St.

Augustine Academy
130 South Wells Road Ventura California 93004 805-672-0411 Fax 805-672-2365 e-mail StAugAcad@juno.com www.SaintAugustineAcademy.com

January 11, 2013

Board of Governors President Thomas Q. Ellis Secretary Robert R. Orellana, Esq. Treasurer Michael C. Collins Members Abel Montiel Jeff Schuberg Michael F. McLean, Ph.D. Louise Warnert

St. Theodosius

Dear Families: Welcome back, everyone. I know it was last Sunday, but since that means we are still in the Octave of the Feast of the Epiphany, I thought it still alright to share this wonderful meditation on the Magi. Fr. Robert Barron, whose series Catholicism gained international acclaim last year, offers this beautiful teaching: [Incidentally, I highly recommend the Catholicism DVD series we use parts of it here in Theology class. Fr. Baron has some of the best, most understandable and beautiful explanations of topics like saints, heaven and the Eucharist.]

"The Epiphany of the Lord -- FIVE LESSONS OF THE MAGI" ESSAYS IN THEOLOGY By Father Robert Barron The unforgettable story of the journey of the Magi, as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, is an artful summary of the principal dynamics of the spiritual life. Watching the night sky with scrupulous attention for signs of God's purpose, the Magi evoke the importance of alertness in the spiritual order. We must keep our eyes open to see what God is up to. For far too many people, the spiritual life never gets underway, precisely because they don't pay attention. Once they saw the star, they moved, despite the length of the journey and the dangers of the road. Sometimes people know what God wants them to do, but they don't act, either out of fear or laziness or the influence of bad habits. In their confident journeying forth, the Magi teach us not to miss the propitious moment. They teach us to move. When they entered into Herod's territory, the Magi caught the attention of the king. And when they spoke to him of the birth of a new King of the Jews, Herod became frantic and tried to use them in order to destroy the baby. A third lesson: when you walk the path that God has laid out for you, expect opposition. We live in a sinful, fallen world, and there will always be forces at cross purposes to God. Refusing to cooperate with Herod's game, the wise men came to Bethlehem, found the child, and gave him their precious gifts. When you come to Christ, don't give him your second best; break open the very best of yourself and make it a gift for him. Finally, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod and so "they returned to their home country by another route." As Fulton Sheen commented so magnificently: of course they did; for no one comes to Christ and goes back the same way he came!

Headmaster Michael J. Van Hecke, M.Ed.

Board of Advisors Mr. John W. Blewett Wanderer Forum Foundation Hon. Jeremiah Denton Former U.S. Senator Mr. Nicholas J. Healy, Jr. President Ave Maria University Dr. Ronald P. McArthur Co-founder Thomas Aquinas College Mr. Roy S. Rohter, S.F.O. Founder St. Augustine Academy Fr. Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. Chancellor Franciscan University Mr. James Stenson Educator and Author

ANNOUNCEMENTS Jan 14-18th Food Drive Week Jan 21st NO SCHOOL nd Jan 22 ProLife Mass, Special guest; a sister from Sisters of Life, NYC.
CHARITY and PRO LIFE ACTIVITIES o FOOD DRIVE for Saticoy Food Pantry [See Flyer] o ROE v WADE 40th Anniversary Prayer Walk Friday, January 25th! Plan now to attend!! 2:45PM Meet on sidewalk at Ventura County Government Center, corner of Telephone Rd. & Victoria Ave. 3:00PM Begin Walk to planned parenthood, 5400 Ralston Street, Ventura. Bring your rosaries and signs (NO graphic signs, please) SPREAD the word!! o West Coast Walk for Life If you want to go, it is January 26th in San Francisco. KUDOS: To seniors who have received acceptance letters to college: Sam Alviz Cal State Channel Islands (Camarillo) Dominic Lunde Cal Lutheran (Thousand Oaks) Carlos McGinity St. Johns University (New York) Helen Van Hecke Holy Cross College at Notre Dame (Indiana) Benjamin Warnert John Paul the Great University (San Diego) WELCOME BACK!!!! DIRECTORY CHANGE: Welcome back Hanlon Family
HANLON, PETER AND JANE 2206 Firestone Ct. Oxnard, CA 93036 H: 988-1721 C: 248-2573 (Peter); 248-2574 (Jane) pehanlon@yahoo.com Anna 7th SPECIAL NOTICE ONE: Mrs. Lyon travels to Rwanda on Sunday for three weeks, working in an education ministry. We keep her efforts in our prayers. SPECIAL NOTICE TWO: Report Cards in TODAYS Envelope. Please sign and return as soon as possible. No formal parentteacher conferences this quarter, but you are always welcome to contact us should you like to meet.

STUDENT COUNCIL HAPPENINGS BUILD-A-BURRITO THURSDAY Thursday, January 17th [See Flyer] MOVIE NIGHT Moved to February BASKETBALL SEASON IS HERE! Stay tuned weekly for an update of coming games. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS Varsity: Ventura High School, Poli Street Gym 10AM JV: Same Gym, two games, 8 AM and 12 noon. MIDDLE SCHOOL Boys: Wednesday, January 16th v. St. Sebastian HOME 3:30 PM Girls: Thursday, January 17th v. St. Sebastian HOME 3:30 PM Ora Pro Nobis: Let us remember to pray for one another. We pray especially for Michele Loughman, particularly in thanksgiving for her successful surgery this week.For Bo and Lele Caviezels grandpa, David Browitt. For Fr. Jim, OFM, from St. Paschals. For a friend of the Slaga family. For the Lundes grandmothers, Barbara Lunde and Mary Artner. For Noah, 5 year old grandson of Kucharskis. For Mr. Pat Ramirez, Mr. Joseph Kern, and Kim Levy. Let us pray for the health of Rosie Grimm, Angel Castillo and Paul Warnert. Prayers for a friend of the school whose mother is terminally ill. Prayers for the total healing of George Zaki. Finally, remember to pray for our country, our soldiers, and, for all priests and religious, especially our Archbishop Jose Gomez and Holy Father, Benedict.