the heart rendering amount of love and sense of family between all of the students, faculty, and young adult leaders. I learned more about myself during these three-day retreats than I could have in any other school community in four years. At Kairos, I felt a pure and innocent type of love from God, like a mother to her newborn child. There, everyone exhibits characteristics of loving and caring souls and sticks together to carry that love back to Lafayette. Most importantly, I discovered the true meaning of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” These retreats demonstrated the amazing blessings I encountered by stumbling upon St. Thomas More Catholic High School.
FOREVER MORE | SUMMER 2017
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