Dove Our Pillar of Strength Our Pillar of Strength - St. Scholastica ...

S
o much has happened since I wrote
my last article for Wings. (It seems I
started my last one off in the same
way after Katrina). As many of you
know, in September I was diagnosed with a
skull-based tumor. After a very risky but
successful surgery in early October at the
University of Arkansas Medical Sciences
Hospital in Little Rock, the tumor was
determined to be a malignant chordoma.
Without radiation it had a 95% probability
of re-growing. Therefore, I am currently at
the Loma Linda (California) University
Medical Center undergoing Proton Beam
Radiation Therapy which carries with it an
85% success rate. I will be here for two
months, returning to Covington in mid to
late March.
I have learned so much from the past
few months and I am sure this is just the
beginning. First of all, I think this shows us
that we are truly not in charge of our lives.
I remember Father Beau Charbonnet saying
in one of his homilies around the time of
Katrina: “God is in charge!” So much
happens in our lives over which we have no
control, and yet we can control how we
respond to the situations in which we find
ourselves.
I know that prayer and faith are so
powerful. When coupled with the force
of the SSA community, that power is
strengthened a hundredfold. I have been
overwhelmed and humbled by the
incredible support of prayer and offers of
assistance I have received from the SSA
community, friends and family. During
these last months I have been immersed in
a different world than I normally live in.
I have been exposed to the world of
sickness and life-threatening situations,
where people, in far more dire straights
than I, are confronted with the stark
realization that time is at a premium. It is
out of this setting that I am deeply grateful
for how far medicine and treatment have
come and yet am also aware that each of
us has only a finite amount of time. I
know that not all prayers are answered
by successful surgeries and successful
treatments. God answers some prayers in
ways we humans may not understand, but
in ways that may be “best” for us in His
eyes and in ways that bring us closer to
Him in the long run. I have become aware
Letter
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PEN
Marguerite S. Celestin
of how many lonely people there are
who are suffering alone, without the
companionship of friends and family. I
met people in Arkansas and here in
California who must go through treatment
by themselves and who do not have
anyone to share their pain, to listen to
them, attend to their needs, and to pray for
them on a daily basis like I have.
We emphasize to our students all the time
how valuable the aspect of Sisterhood is in
their lives. This bond that ties us to each
other, to all those we meet in our lives,
to our families and extended families
receives its “glue” from the love and
presence of God who calls us into His
care. Through this bond we are able to be
the extension of God’s hands to each other.
I strongly encourage each of you to reach
out to one another. We never know when
someone may need a helping hand, a
supportive, encouraging hug. I pray that
each of you can strengthen your own
prayer life and your relationship with
God, that prayer will be a daily, hourly
conversation with the Lord. And I ask you
to join me in praying not only for those on
your personal prayer list, but for those who
most need our prayers, those who do not
have anyone else to pray for them, those
who have not even experienced the
power of prayer. When we move out of the
“me” world into the “other” world we
can answer the question “Am I my
sister’s/brother’s keeper?” with a strong
YES! We then receive our strength and our
meaning in life from the fact that we are all
one in the Body of Christ.
During these last few months many people
have made it possible for me to take care
of my health. I am deeply grateful for the
support and prayers of so many. I have
been gratified by the many notes of
concern and compassion from so many
students, alumnae, parents of alumnae and
friends in the community. Each of you is
very important to me.
I am also deeply grateful for the SSA
administration, faculty, and staff who have
picked up many pieces that were left
hanging in my absence. I also want to
recognize members of the School Board
who have doubled their efforts to complete
the projects at hand. We are so blessed to
have such talented, generous, people who
work so well together and who do not count
the cost to get the job done.
Groundbreaking for our chapel will take
place in the next few months. We are
grateful to Michael Holly of the architectural
firm of Holly and Smith of Hammond
who has designed a chapel fitting for God’s
presence and the tradition and future of our
school. This chapel will put our faith and
prayer life as the centerpiece of our school’s
campus. You can be a part of helping us
realize this dream by giving to the Chapel
Fund. Contact Elaine Simmons for details.
Our Strategic Planning process is continuing
to evolve. Numerous members of our
community are giving generously of their
time and efforts to craft strategies and
initiatives that will take us to another level
of education at SSA. It may seem that this
is taking longer than expected; perhaps,
but it is because this is not just an effort
that “skims the surface” but one that is
looking at a wide and deep set of proposed
action plans. I ask that you keep this
process in your prayers that we devise
a plan that is meaningful and “futureoriented”,
providing the best for our
students. Many of the strategies call for
additional funding if they are to be
accomplished. This funding is not currently
available in our operating budget nor in
our current Centennial Fund. We will
look to the generosity of the entire SSA
community, present, past, and future to
realize our goals.
My years at SSA have taught me that many
people believe strongly in the mission and
vision of SSA. We have always seen people
step up to the platform of leadership, to
“rise to the occasion” to help SSA go
places where it had not yet been. Where we
are today is because of the generosity of
those who have gone before. For us to
implement our future plans we need more
and more individuals to become involved in
a meaningful way. Your talents and efforts
will be rewarded by a spirit of accomplishment
and the fact that you have made a difference
in the lives of many young women.
I have always believed that my work in education
is not just a job, but a ministry. In
these last few months I have been given a
new lease on life, which also comes with
great responsibility. I believe that God has a
lot more work for me to accomplish and I
pray that I will be open to wherever He
leads me. Great things are on the horizon
for SSA. Let’s go there together!! May God
bless you and may He hold you in the palm
of His hand.
Sincerely,
Marguerite S. Celestin
President
D O V E W I N G S 3