I Wanna Be
FEARLESS What does it mean to be fearless? It’s a question nearly 2,000 students, faculty, and staff will contemplate at Archbishop Mitty High School this year. “The irony of us asking you to be fearless is that you can never go without fear, you just need to acknowledge your fear and work thought it,” said Mr. Wesmiller, the Director of Campus Ministry, as he spoke at the all-school assembly on the first day of school. “Fear is a reaction, love is a decision. Make the decision to live your life out of love and not fear. Doing what you “Fear is a love, and attacking it head on, is the greatest cure for fear.” Each year, the school selects a liturgical theme song that serves as the focus for the year. This year, that musical number was “Fearless,” by Jasmine Murray. The song explores the importance of replacing insecurities and self-doubt with positivity. Students invent dance moves for key lyrics and sing the song at least once a month at school gatherings, including liturgies, masses, and the ultimate spirit rally that is Monarch Madness.
to “I Lived,” by OneRepublic and rocked out to “What Are You Waiting For?” by Natalie Grant. In 2012, students started to put the lyrics to dance moves, drawing the audience into the music on a physical level. Ms. Kalyn Simon ’13, now an intern in Campus Ministry, joined Courtney Hessler ’13 and Kylie Palacio ’13 in being the first students to set the song “Sunshine” by Matisyahu to reaction, choreography for the school.
love is a decision. Make the decision to live your life out of love and not fear. Doing what you love, and attacking it head on, is the greatest cure for fear.”
“Kalyn taught it to a few students and they started it at a liturgy toward the beginning of the year, and it caught on like wildfire,” Mr. Wesmiller said. “We had no idea it would become a rich tradition of students creating the hand gestures every year before the school year started.”
Today, the dance for the song “Fearless” includes students clapping, crossing their arms, and lifting their hands high. This year, Monarchs are taking a good hard look at opposite forces: fear and love. Fear Tim Wesmiller is an inner energy that contracts, closes Since Exodus, the school’s liturgical Director of Campus Ministry down, draws in, hides, hoards, and harms. rock band, started performing theme songs Living in fear means pulling back from life. at liturgies more than two decades ago, But love is an inner energy that expands, students have sung and danced to a total opens up, sends out, reveals, shares, and heals. Love means being of 20 tunes. The first one was “Voices that Challenge,” by David Haas, in 1998. With the introduction of that melody, theme songs open to all life has to offer. As part of his reflection at the all-school assembly on the first day of class, Mr. Wesmiller shared four tips became a tradition. The following year, Exodus did a cover of for how we can live fearlessly this school year: Jewel’s “Life Uncommon.” Since then, Monarchs have swayed
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ARCHBISHOP MITTY MAGAZINE
