72 ppi - Size 4.0 megs - Saint Mary's College Reunion

Farewell to shrine and stage and tree'Farewell to St. Lawrence shoreSt. lvlary's look your last at meFor I come home no more.You must forgive me if I reminisce toomuch, or il my thoughts are not united in aJlowing tribute of goodbye Because when Isat down to write this Valedictory my mindscampered like a young unleashed puppyenjoying his first spring lt roved the grassylawns of the College recalling many' somany, happy memories. ln my mind, ltriedto pick a bouquet of memories and tie themwith a golden ribbon of thanks and thencarefully place them in the crystal vase of{arewell. However, neither time nor talenipermitted me to completely translate all myd reams to words.Just as the white apple blossoms hangheavy with a cool dew in our orchard' Ishould to pluck from our eleven hearts a Jewof the memories which hang heavy with adew of tha nk you.A special thanks to all the Fathers andBrothers who have guided our unsure footstepsthrough the years, so that now we canwalk with some confidence, a lot of inspiration,and with a bundle of hope, to God'sholy altar.But our tenderest thanks must go to you,Mom and Dad, who gave us the life we nowenjoy. You have been the oak of confidenceand help in our lives, Dads, so please continueto follow us with the same assuringhand as we climb the high road to glory.And Moms, you know that You are thesweetest flower of our lives, a flower whichwill never lose its lragrance, nor {ade in theheat of time, "nor waste its sweetness on thedesed air." lt's a remarkable thing, Mom,that we have "machines to do the dishes,yes, and one to wash the clothes; another oneto dry them - how simply living goes. Andyet no one's invented machines that scrub aface, or soothe a iall, or wipe the tears, ortake a Mother's place."And to the fellows that we leave behind usat St. Mary's, a warm goodbye. Many farewellshave already been expressed along withsome words oJ wisdom and encouragement.But, "remember this above all else, to yourown sell be true, and it must follow as thenight follows the day, that you cannot be thenfalse to any man!"A day like today which is filled with theglorious splendors of spring, such a daysneaks into our bosoms and demands asense of thanksgiving to God. Truly' we havemuch to be thankful 1or, but we only askOur Lord "to make us instruments of Yourpeace. Where there is hatred, let us sowlove; where there is iniury, pardon; whereihere is doubt, faith; where there is despair,hope; where there is darkness, light; andwhere there is sadness, joy."O Divine Master, grant that we may notso much seek to be consoled as to console;to be understood as to understand; to beloved as to love; for it is in giving that wereceive; it is in pardoning that we arepardoned; and it is in dying that we are bornto eternalife. "Yes, goodbye dear old St. lVlary's, andthanks. You know, my problem is that onceI start, I'm awfully hard to stop. The Latinauthor Pliny had a simple way of concluding,for Pliny used just one simple word: Vale.And yet Pliny's one word sums up a universeof feelings this May day, because St. Mary'shas become over the years, not just a school,or a home away from home, but rather St.l\4ary's has become a way ol life. And sotogether we shout Vale! And may it echofrom the classrooms to the Shrine; let itshatter the still silence of the study halls anddormitories; may it ring in song and prayerfrom the auditorium io the Chapel. May itcrack in a storm of thunder over the lreshspring air from the dock to the sports field;and let our shout literally rock our rooms andthe refectory - a mighty and triumphantVale, St. Mary's - Farewell!JOHN T. PRICEpage fortV-three