St Josephs Academy - La Lumiere Yearbook (Prescott, AZ)

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 It seems strange that the end of a young man or woman's school days should be called Commencement Day, and yet the reason of this is clear, for the young graduate has not finished his career. I le is only beginning. I le is just commencing to make use of the knowledge he has been acquir- ing. and on the way he lives up to true principles in the world he is enter- ing. shall depend the measure of his success. Generally speaking, the world counts success by the amount of power, honor, or wealth a man may possess; but history and our own experience teach us otherwise, and show us that the world’s standard of what con- stitutes real success in life is wrong, for they give us too many sad ex- amples of men whose lives were richly endowed with power, honor, and wealth, and yet were failures. If your careers are going to be successful ones, you must remember that mere material things, however necessary they may be, are short-lived and should never be regarded as more than means to a noble end. In every true man and woman there should be found something higher, nobler, and holier, that shall live for eternity, and that is fidelity to duty. When a man has lived his life and it can be truly said of him that all his actions were characterized by honest effort, by fidelity to duty—duty to God. his fellowman and his country—that man, and he only, has achieved success. He may have died poor, unwept, and unhonored, as many a brave soldier has, but his deeds shall be eternal. To be a success, then, means primarily to be men and women of duty, and to be this, you must have principles to guide you in your relationship with God and your fellow-man. You must be intellectually convinced that a certain line of action is right and that this conviction must pass beyond your lips by in- fluencing and governing the actions of vour lives. Strength of will is at the bottom of real character, and virtue, without which life is worthless. We take this occasion of extending our hearfiest congratulation, and of wishing you the highest success in life—success that shall merit eternal friendship with God in Heaven, for to each one of you he speaks today: “Esto fidelis usque ad mortem et dabo tibi coronam vitae.’’ Apol. 11-10.) Devotedly yours in Christ, l’ajfe 2