ST SEBASTIAN’S

DISCOURSE
kevin J. Ecclesine
Becoming Men Of Honor
“Menofhonor
neitherconcern
themselveswith
beinginthelimelightnoracthonorablyforthe
purposeofrecognitionoracknowledgementofsuch
action.eydoso
becausetheyknow
intheirheartsthe
differencebetween
rightandwrong.”
Mr. Burke, Fr. Arens, Members of the Faculty,
Cum Laude Society Inductees, Student
Body, Family & Friends, Good
morning. I have the distinct privilege and honor of
addressing this year’s Cum Laude Society inductees.
is morning’s inductees have led exemplary high
school academic careers and, in keeping with the
Cum Laude Society traditions, have done so with a
sense of purpose and with character. Let us all acknowledge
this morning’s recipients once more with
a hearty round of applause!
Striving for excellence (Areté), seeking to be just,
impartial, and fair (diké), and acting honorably
(Timé) are all admirable goals for any young man.
And so, while it is difficult to single out just one, this
morning I have chosen to reflect upon Timé, or
honor.
While there are many definitions of honor,
including respect, esteem, a badge, or an award, the
one that the Cum Laude Society Founders were likely
referring to, I believe, is the following: a keen sense of
ethical conduct. In other words, integrity: being men
and women of honor. St. Sebastian’s students are
familiar with the Honor Code, which requires that
they pledge their “sacred honor” on each and every
assignment, guaranteeing that they have “neither
given nor received aid.” As students, you are also
regularly reminded of honor and given many
examples of it each week in religion class. e word
honor appears in the Bible nearly 150 times and, as
you are all well aware, the fourth commandment is to
“Honor thy father and mother.”
e first student-policed honor system was
instituted in 1779 at the College of William Mary, and
others soon followed suit. is system was
implemented over the course of the 19th century at a
number of fine colleges and universities including
uVA, davidson, Princeton, and Washington & Lee,
as well as at each of our nation’s service academies.
Robert E. Lee, the commanding General of the
Confederate Army and a top graduate of West Point,
adopted an honor system at Washington & Lee
College, where he had become President aer the
Civil War. His justification was as follows: “We have
but one rule here, and it is that every student be a
gentleman.”
Men of honor neither concern themselves with
being in the limelight nor act honorably for the
purpose of recognition or acknowledgment of such
action. ey do so because they know in their hearts
the difference between right and wrong. Every young
man sitting here today has been blessed with a family
that loves him, as well as a school that has provided
him with an environment to grow academically,
12 | ST. SEBASTIAN’S MAGAZINE Volume VI, Issue II