Oki, Bonjour Mesdames et Monsieurs and Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen and especially to our CCH Graduates of 2017.
I always enjoy bringing greetings on behalf of the school division to all of our graduating classes, and today marks the first of four high school graduations in our division and the first of two which are held today, one in Lethbridge and one in Pincher Creek. And in both of these graduations here at Catholic Central and later this afternoon at St. Michael’s, their principals will make their last principal address. At the end of this school year, we will say good bye to Mrs. Koran as principal of CCH. She is extremely bright, has a sly sense of humour and one of the best instructional leaders that I have ever worked with. Mrs. Koran is one of the greatest advocates for CCH and to say that she bleeds Cougar blue and white would be an understatement. And so on behalf of the entire school division, I would offer my sincere congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Koran.
Super Human Gifts is your grad theme this year. At first glance, with all of the super hero and science fiction movies out there, one might equate super human gifts to supernatural powers. But we all know that none of us have x-ray vision, can fly unassisted or simply disappear. There are no Green Lanterns, Wonder Woman or Silver Surfers around…they don’t exist. And while those are all fiction, super human gifts are quite real and live in each of us. What makes them super is our ability to use them to the fullest. In my address I want to focus on three gifts that we have inside of us, the gift to learn, the gift to love and the gift of faith.
All of us were given the gift to learn albeit at different rates and through various ways and methods. Some are book smart, some are street smart, while others can build or design and others can dream, imagine and create. We are all unique. The gift to learn does not come to an end since you are graduating high school, or once you finished post-secondary. It is a life gift and it becomes super when you use it to become the best version of yourself, be it single or married, parent or not, novice or elder. Be a learner forever in all things.
The gift of love as super human is best described in 1 Corinthians, “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” Make love a super human gift, by sharing your compassion, showing mercy and building relationships.
And finally, you have been given the super human gift of faith. This may be the hardest to understand at your age and it will continue to be the most difficult to live in our secular culture. Faith in one God or Creator, belief in a higher power and acceptance that the Holy Spirit lives within you will be your greatest ally in life. Your ability to have faith will be a game changer. Your desire to live a faith filled life even through all your struggles and disappointments is a super human gift that will always protect you and lead you home.
Take your grad theme to heart. These gifts are not supernatural; they live within you and so find your own super human gifts and grow and share them.
On behalf of the school division, I wish you the best of luck in your future and wish you God’s blessings. Thank you!
