We have had a full week of classes. As well the week culminated in the first Mass of the year, to which eight priests concelebrated. Fr John Adams was the chief celebrant.

At yesterday’s staff professional development session, Fr John O’Connor gave some input to the staff on our responsibility as educators in a Catholic school with a focus on the Mass, where the death and resurrection of Christ is remembered.

Fr John made an interesting observation when asking a group of school principals in the USA what the purpose of a school was. The stock standard replies were something along the line of preparing good citizens for the world to be successful and principled, etc, etc.

A Catholic principal was asked the same question and she replied we are preparing our young people for death!!! As Christians we believe that our earthly life is merely a preparation for the next life, and so our job as educators in a Catholic school is not only to prepare young people to achieve and be successful, but we also have a part to place in the type of Christian they are – i.e. preparing for our eternal life.

At our academic assembly later yesterday morning, coincidentally I had a related message, which I share with you now…

Welcome to this academic assembly, where we honour those boys who achieved particularly well in their NCEA exams last year. I think this is also an assembly where we can celebrate our academic performance as a College. We are particularly pleased with our NCEA results as a College in 2016.

More and more, schools are becoming a pathway to tertiary education and over the last three years just about every student exiting the College has earned a qualification to either university or a polytechnic – those pathways we will continue to refine, as well as work out ways to give you information about various directions and careers when you leave school.

What is challenging is that this is an area that is changing really quickly. Many of the jobs you will end up in have not even been invented yet. So our challenge, in turn, is how do we prepare you for that unknown dimension.

This morning we honour those who attained Excellence and Merit, and they deserve our warm applause and acknowledgement.

I find the term Excellence interesting…in our context this morning it is a level of attainment – just as Merit and Achieved are as well.

Excellence has another meaning which I like, but it is not a level of attainment. Rather a way to lead your lives, spiritually, academically, socially, and in your co-curricular activities. A Greek philosopher by the name of Aristotle, thousands of years ago said this about excellence…

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence is not one act, it is a habit.”

What might that look like? Well, let me give you a couple of examples – good and bad.

If we repeatedly eat fast-food, or drink Coke or V, it is quite likely we become a fast food addict. Sooner rather than later our health will suffer, because that can become a habit.

If we repeatedly swear, that becomes a habit too. Sometimes unknowingly, the danger is that you become known as a trashy mouthed person.

If we repeatedly take short cuts in any aspect of our lives, then our performance will reflect this as well – poor performance becomes a habit as well.

However, so does good performance. If we make a promise to ourselves and honour that promise daily and repeatedly, then good habits will become a part of us and probably will result in good performances. More importantly that shapes your character as men!

If you eat healthily, and make it a habit, you are more likely to be healthy as a person.

If you practice a musical instrument daily, then likewise you are more likely to play that instrument well.

If you practice your goal-kicking repeatedly – then you are more likely to kick more goals.

Likewise, if you are engaged in your learning day-by-day – at school and home, then it is more likely you will achieve well also.

Excellence in today’s context is an attainment, a level of achievement.

However, I want you to consider Excellence as a habit – a way of living. Good habits shape you to be good men in all facets of your life.

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I always think that Lent is well-timed in the school year – to make promises and then to keep them. A time structured into the Church year in preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a time therefore for self-examination – and a great time therefore to re-set habits.

So, it might be that you promise yourself that you change where you sit in class to be better engaged in your learning. It might be you get up early and do your homework prior to school – away from the distractions or Facebook, Snapchat, at night time. It might be that you stop swearing. It might be you give up junk food or sweet drinks.

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Excellence is not one act…it is a habit…and part of your development becoming a good man is your ability to make a promise to yourself but then keep it. You become what you repeatedly do. Excellence then is not one act; it is a habit!!! While we honour high achieving students who attained excellence and merit…every one of you can be excellent!!!

Until next week

Justin Boyle