Letter from the Principal - January 2023

January 11, 2023

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

While our community is heartbroken by the passing of Cormick Scanlan, nothing compares to the grief of his parents, Joe and Heather, his siblings, Colin, Brynn, and Sloane, his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many other family members. We continue to offer them our deepest  sympathy.

I marvel at the outpouring of support and unity our community continues to share with the Scanlans. In his homily, Fr. Treacy spoke of this unity when he remarked on the many prayers that were offered.  He told us that “prayer unites us with God and each other. Cormick did that and still does...just look at all of us gathered here.”  His words are profound. 

Prayer is core to our community. Not only do we pray alone or at home with our families and our parishes, we pray together in the classroom, during morning prayer, at a prayer service, in our chapel, and even at the hockey rink. At times like this, prayer is our language to express our grief and we are blessed to have the opportunity to share it with one another. 

I am humbled that the Scanlan, Thimm, O’Brien, and Ryan families chose to share this intimate journey with us. Not only did  they choose to hold the Visitation at Cretin-Derham Hall, they celebrated Cormick’s life with our students at our school prayer service on the first day back from Christmas break. They selflessly attended numerous hockey games in solidarity with the young people who played right alongside Cormick and his siblings. I am so grateful for their generous love and support of our students amidst their own pain.

We run a risk when we portray our community as utopia.  This view could lead us to believe if we have disagreements or we aren’t living in perfect harmony, we are not a community.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  A true community exists despite our differences.  It is our sacred bond with God and with each other. 

I ask that this community continue to speak our sacred language of prayer and support the Scanlan family, our students, and one another.  We continue to pray for Cormick; may he rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon him.

Sincerely,

Mona Passman