Rafael Vega

faculty PROFILE: Rafael Vega

Mr. Rafael Vega began his tenure with Providence High School in September of 1968. Though he left Providence for four years, during which time he taught at Mayfield Upper School and Salesian High School, for more than forty years he has made Providence his home. He plans to retire at the end of this school year and will be greatly missed.

you Are the Product of A Jesuit educAtion, As A Proud Alumnus of loyolA high school And georgetown university. how did the Jesuits imPAct your life? did you AlwAys feel comPelled to teAch At A cAtholic institution?

"Back in the day" pretty much all the teachers at Loyola were Jesuits. They were very influential in the education and formation of the students. They were terrific teachers and great role models. They seemed to be omnipresent at school activities on and off campus. I was always impressed by their commitment to scholarship and their dedication to their students. They introduced me to good liturgy and a systematic prayer life, along with the importance of service in the community. In my memory, they had a special love for works of justice and compassion. One especially formative Jesuit was a visiting teacher from New Orleans who opened my eyes to the injustice of segregation and racism in our country. (It was the 1950's.) Early on I heard the call to be a teacher in the style of my own teachers. Though I began my career as a social studies teacher, religion in all of its dimensions was never absent from my classroom. Because of that, I never thought of teaching in any but Catholic schools.

since you’ve Been An educAtor At cAtholic institutions for neArly 50 yeArs, how do you see cAtholic educAtion evolving?

First, Catholic schools are no longer staffed primarily by priests, religious sisters or brothers. Lay people now staff and administer our schools. Our challenge is to keep our tradition of faith-based education alive and thriving. We must be constantly on the lookout for women and men who want to take up this challenge, no matter their individual field of study. We must work to create a faithconscious community made up of Catholics and other- than-Catholic concerned educators.

Second, Catholic schools have to continue to seek to educate students who come from families of all income levels, and from a multiplicity of faith and ethnic traditions. We must effectively pass on our own faith tradition while welcoming and respecting families from other traditions.

Third, as education moves far beyond simply teachers and books, and focuses more and more on students and the ever changing technological world in which they live, our challenge will continue to be how to prepare our teachers

and update our schools to meet the challenge well. At the same time, justice will demand that our staff receives the compensation and respect due them. The future will demand a much greater financial investment.

this PAst summer, you trAveled to montreAl And visited mAny of the sisters of Providence lAndmArKs. As someone who is very much connected to the sisters And their mission, whAt wAs the significAnce of thAt triP?

I had always wanted to visit French Canada and see the sites that were important to the Sisters of Providence. Having worked with so many sisters over the years, I had heard all the stories of the foundation of the order and the women who made it all possible. Last summer was a true blessing. I visited the Motherhouse in Montreal and had a tour of its extensive archives. I toured the city and visited sites important in the life of Mother Gamelin. A particularly powerful moment was my visit to the tomb of Mother Gamelin. It was a moment to reflect and renew my commitment to the kind of work Emilie Gamelin did with such great devotion and faith. The visit to the Motherhouse also reminded me that the sisters are still working in many parts of the world bringing healing and education to people in need. The good work we do in Burbank is but a small part of the mission of the Sisters of Providence.

how would you descriBe the connection you hAve with the sisters of Providence And their mission of service?

The sisters I have worked with have been models of charity and compassion. When I began to work with them, California was dealing with the issue of justice for the states’ farm workers. Cesar Chavez was struggling to organize the UFW. The sisters took up his cause and welcomed the UFW supporters as they marched to Sacramento. Farm worker supporters spent a night on our gym floor. I was impressed by the sisters’ level of support for the cause of social justice.

The sisters were early in accepting the reforming spirit of the second Vatican Council. They changed out of their traditional habits and adopted lay clothes so as to better serve alongside other members of the Church. Liturgical renewal was openly welcomed by the sisters in all their institution. Their attitude nourished my own love for the Vatican Council and its call for renewal and reform. I felt at home at Providence High.

eAch Advent seAson, you Are An integrAl PArt of the AdoPtA-fAmily ProgrAm. how did you Become involved with this orgAnizAtion And whAt Are some of your fondest memories?

I had been involved in Christian service activities during my high school and college years. It was a pleasure to find that the Sisters of Providence had a great commitment to that type of involvement for their students. When I began teaching at Providence we worked with M.E.N.D. (Meeting Each Need with Dignity), a Catholic charity organization in San Fernando. Each year we had a general collection of gifts for the people of the northeast San Fernando Valley. When the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was dedicated we decided to move our work to L.A.'s central city area. We had supported some of the activities of the Catholic Worker and so were familiar with the area. The cathedral began the Adopt-A-Family program and we decided to center our attention on that work. Our homerooms adopted a family and we made their Christmas really wonderful by meeting their needs at Christmas. We have kept this up over the years. This year we have adopted 18 families. One of the best parts of the program is the chance to actually deliver gifts to families in the downtown area. It is a world that our students don't usually see close-up. It is work that I know Mother Gamelin would be happy to know Providence High School is engaged in.

whether you would liKe to Admit it or not, you hAve, in A wAy, Become synonymous with Phs for mAny PeoPle. mAny Alums AsK ABout you often And request your Presence At their reunions, And you continue to Be A fAvorite Among the current student Body. why do you thinK you’ve Been ABle to connect with so mAny generAtions of students over the yeArs?

From the beginning of my teaching career I have tried to be the teacher that my teachers were. I particularly keep in mind a Jesuit who, when asked what he taught, responded, “I teach students.” It's about the students. We're here for them. That doesn't mean that we should spoil them. Rather it means that they must see that they have value and dignity and that they matter to us. And yes, they are worth the time and the trouble to hear our correction as well as our praise.

over the course of A few yeArs, you’ve Been eAsing into retirement, teAching At Providence on A PArt-time BAsis. you Announced thAt this is officiAlly your lAst yeAr As A memBer of the Providence stAff. while you will AlwAys Be A PArt of the Providence fAmily, whAt will you miss most ABout Providence high school And/or its students?

Without question, the students and the staff. To borrow another line from one of the oldest Jesuits who shaped my style; when asked if the kids wore out his patience, he responded, "They're a pain in the neck when they're with us, but they're a pain in the heart when they're gone."

whAt Are your PlAns Post retirement?

I haven't begun to think about that. As long as the body lasts, I'll seek out a way to serve.

if you hAd to give Advice to teAchers who Are Just Beginning their cAreers, whAt would you sAy?

I'd restate what I said before. In the end, it's about the kids. In the future most will probably remember little of the information you taught them. However, they will never forget the person you were in their lives. Your affection for them, your love of learning, your sense of justice and compassion, your faith in goodness and God, that's what matters most. Give that a little exercise.