St Josephs College High School - Chronicle Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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IKIC the ceaseless and everlasting Hame which God has enkindled at the core of the earth. which smoulders eternally to warm and enliven the whole world. the Society of jesus. also divinely inspired, rolls tirelessly on into the hfth century of its existence. keeping hright the tire of Christianity in the hearts of men throughout the glohe. The linger of God is here. exclaimed l'aul lll on the occasion when he officially confirmed the Society. XYith what truth the l'ontitT spoke has been proved decisively during the ensuing four centuries. lndescrihahle human storms and tempests arose to attack the hlesuits, entire nations. when Chris- tian truth hecame intolerahle to them. took up arms against the order. lint divine protection and the staunchness of their spirit made the ,lesuits unconquerahle. And so today the Society of .lesus emerges from the storms and darkness of the past. strongly entrenched and respected in the civilized world. and looks into the future. quite mellowed now, tilled with the dignity, wisdom. and holiness that has accompanied it through the ages. ln glaring contrast. quite inexperienced in our youth, still rather perplexed ahout our futures. and slightly awed at the sight of the tumultuous and uncertain world, do we, the class of nineteen hundred and forty-one. leave the safe and peace- ful walls of the l'rep, where our only cares were over classes. homework. and reports. .Xnd we likewise gaze ahead into the future. A rather dim and uncertain future it is indeed. overcast with the misty veils of uncertainty and the dark hewildering shadows which have ever concealed coming events from men, Yet in the distance is the eternally hlazing light of our goal. which renders our journey pleasant. Xlhile hehind us and ever comforting us are the lessons we have learned at the l'rep. Thus do we enter a new era simultaneously as the Society ot' -lesus enters its tifth century of heing. The Society. in accordance with its spiritual nature. nmst needs continue in that path of dignity, wisdom, and holiness to which it has ever adhered. No force on earth. nor any comhination of forces. can successfully deter this order from its predestined mission. Our task. on the other hand. is far less simple. lint yet. we are certainly ex- pected. and we most assuredly expect ourselves. to live up to our hackgrouud. to follow and practice the .lcsuit teachings, and to hear testimony to the quality of their

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eflucation. No matter what calling in life we may choose to follow. we must always flisplay the fruits of their lalmor merely hy tloing what they teach. So imliuetl have we hecome in the claily customs antl practices of the l'rep. hoth in a religious sense anml in less spiritual matters also, that they have hecome a part of our lives. aucl will aliicle with us forever. XXI- hegan our school year in a spiritual manner, when, on a morning last September. in the Clnirch of the tlesu. we attenflecl the Blass of The lloly tihost. earnestly imploring that the lilessecl Spirit might till us with the light of ltnowleflge ancl truth. antl guitle ancl strengthen us throughout the coming year. .-Xs in other years, this Nlass was merely the heginning of the religious activity within the venerahle walls of St. .loseph's. Soon afterward in early Uctolier there followeml the School Retreat: ancl from this lmlossomecl the Sorlality of the lllessefl Virgin. which is the founclation ofthe religious practices at the l'rep. Along with this was formetl the quietly, fervent liellarmine Clulm. a more clevout lmranch of the Sorlality. lfach lfritlay morning we tillerl the vastness of the great tlesu to hear Blass anel receive lloly L'onnnuniou as Knights of the lilesserl Sacrament. Unce a month we returnerl in the afternoon for First lfriclay Devotions. The Novena of Grace to Saint Francis Xavier. ahounfliug in favors ancl graces: the Senior Retreat: the Soclality Reception: May Devotions--all these tillerl our flays and tlourishecl uncler the guiclance of the moclerators. Still flifferent activities lillerl auother'part ofiour life. ,l:'ootliall. the exciting spectacle of the crowflefl staclium on crisp. fall tlaysg swimming, lmasltetliall-its swift action skimming across a gleaming floor-tennis, howling. track. anal crew- each one almsorlmecl keen interest anrl active participation. The Cape anrl Sworrl llulz, the liarhelin llelmatmg Society, lui: QIlRtJNlt'l.I-I, and Near Hook-all fle- nianflerl antl exercisecl high intellectual ahility. . .-Xll this is linisherl now. the curtain has tlescentlerl on that act of our life. Hut its etfects will he enclnriug antl powerful in the years to come. .Xml so, on the eve nf our fleparture from the l'rep we humhly seek the lnenecliction of our ever-patient teachers. so that, as we proceetl from year to year in later life we may successfully fulfill their lnlessefl purpose. XYhile we, on our part. pleflge unceasing loyalty to Saint 'loseph's. .loux t'oi,i,r1iR.