Basking in the Son

California

June 29, 2024

With the academic portion of the one-week High School Summer Program having come to an end, students are now enjoying some social time before heading home on Sunday. At the close of Friday’s afternoon class, as they made their way from the St. Augustine classroom building and back to their residence halls to change clothes for the recreation period, they were met by Admissions Director Jon Daly and his team, who presented them with some parting gifts: a TAC backpack and t-shirt, plus a copy of C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters.

Photos: Parting Gifts

Recreation period consisted of most of the favorite activities of the past week, such as swimming in the pool, scaling the climbing walls, tennis, and soccer.

Photos: Recreation

Finally, at around 5:00 p.m., all flocked back to their respective residences to get ready for the evening’s events. Soon enough, a large group of smartly dressed young men in ties and dress shoes waited patiently outside St. Monica’s Hall with the gallant purpose of walking the ladies down to dinner. One by one, the men escorted the women to a banquet in St. Joseph Commons.

Once all had had their fill of the delicious dinner, and had happily begun eating dessert and sipping coffee, the director of the Summer Program, Brian Dragoo, got up to speak. He led the students through the significance of all the Great Books they have read and discussed these past two weeks. From their first reading of Sophocles to their last day of Euclid and Aquinas, the students have considered the thoughts of a few of history’s greatest minds on some of humanity’s most enduring questions, such as what does it mean to be pious? Is creation rationally ordered? And how do we know that God exists?

Photos: Banquet

After much cheering for Mr. Dragoo, Mr. Daly, Summer Program Chaplain Rev. John Paul Erickson (’02), and the team of incredible prefects, the party descended to Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, where members prayed the Rosary and adored the Blessed Sacrament. Up in the choir loft, prefect Anthony Santine (’25) led a TAC student choir that filled the building with beautiful music to welcome our Eucharistic Lord. Fr. Erickson urged all present to “bask in the Son, bask in the Son that is Jesus,” then, along with TAC chaplain Rev. Robert Marczewski, took to the Chapel’s confessionals to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “I encourage you,” he said, “to use keep this time to reflect, to be quiet, to speak to Jesus Who loves you.”

Photos: Adoration

Following that sacred time, the group found its way to the athletic field, for a fierce Prefect v. Student soccer match. The students triumphed, 4-2!

Photos: Soccer

Finally, the evening culminated with a sing-along by the Guadalupe Fountain!

And that marked the end of a graced — and very full! — Friday on the Great Books High School Summer Program. Saturday will be even more full, with trips to the beach and Santa Barbara, plus tonight’s farewell dance. Come back to the Summer Blog Sunday morning for all the details and photos!