Dear Xavier FamilyThere’s plenty of angst in the world today about the future of faith in general and of our Catholic Church specifically. We often hear about numbers being down in Mass attendance, reception of sacraments, and various other metrics. It is easy to feel discouraged about the progress we are making in sharing the Gospel with our children and future generations. So let me take a few moments this month to inspire you to hope… Recently, I was reading an essay from one of our seniors on the topic of faith in modern adolescents. He mentioned that the group which has helped him most to grow in his faith is the Xavier football team. I was pleasantly surprised. He went on to describe how he found the courage to pray because his team prays together every single day at practice. His teammates encouraged him to attend Friday morning Mass at Xavier and now he is a regular. On Sunday nights, he and many of his teammates go to Mass together to pray for strength for the week ahead. Wow. That’s what a team is supposed to do - to call you to be a better version of yourself. That’s why Xavier teams are supposed to be different than the teams we play; we are called to something greater than victory on the field or camaraderie off of it. What a blessing that we have students who recognize the importance of their teams in faith formation.
October 2022 Volume #411 In this Issue: Athletics……………………………………..08 Campus Ministry .......................................... 03 Preview Night............................................... 02 Upcoming Events ......................................... 06
St. Francis Xavier High School 1600 W. Prospect Avenue Appleton, WI 54914 920-733-6632 Fax: 920-735-1787 www.xaviercatholicschools.org
If you have ever joined us for an all-school Mass, you might have noticed that our final act before Mass begins is to have a senior share her story with us – to tell us about God’s role in shaping who she is today. It is always a meaningful act of selfless leadership to be vulnerable in front of your peers, especially in such personal ways. In September, we heard perhaps the most memorable Senior Story yet. One of our seniors shared how she found her faith and was called to receive the sacraments through her experience at Xavier. Imagine being 14 and feeling the desire to go through the RCIA process! Now imagine being 17 and standing up in front of your entire school to tell them about your journey to the Catholic Church, the importance of Jesus in your life even today, and your prayer for your classmates to let God transform them in a similar way. It may have been one of the proudest moments of my time here at Xavier. If you can ever make it for Mass, I encourage you to join us. Every time, there’s another senior moving us to faith. Early this morning, I joined a group of students and teachers who gathered for “See You at the Pole,” a nationwide opportunity for schools to pray together. This event was made popular at public schools in which prayer is rarely a part of a student’s day. Even though we “pray 7 times a day” at Xavier according to one of our alumni, one of our underclassmen took it upon himself to organize, advertise and lead prayer at the event this morning. It was 7am, a full hour before school started. The temperature around the flagpole was a brisk 36 degrees. Still, there was a part of our Xavier family praying for our world, our country, our community, our families and our school. No one was required to be there. No one told the leader he should organize. This was entirely an exercise of the holy Spirit inspiring our young people. So let’s take a moment to pray in gratitude for the courage and example of our young people. For Will, for Jaelyn and for Drew, whose leadership and example make me excited for the future of our world and our faith. For the students of Xavier, who have done more to teach me about what it is to be a Catholic Christian in the world than years of education ever did. For the families who raise and produce faithful and strong young people to share with us. We are truly blessed. May the example of these and other Xavier students move you to faith in the same way as they move me. For God’s Greater Glory,
Xavier High School is a proud member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School System, and has been accredited by AdvanceED (formerly the North Central Association) since 1970.
Mike Mauthe Principal