CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SCHOOL

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There are some moments in a child's life that a mom always remembers.
Defining moments that somehow illuminate the mystery of what it means to be a child of God. One of those moments happened recently.

My 12 year old son Zachary received his school pin at a special morning Mass, along with all the other seventh graders from Christian Brothers School here in New Orleans. Zachary is part of a family tradition that began twelve years ago with his oldest brother Johnny, who paved the way for Mackie, who walked ahead of Ben, who passed the ball to Jacob, who exited just in time for Zachary to firm up the family legacy.

For me, the pin Mass isn't just a tradition, it's a spiritual anointing. A sign that my sons belong to an extended family founded on the Catholic principles of faith in God and service to humankind. CBS is a fraternity of fellowship and fun, wisdom and understanding. The kind of school that massages the mind while inspiring the soul.

For our family, it's also been a haven of hope amid all the personal hurricanes. Over the years-as I've delivered my sons to school, I knew they were walking into the womb of Christ centered Love...Into a nurturing educational environment where the all male faculty, would teach them by example, what it means to be a Christian gentleman.

It is important to me that my sons learn that real men aren't macho, they're mindful...of the God, who became man, so that they could inherit eternal life. It is also important, that they develop an intimate one on one relationship with God, because that is the most effective measure of manhood that I know of. Everything else pales in comparison.

We all have hopes and dreams, but it is a rare gift when we are taught to understand more fully, the mystery and the meaning of our lives. Zachary and all my sons have been inspired to reach their unlimited potential, while being challenged to consider sacrificing their lives for the salvation of souls.

Every child desperately needs to learn they have an inherent dignity, because they were created in the image and likeness of God. The founder of the Lasallian tradition, St. John Baptist De La Salle emphasized this, "...not only is God so good to have created us, but God desires all of us to come to the knowledge of the truth."

The truth is, CBS is a grace filled gift from God...to families like mine-who are seeking to raise strong Christian gentlemen in a world where faith in God is often frowned upon. As CBS students, Zachary and his four brothers have been truly blessed..with the kind of blessing that will keep on giving from here to eternity!

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