St Josephs Academy - Academia Yearbook (Portland, ME)

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.111 lf X 7 ab ll. elf: N in Y J 1 i If l IT i et: .if . .1 -miie -A N K St. Iosephls Academy CHRIST, OUR ETERNAL FRIEND Over nineteen hundred years ago in the little village of Nazareth, Christ, under the faithful guardianship of St. Joseph, worked with the rude tools of a carpenter. Here he labored long, tirelessly, and, above all, uncomplainingly. His example should enable us to perform more cheerfully the duties of our particular state in life. In that quaint little village of Nazareth, the inhabitants were few but they were industriously engaged in the various duties that made up their community life of which the Holy Family formed a part. Though many changes have come about since those early days, the minds and hearts of men remain unchanged. Since We know how Christ has suffered the same privations that many of us have to endure, it is easier for us to turn to Him in times of stress and find comfort. We would profit much by imitating Him and trying to make the people around us happier and more contented as He did in His immediate surroundings. The way Christ bore His burdens long ago shows us that when we are in need of a Friend, we can take our troubles to Him and lay them at His feet. If we do this, we can rest assured that Our Everlasting Friend will help us, for He loves us and His great desire is that we call Him Friend During His short lifeeupon earth, Christ Himself had many friends to whom He loved to go after a long day spent in preaching and healing. Especially did he like to visit Martha and Mary at the home of their brother, Lazarus. There He found rest and joy, and gave to His friends that peace which only the friends of Christ can know. Our Divine Friend's house is always nearby. There We can commune with God and receive the friendly comfort our hearts need. The church is the home of Christ, and He is always at home, eager to receive His friends. He is ever ready to give the w.elcome we seek even though we may have been estranged from Him for a time. In this instance we should keep in mind that if we seek to renew the friendship of Christ we will not be turned away. No friendship can be complete without some degree of sacrifice. ls this not so in regard to our friendship with Christ? Must we not sometimes be willing to give up little things, even big things for His love? For what are all the heart's treasures, home, loved ones, even life itself, compared to His friend- ship? To give up one's life for Christ is the supreme sacrifice: most of us may never be asked to make it. Yet no sacrifice, however small, will go unrewardedi it is Christ's promise. Is it not worthwhile? A life of friendship with Jesus here on earth means eternal happiness with Him in heaven. Shall anything then keep us from His friendship? Ah, no! Rather we must learn daily to bind ourselves closer to the Heart of the loving Christ that His friendly smile will bless us in time and eternity. Elizabeth Shannon, '36. GROWING-UP P The human heart craves friendship: the yearning must be satisfied. Throughout life, the object of friendly attachment may change, but the basic sentiment is ever the same. In the period of childhood our doll was our constant companion during the day, and very often during the night it remained tucked in bed beside us. What secrets we confided to it, and how many times, seeking consolation, we told it our troubles! Also we had pets, animal friends--a kitten, rabbit, canary, etc., any one of these might have been the object of our affection. Perhaps a ' v . Ai w x . '93 9 t if i if' ii 3 I .ii- f llggiseigeill 135 IK e QM il -Z

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I The Academia I if fi lx 0 ' . I at f p - J CONCERNING FRIENDSHIP Just between us, what does friendship mean? Does it signify a give and take attitude towards our friends: or, is it a selfish grasping of all the merits of this union with no contribution whatsoever? A man noted along Broadway recently referred to a pal as a bystander, and a friend as a standby. Perfect friendship is a valuable bond affording the exquisite joy of under- standing and of being understood. Its securities are trust and loyalty. True friends never permit suspicion to settle in a corner of their mind, and are always faithful and ready to defend each other's good name. The entire duty of friendship may be briefly expressed in the golden rule: To do to and for your friend. what you would have him do to, and for you. The noble fruits of friendship may be enumerated as sympathy, judgment, and influence. In rainy weather as well as when the sun shines, sympathy is an essential quality in our lives. How we cling to our friend for comfort when someone dear to us has died! Likewise this same friend is always ready to congratulate and wish us happiness at some joyful event. Whenever we have to make a decision we always ask the advice of that person and rely upon his judgment. Then, too, this close relationship may influence us for good. A friend, by good example, aids us in conforming our lives to the beautiful which we see in his life. Thus, when we consider the worth of perfect friendship let us not be so eager to give or accept the customary pat on the back without judging the force or intention behind the pat. It may be the hearty slap impulsed by joy in our good luck, or the feigning tap of a false friend. Mary McDermott, '36, BORROWING FROM TOMORROW The age-old promise, I'll do it tomorrow, has proved disastrous many, many times. What will tomorrow bring you if today is forever indebted? Joy? Hardly. Sorrow? Perhaps,-but it will surely bring a sense of guilt. What about the precious minutes that you have robbed from today? What about the good that could have been done today? Beware of idle moments! Think only of today: leave tomorrow alone. Do the duty of the present and do it well. When tomorrow comes it will be another today: treat it as such. Peggy Ragan, '3 6. if 5-'ls W Kvd' .,,. 1 A 1 sa, y I' 1 n ll. ii llffi - lllllll .445 ll

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The Academia f. ,-l- ' 6 .5 A E PIL ill l ll 'ur faithful dog was our pal, ready to travel with us and to protect us at all times. As we grew older, books became our friends. From fairy stories we pro- ceeded to tales of adventure, histories, and novels. Likewise, we may have found our scrapbook was a valuable friend. In it we stored appealing poems, beautiful pictures, bits of advice, wise sayings, and accounts of unusual happenings. This was a treasure house on some rainy days, perhaps. But real friendship requires that the object of affection give some animate and living response. So we became tired of our doll which we found couldn't speak comforting words to us and always had the same blank expression on its painted face. A dog might seem to want to be companionable, but it wasn't human like ourselves. A book offered wonderful flights into the worlds of other human beings, but we sometimes wondered if they were real. Something truly alive was what we wanted. Thus human friendships developed from the little girl friends with whom we played grown-ups to school comrades, tried and true. Perhaps like Anne of Green Gables, we were fortunate enough to have a bosom friend. As we grew older, school associations grew into social contacts with the world. Home, school, church life brought many new friends. These we have today. Friends may be influenced. Who can say what may be the extent of our advice and example? We are Catholics. By living good Catholic lives we are participating in Catholic Action. As Catholic young women today it is our duty to belong to the Sodality, to the Women's Council, and other Catholic organizations in order to obtain the most from our religion and to be a Catholic friend in every sense of the word. The Church binds her members by a Catholic mark of friendship, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. She wishes all her children to be friends of the Master in the fullness of friendship,-namely, participation and sharing in the joys and sorrows of life. The Heart of Christ will share the love of all in the world if only they will have it so. We are grown-up now. Being friends of Christ, however, we must always be simple, innocent, and child-like of heart. For the heavenly friends of our Lord, according to His own words, are little children. Oh, let us never become too grown-up! Mary McDermott, '36. SAMUEL JOHNSON'S FRIENDS If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life he will soon find himself left alone. A man, Sir, should keep his friendship in constant repair. This saying of Dr. Samuel Johnson's gives his excellent opinion concern- ing friendship. He compares this fruitful bond to some article which must be frequently renovated or strengthened in order that its full benefit may be received. The theory was practised and exemplified during his whole life. A great man, respected by all his associates, he regarded a certain few as his intimates. These friends he gathered together in his Literary Club. There they expounded their ideas on various subjects and enjoyed brilliant conversation: there, also, the striking colloquial talents of the author of the Dictionary were never better displayed for he was surrounded by men who could send him back every ball he threw. These members of the Club included Garrick, the mimic. renowned on the London stage: Goldsmith, the poet, author of the Vicar of Wakefield and the Deserted V illage : Joshua Reynolds, famous artist of that period: and James Boswell, Johnson's deep admirer and biographer. 1 . 'fa-,Q 9 U X ei:- W .va K ,rl gf ily? - l li :J fs a