As Christians, we are called to serve our neighbors, and work to preserve the dignity of every human being. Inspired by this same call and challenged by the needs around her, St. Angela reached out into her community with service and love in her heart. As a young woman progresses through her four years at Ursuline, these are the traits that have been planted and cared for and grow to fruition through our motto of Serviam. As these characteristics take form, we gratefully celebrate our students who are recognized for their efforts and dedication to living out our Ursuline Mission.
Each year, Catholics throughout our Archdiocese unite to answer the call of the Gospel to serve others through the Annual Catholic Appeal. The ACA impacts countless lives, and that is especially true for those of us in Catholic Education. The Office of Catholic Education and Formation works annually with the Appeal Council to conduct the ACA High School Education Program. The objectives of the Program are to educate our youth regarding the ACA’s mission to serve others, to share the good news about the Appeal’s far-reaching effects, and to make them aware of their personal responsibility to be good stewards of God’s gifts.
One of the great traditions of the High School Program is the Annual Essay Scholarship Contest. The essay affords high school juniors an opportunity to learn more about the mission of the local Church and its ongoing efforts to improve lives throughout our Archdiocese. This year, on Jan. 15, Ursuline Academy was proud to congratulate our winners, Claire McCabe ’22 (1st Place) and Kyla Verslues ’22 (2nd Place). The winners of the contest receive a scholarship towards tuition and a framed award certificate.
That same weekend, on Sunday, Jan. 17, the Annual Archdiocesan Mass for Preservation of Peace and Justice, which seeks to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The mass was celebrated by Archbishop Rozanksi. It was at this mass, that the annual award recipients for the 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award were recognized. The St. Charles Lwanga Center, in conjunction with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, annually presents this award to a high school student from each school who has demonstrated through their attitude and their work a commitment to serving humanity in the broader community. These students have made justice a central part of their life and have committed themselves “to the noble struggle for equal rights.” This year Ursuline’s recipient was Maggie Naeger ’21.
As an Ursuline community, we are incredibly proud of Claire, Kyla and Maggie for their work to reach out into their communities, raise awareness of the injustices in our world and strive to make a difference!