THOUGHTS FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL, JOSEPH VORBACH:
Today we had the last Mass of the school year after the morning exam. In the first reading from the First Letter of John (1 John 4:7), we were reminded to "love one another, because love is of God [and] everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God." In the Gospel reading (John 15:9-11) Jesus says, "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." These readings, and Father Thompson's reflections in his homily, brought me back to Bishop Burbidge's charge to our graduates last week that they should "look to the things above," including the commandment to love.
Just before Mass ended, Father Thompson invited all of us to join him in giving Father Benetti a warm send off before he leaves for Massachusetts. As Father Benetti received a prolonged standing ovation, my thoughts wandered back to Mr. Roque's words at a faculty meeting yesterday about Father Benetti. Mr. Roque began by pointing out the difference between leading others to Christ and "converting" someone. He noted that all of us, by our actions and our prayers, can lead others to Christ, but that Christ does the converting. He brought this up as preface to a story he wanted to share about Father Benetti. Mr. Roque was in Italy with Father Benetti with a group of O'Connell students over Easter break this year. On Holy Thursday, the group was in a church in Father Benetti's home town in the Alps and Father was celebrating the Mass. During the Mass, Father Benetti washed and kissed the feet of the O'Connell students on the trip in what was an emotional moment for all of them.
Father's efforts at Bishop O'Connell these past four years, in and out of the classroom, have led others to Christ time and again and this moment on Holy Thursday in Italy is just one powerful example. We are grateful for his service to our community and the love of Christ he has shown toward his students and his colleague. We will keep him in our prayers as he heads to Boston next week for new challenges and new opportunities to serve.