It seems that at the start of every school year, in at least half of American classrooms, the very first writing assignment or conversation in circle time involves describing what one did on one’s summer vacation. I thought I would take an opportunity to share what I did on mine, not so much because I think you have a particular reason to care, but rather as a means of introducing our theme for the year and of framing this year’s Sacred Heart Goal of focus, which is Goal I. 

The real “vacation” part of my summer vacation involved a trip for most of the family to the United Kingdom and France. I say “most of the family” because we came to the (I think) wise conclusion that bringing our youngest son, who just started kindergarten at Regis, might be particularly punishing for all parties involved. July is that time of year when France is busiest, and somehow, we didn’t feel that our five-year-old Winston would be a big fan of waiting in an hours-long line at the Louvre. The French are also quite proud of their cuisine, and suffice it to say that Winston does not have a particularly advanced palette; I didn’t see “les chicken nuggets” on any French menus. 

We began in London, a city I last visited about 25 years ago. It is every bit as fabulous as I remember it. We stayed right near Hyde Park, ate fish and chips, saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (with a cameo appearance by Prince Edward), rode on the London Eye, shopped in Notting Hill, and all the other London things. One of my favorites was the Churchill War Rooms and Churchill Museum. This is the underground complex from which Churchill directed the British effort in World War II—an amazing spot for a history nerd like myself.

From London, we were off to Liverpool, where we predictably spent our day making the classic Beatles pilgrimage. We visited the Cavern Club, where the Beatles had some of their first gigs in the early ’60s, and had a chance to sing along to a live performance of the classic “Penny Lane,” which was written about a famous street in Liverpool. We also had the unique opportunity to visit the childhood homes of both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, homes where some of the biggest Beatles’ hits were written and first rehearsed. It was eerie opening the door of John Lennon’s bedroom and feeling the presence of a genius taken from the world too soon. A real highlight was watching my Regis third grader, Lincoln, play piano in Paul McCartney’s house that Paul himself once played. 

From Liverpool, it was off to Manchester, where we visited the National Football Museum and Etihad Stadium, the home pitch of the Premier League’s Manchester City Football Club—my oldest son Hudson’s favorite team (and among Lincoln’s least favorite). We also met some friends of ours in Manchester for a concert I have been waiting to see my whole life—KISS! 

After a brief trip to the countryside (which involved me driving a stick-shift car on the wrong side of the road while sitting on the wrong side of the car) with our friends, we flew to Paris. We did all the Paris things one might expect. The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Jardins Luxembourg, Notre Dame (or what’s left of it), Sacre Coeur, and the like. A highlight, though, was a visit to a lesser-known church called L’Église Saint-François-Xavier, or the Church of St. Francis Xavier, who was one of the founding members of the Jesuit order. What I find most significant about the Church is that it is the final resting place of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Her body remains intact and on view, and sitting beside her in prayer for just a few minutes was humbling. 

In summary, I spent my summer surrounded by some absolute giants. Though they seem rather unlike one another, I found myself making connections in my mind between figures like Winston Churchill, John Lennon, KISS, and Madeleine Sophie. These are all people of whom I am in awe. 

So on to this year’s Goal of focus, or theme, and how we got there. As the KISS concert in Manchester ended and the house lights came up, a recording of a favorite song of mine was played. That song is KISS’s “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.” It got me thinking about all that God has given me and what my relationship with God looks like. That was the moment when I came to the realization that I wanted Goal I to be a real focus this year. Goal I states that schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educating to a personal and active faith in God. If you’ve read some of my past Tuesday Newsdays or have been paying attention so far in this blog post, you know that I am a huge rock and roll fan. I do believe it is something God has given to me. The fact that music can sound the way that it does when electric guitars are plugged into amplifiers and the volume is turned up is no accident; it’s a gift. For you, maybe it’s not rock and roll. Maybe God has given you something else, like the sensation you get in your lungs when you breathe the cold air of the Rockies on a ski trip, or that smell that comes right after it rains. God has given us all different things because we are called to have a relationship that’s personal. 

To segue to an active faith, I’ll move from Paul Stanley of KISS to St. Madeleine Sophie. Sitting next to her made me think of what it means to have a faith that is active. Sophie did more than sit, stand, and kneel at the appropriate times for one hour per Sunday. Her faith called her to ride out the French Revolution and Reign of Terror to found schools that reveal the love of God through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I can think of little more active than that, and here we are at the corner of Westview and Antoine as the beneficiaries of her legacy. 

I have asked the boys to think about what it means for a relationship with God to be personal and active. As a fun little exercise for the year, I’ve initiated “Rock and Roll Fridays” to keep the “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” theme going. My hope is that each week when I play a music video at the end of morning prayer, it is a reminder that God has given us all a gift, whether it’s rock and roll or something else. And for those who like rock music, I’m taking requests. 

On the “active” side of things, I have encouraged the boys to think more about how their relationship with God—whether they’re Catholic or not—is defined by more than visiting a house of worship on Sundays. What can they do to activate or energize a relationship with God outside of church hours? How will they look beyond the one-way street of God giving them what they pray for, again, whether it’s rock and roll or something else? 

I don’t have a degree in theology, and I am not ordained as a priest. I’m just a Catholic guy trying to figure it out like so many others are. But I can tell you that the unique combination of KISS and Sophie have certainly got me on my way.