St Johns College - Lectern Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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ADMINISTRATION In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. gom- 43b-

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Saint John the Evangelist, our patron and our guide. What more htting example for future nurses and teachers than the A postle of love? God, the Word, as Saint J ohn tells us, is the sole pur- pose of our lives. During the past four years His pur- pose has become more meaningful to us through the efforts of our faculty. To them He has given the task of enlightening our minds with His eternal knowledge and truth. Though their work is often thankless and without apparent satisfaction they continue to strive diligently in the pursuit of their goals. Our patron, the youngest Apostle, exemplihes the collegiate neophyteis metamorphosis into maturity. The freshmen reflect the Vitality of the youthful Evangelist. His zeal can serve as an inspiration to these young stu- dents as they begin their careers. While the nursing and teaching students meet difliculties in their early experi- ences, they can discover similarities in the trials of J ohn in his first attempts at teaching and writing. The junior class can now value the meaning of maturity, the basis of which is knowledge and self-discipline. Throughout these three years, their understanding of the extent of dedication has deepened. Just as Saint John received direct and visible inspira- tion from the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost we have equal opportunity to partake of His gifts and guidance. In addition to supernatural direction we also have the benefit of spiritual counseling in the form of the Col- lege chapel, Sodality and religious activities, the near- by Cathedral and its frequent devotions, and the will- ingness 0f the faculty to listen and advise. Saint John was inspired to go forth and teach all nations, and in the same manner we, too, have the opportunity to in- struct and guide through organizations such as Family Life and Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Apt com- parisons are thus easily discernible between the spiritual life of the College and its patron. Our College years are attuned to one end: achieve- ment of the ability to serve humanity either through the development of young intellects or the care of weakened minds and bodies. Such a comprehensive goal could not be obtained without long hours of dif- ficult work in classes and student experiences. Further aid in its attainment is provided by our professional organizations, in their eilorts t0 broadenour scope of knowledge. A parallel easily can be drawn to the life of Saint John. Christ, the all-knowing, realized the need for such a period of education for His Apostles prior to their mission. The profound interest which John exhibited for His Masteris words is an edifying lesson for us as we struggle for knowledge and beginning abil- ity in our chosen professions. Despite the various pagan cultures which Saint John encountered in the course of his lengthy journeys, his newly confirmed Christian ideals were not weakened. Here again he fulfills his patronage, reminding us that the tenets given to us in academic studies must not necessarily be restricted only to our immediate colle- giate life but must also be Vivified in the social setting. Memories of the camaraderie we enjoyed, the endur- ing friendships we made, and the stimulating challenges we met have prepared us for our commencement. As we leave College we take with us the cognizance of the true meaning of education, yet realizing that this is only the beginning of an intellectual adventure into new frontiers of knowledge. Although for many of us, for- malieducation is ending, we understand that this back- ground is the cornerstone of future development. We know that the fullness of our enjoyment of life will be proportionately dependent upon our desire to structure abstract principles into practical building blocks. The lofty purpose shared by each of the seniors is evidenced by the intense spirit of dedication to keeping alive the process of Catholic education in our children. With matured minds and souls we face an entirely new life, trusting that our years of Catholic education will remain our strongest resource. Forceful Catholic leadership in our future civic, social and professional lives, will necessarily draw upon this reserve for its effectiveness. The Apocalypse of Saint John is a revelation of the things that were, are and will be. It bears witness to some of the events foretold in the Bible, although many of these prophecies have not yet been fulfilled. Closely parallel to this is the anthology of our lives; years and milestones have passed in our period of preparation. As with the prophecies, our fultillment lies in the future.

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From the beginning until now, Christian knowledge and principles have been generated through the integrity and dedication of men and women devoted to the ideas of truth, love, and wisdom. The bishopst guidance, the administrationts foresight and courage, and the facultyts zeal have carried the ideal of Catholic education to many young women.