Savanna Loken - Cotter High School, Winona

My Catholic education has helped me grow spiritually because I have learned how to serve others and to cherish every moment of my life, just as the Lord did. Being able to learn and talk freely about God has been incredibly helpful, especially when I have questions about my faith or what action God wants me to take. I’m incredibly blessed to be able to have teachers at Cotter who are willing to openly talk about spirituality and what it means for them. Just being able to talk about God has helped me feel and grow closer to him because I am learning more about His mission and intentions everyday.

Cotter students learn how to experience God’s presence in their lives by learning that God is present in every single one of us, and because of that we are all created exactly in God’s image. After understanding that parts of God are in the people I meet everyday, it has been incredibly easy to treat others with the utmost respect and dignity, like Father Nelson did, and to employ my servant leadership skills when helping others. My primary way of being a servant leader to others is by being the president of Cotter’s student council. I have a direct platform to engage with others and to guide them in whatever problem or situation they need guidance in.

Our main focus on the student council is to plan events and help with fundraisers for Cotter. My favorite servant leadership opportunity that I was able to be a part of this year was leading and organizing a Red Cross blood drive on Cotter campus. This allowed Cotter students to get involved within the community by helping to save lives. A part of servant leadership also includes volunteering, which I have grown to appreciate over my years at Cotter.

Lastly, my Catholic education has taught me to not hold grudges against others, forgiving freely, because life is precious and moments pass us by so quickly. My favorite Bible verse regarding this topic is from Ephesians 4:32; “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” I think this verse is so powerful because while God did give us free will, he also expects us to use that free will to be understanding of each other, especially when we make mistakes.

One of our Pastors who frequently led Cotter masses, Father Mike Cronin, was the best example of cherishing every moment given to us by God and of how one could carry out Ephesians 4:32 in real life. Father Cronin passed away unexpectedly due to complications of heart surgery. He had suffered multiple strokes and a heart attack in the years before due to his precarious health, but that never stopped him from seeing the best in the world and in others. His homilies often contained messages about forgiving and loving others every day because he knew that his health could change in an instant. Through all his struggles he continued to be positive and never once feared life, because he knew that he was in God’s hands.

Before his passing, Father Cronin taught us how to live our lives to the fullest, by being authentic, loving, and most importantly forgiving towards others, just as God has called us to be. His message really resonated with me because even when he was facing uncertainty as to when God would call him home, Father Cronin continued to put others first until his very last day. His actions have inspired me to act as righteous and kind as he did, so I try to model God in every situation I am in.

By employing these principles, serving others has become second nature to me as I do my best everyday to live my life as a child of God, growing spiritually and closer to God in the process.