St.

Augustine Academy
130 South Wells Road Ventura California 93004 805-672-0411 Fax 805-672-2365 e-mail StAugAcad@juno.com www.SaintAugustineAcademy.com February 22, 2013
Board of Governors President Thomas Q. Ellis Secretary Robert R. Orellana, Esq. Treasurer Michael C. Collins Members Abel Montiel Jeff Schuberg Michael F. McLean, Ph.D. Louise Warnert

Chair of St. Peter

Dear Families:
Let us continue to pray for our Pope and for the coming consistory. Enclosed today is a prayer that is being promulgated to this purpose. I am including a sheet of four prayers so you can cut it up and share with others. This week the final segment on Happiness. [Also, please see flyer for next weeks upcoming University Series talk by SAA Parent, Bernadette Lueck By Virtue of Eating Healthy This talk is largely based on the topics we have been discussing, and centers on the Four Cardinal Virtues.] Handling temptation in the moment. 6 recommendations: Creating a distance. Delaying our desire discounts its power. Then there is that immemorial advice: avoiding occasions of sin. If we can delay satisfying/gratifying our desire, even for a short while (maybe 3 minutes!) the temptation will pass, at least in intensity. This gives us an opportunity to now be able to control the temptation and overcome it. Surf the urge. Think about the nature of temptation it never lasts more than a few minutes try to ride it out without giving in. This does not work with every kind of temptation, but in this example, you can get the sense of how it may work: e.g., smoking. Feel the urge, slowly prepare to give in, get out the pack. Casually get out the cig. Lazily find the matches. (You threw away the lighter when trying to quit smoking). Et cetera. Then, stop! Stop just before smoking, because if you surf the wave, it will crash, complete the temptation, and you will no longer be taken by the power of the wave. Most temptations pass WITHOUT you having to give in. Re-framing the choice. Think of the long-term rewards we are giving up for the momentary satisfaction. Remember the face book doctor from last week? Do I want to ogle at all the fun my friends are saying they are having by stalking face book, or do I want to be a doctor? How much more important do we, as Christians, find this, seeing heaven as worth resisting the level one happiness calling us at the moment? Dissolving ironic rebound. This is an interesting one. Do not think about red licorice. OK? Well, guess what you are thinking about? Red licorice! When you forbid a thought, another part of your mind starts to think about itwe are naturally drawn to the forbidden. Trying to suppress, increases. Think of beach ball in the water try to push down and it pops up. The best thing to do is to let it float away. Thoughts come and go they can float away if we do not grab hold of them. Feel everything you feel, but dont believe everything you thinkthink that thoughts come and go like breaths. e.g., spiritual direction encourages us, ALLOWS us to think and express thoughts, and in this we can rid ourselves of them. Gratitude breathing. Parts of the brain compete. We can slow down our breathing, literally, and this calms us and restores our self control. Combine this slow breathing with thoughts of gratitude, lots of good and important results including putting the best of ourselves back in the drivers seat. It is hard to say too much about gratitude, because it is central to humility, happiness, emotional and psychological balance. When Father Robert used to tell us all that we need an attitude of gratitude, he was giving us a central ingredient to the recipe for happiness. Gratitude has always been a core element to the spiritual life, and often one of the first virtues to disappear in an affluent culture. Might a lack of gratitude be part of the eventual decline and fall of all affluent cultures?

Headmaster Michael J. Van Hecke, M.Ed. Vice President of Development J. Peter Slaga

Board of Advisors Mr. John W. Blewett Wanderer Forum Foundation Hon. Jeremiah Denton Former U.S. Senator Mr. Nicholas J. Healy, Jr. President Ave Maria University Dr. Ronald P. McArthur Co-founder Thomas Aquinas College Mr. Roy S. Rohter, S.F.O. Founder St. Augustine Academy Fr. Michael Scanlan, T.O.R. Chancellor Franciscan University Mr. James Stenson Educator and Author

AND FINALLY.Exercise. Even a 5 minute walk! Little bits are powerful mood busting/stress busting acts. This seems so small, but it is a will power miracle. Give it a try take a stroll before breakfast, or a family turn around the block following dinner.
Dr. Kaczor mentioned one more item, a relevant topic for the modern world something which any priest would affirm is now their most commonly heard sin. He gave us, as principals, a resource to use for students or adults to help with addictions and disorders involving physical relationships. Candeo is the name of the company and can be found online.

See Dr. Kaczors newest books on the hottest topics, and the Churchs position on teaching, dogma and charity: The 7 Big Myths About the Catholic Church Kaczor ANNOUNCEMENTS Mar 1st EARLY DISMISSAL First Friday th Mar 8 End of 3rd Quarter th Mar 16 School Play Cyrano de Bergerac. St. Sebastian School Hall, Santa Paula. WYOMING CATHOLIC COLLEGE VISIT Thursday, February 28th at 2:00-3:00 PM. Parents and any high school student invited to meet Mr. Owen Sweeney. Come hear about the college and about its amazing outdoor summer program for high school students. Speaking of COLLEGE Kudos to Mimi Collins on her acceptance to HILLSDALE, and Thomas Raab for his acceptance to WYOMING CATHOLIC COLLEGE. STUDENT COUNCIL NOTES: Back by Popular DemandICE SKATING Friday March 1st Rec. Day. Attention Car Pools of 4th, 5th, and 6th Graders! On Wednesday, February 27th, the 4th, 5th and 6th graders will be going on a field trip to the Griffith Observatory. Due to timing at the observatory, our students will not arrive back to campus until 3:20. Please make suitable adjustments to carpool pick-up times. AMAZON PARTNERSHIP EASY MONEY TO SAA!!! See flyer and SHARE WITH FRIEND/FAMILY.
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS NEXT Sunday 2-24-13 Ventura H.S., Poli Street Gym, Varsity: 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM NEXT Sunday 2-24-13 JV: Same Gym, 8:00 AM PLAYOFFS BEGIN ON THURSDAY NIGHT 2-28-13 Cabrillo Middle School

MIDDLE SCHOOL Boys: Monday v St. Mary Magdalen (HOME) and Wednesday @ OLA 3:30 PM Girls: Tuesday v St. Mary Magdalen (HOME) and Thursday @ OLA 3:30 PM
Ora Pro Nobis: We pray for our Holy Mother Church in this time of transition bless the Pope and the Cardinals. Let us remember to pray for one another. We pray for the soul of John Blewett, grandpa to many SAA alumni and long-time friend of many of us and a great supporter of the school. For the soul of Esteban Helguera and for the gift of consolation for his family. We pray in thanksgiving for the friendship of our three new friends from Argentina who returned home this week. For Molly Rosecrance. For Tom McGrath. For David Browitt, Fr. Jim, OFM, from St. Paschal, Barbara Lunde and Mary Artner. For Mr. Pat Ramirez, Mr. Joseph Kern, and Kim Levy. Let us pray for the health of Rosie Grimm, Angel Castillo, Noah, and Michelle Loughman. Finally, remember to pray for our country, our soldiers, and, for all priests and religious, especially our Archbishop Jose Gomez. We pray for our Holy Father, Benedict XVI in a special way DURING THE FINAL WEEK OF HIS REIGN and for the coming conclave. SEE SPECIAL PRAYER ENCLOSED TODAY

A Novena Prayer for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff

Post Office Box 4506 Ventura California 93007 805-672-0411 Fax 805-672-2365 e-mail staugacad@juno.com