-
AUthor
-
Mr. Ryan Verret
-
-
March 5, 2022
Dear Friends of John Paul the Great Academy,
I am very thankful for the opportunity to share a little with you about a significant moment we are currently in the last few days of preparation for benefiting John Paul the Great Academy: our Annual Veritas Gala and Lecture. Initiated by our founder Dr. Kevin Roberts and continuing now since 2008, the Gala provides to our families and region a wonderful example of a particular way our patron’s pontificate lovingly and passionately contributed to the authentic development of culture and society through Jesus Christ. Pope St. John Paul II would often say: “Faith must become culture.” And expounding upon this important theme in his pontificate he would add: “Faith that does not become culture is not wholly embraced, fully thought, or faithfully lived.
Next Saturday night’s special guest of honor is surely one contributing to the development of our national culture. A man deeply devoted to the faith, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone currently shepherds the Church of San Francisco. You might wonder what the current Archbishop of such a distinctly different region and culture from ours might bring him to Acadiana? I would say it is his love of Christ and his personal witness to the hope that in the Son of God is found the surest way, truth and life for each one of us. From my perspective and in personal way, I see him as one of the most courageous and sacrificial witnesses I have met in my travels around our nation and his commitment to Christ and the Church has endured many tests and challenges of living faithfully the truths discovered in the Gospel.
Recently the Archbishop summarized the hope found for our nation in Christ through a reflection on the human encounter of love: “The human encounter of love is the way that God manifests the sound reason for our hope: hope in Him, hope in deliverance from suffering. It is already a small but significant deliverance just that someone is simply paying attention, really cares, sees a fellow human being needing love and capable of loving, not a problem to be solved, looking them in the eye as did St. Francis and acknowledging first and foremost a child of God, a fellow child of God.
On behalf of everyone who works so diligently day in and day out for our beautiful school and community, I hope that you will join us for what will truly be an encouraging and hope filled evening for benefiting the amazing blessing of John Paul the Great Academy.
“Together, we can offer something beautiful to God.”
Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco
Laudetur Jesus Christus,
Ryan Verret
Board Chair, John Paul the Great Academy
