Then and Now - Assumption High School

“Remember who we are.
We are the community of Assumption.”
Gloria Thornburg, Campus Minister
We often say “Remember who we are. We are the community of Assumption.”
But what does that mean? Assumption as a faith community is rooted in these
guiding principles:
• God is central.
• All members of the school community have essential roles.
• In the tradition of Catherine McAuley, hospitality is fundamental.
• Healing is possible.
• Joy is the result of our love in action.
A group of students in a Catholic Faith class
These principles are integrated into three dimensions:
spend time with the Sisters of Mercy to learn
more about Catholicism and the Mercy order.
Theology
• Teaching theology is best described as creating the conditions for students to
recognize and articulate their experiences of God and the things of God
within the Catholic tradition.
• Taught well, theology stirs up questions and engages students in a search for meaning.
• Our responsibility is to teach Catholic church doctrine as basis.
• This happens NOT just in one department, nor just in the classroom.
Spirituality
• Nurturing spirituality means fostering a personal and prayerful relationship
between God and all members of the faith community.
• Our goal is to help create an inner space where people can listen freely for the
movement of God’s spirit in their lives.
• Dynamic experiences are real, alive, and appealing.
• This does NOT happen just on retreat.
• Morning prayer, whole school liturgies/prayer services, prayer before every event
A group of girls listen to a large
including pep rallies, class prayers, and whole school prayers in times of distress are
group talk during freshman
also manifestations of it.
retreat at Mt. Saint Francis. The
AHS retreat program has been
Service
in place for more than 30 years.
• Service is a two-way action of giving help and building relationships with others,
not just doing something for others.
• Creating an effective service experience involves solid preparation and follow-up
in addition to the service activity itself.
• Our school community needs to understand and witness that social justice
is essential.
• Service is an encounter with Christ which does NOT happen just in ACTS.
Not simply an event, class, or program, being community
is truly the work of God in our midst.
Our call is to make that conviction the heart and soul of our work
as educators and as parents.
Modeled on St. Mary’s Press model for Catholic High School as Faith Community
A group of seniors take a break from their service to
Habitat for Humanity in Solsberry Hill, Indiana, to
pose for a photo.
Senior Ashley El Rady
administers ashes to a fellow
classmate during this year’s
Ash Wednesday prayer service
16 Assumption Magazine Spring 2011
Photo by Ian Husk
Photo by Irene Bozio
Photo courtesy of Kelsey Yates `11
Photo by Laura Kremer Kline`97