NOVEMBER 2016
LEARNING, FAITH & LEADERSHIP A Kennedy Catholic Lancer Publication
COMMUNI-K PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Curiosity, provocation, courage. Throughout the New Testament, these themes recur as believers and unbelievers encountered the teachings of Jesus. Curiosity – who is this man Jesus and what are these radical ideas? Provocation – I’ve heard, I’ve been challenged, I see the application and the opposition and I have a passionate response. With the Holy Spirit as the guide, one continues to be curious, continues to search or is convinced to live the life that Jesus calls us to, which takes courage, 24/7. On October 20, Kennedy Catholic sponsored a nationally acclaimed Catholic speaker on chastity and purity. His name was Jason Evert. As one sophomore student later reflected, “I expected to be lectured about Mike Prato - President the evils of sex and a churchy approach that would bore me to no end. Instead, he engaged us with experiences from his own life and didn’t stand stiffly with the Bible clutched to his chest, but spoke fluidly and infused humor with his words. I’m proud to say that he took a heavy, important topic in our society and spoke about it in a well-educated manner that connected and resonated with the audience.” Propose, not impose; a long-standing reminder from my close friend, Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima, that our work as Catholic Christians is to propose the gospel, not impose. What we are called to do is to propose it, not avoid the truth when it needs to be told. Jason Evert’s curious invitation to hear the teachings of the church with regard to sexuality, healthy relationships and marriage provoked discussion that in many cases, inspired renewed courage and offered a response to the distortions promoted by today’s culture. Students returned to their classes with the invitation to engage in conversations with each other and their teachers. Later that evening, many Kennedy Catholic parents journeyed to St. Anthony’s parish to hear a similar presentation concluding with a question and answer session with parents. Phone calls and emails from our parent community thanked us for opening the door for difficult conversations and at the same time, elevating our deliverable of presenting the gospel in season and out. Early the next morning, I met with our ASB officers to hear their perspective. Honest, truthful, funny, engaging and open to revealing his own experiences in a way that satisfied our curiosity, honored our opinion and encouraged us to look at the evidence with different eyes. As teachers, we can’t ask for more.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org