Pastor's Message

As the Administrator of Sacred Heart and Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church it is my great privilege to be part of the community of teachers, staff, students and families here at Sacred Heart School.

During my years of seminary, we spoke often about Pope Saint John Paul II’s 1992 Exhortation on priestly formation: Pastores Dabo Vobis. The Pope outlined four key dimensions of education that are essential to the formation of priests, and by analogy of anyone receiving a Catholic education.

Catholic education provides a solid human formation, developing in students the emotional maturity and virtues necessary for personal happiness and genuine friendship with others. Catholic education provides spiritual formation, forming the heart and soul –so often undeveloped today – so the light of faith illumines both the student’s lives and the subjects they study. Catholic education provides intellectual depth, communicating a love of Truth and helping students to navigate the complexities of contemporary life with a rich tradition of wisdom. Finally Catholic education prepares students for service, opening their hearts to the needs of others and guiding them to serve their neighbors in charity.

I have just begun my involvement with Sacred Heart School but I am excited to see how this school lives out its mission to provide human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and formation for service. Sacred Heart School has a rich tradition and history, started in 1891, that continues now and is needed more than ever.

Fr. Stephen Akers,
Pastor
Sacred Heart Parish