8 minute read
Renewing a Sense of Community
Demographers are famous for naming generations – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y (Millennials), Gen Z – so how will they define the next generation? In one of his blog posts, marketing guru Seth Godin shared the recently coined term “Generation C;” C is for COVID, C is for Carbon, C is for Climate. He thinks it is going to stick.
“The combination of years of school spent at home, in a mask, combined with the significant revolution (economic, political, and social) that our industrialism has led us to means that this generation will be different than the ones before … And yet, if we combine this with the c of connection, of a cohort of people who are finding solace and possibility in community, there’s a chance for all of us. Generation C didn’t ask for any of this, but I’m hopeful that they’re up for leading the change.”
Being part of a community is a natural extension of who we are as Dominicans; we are called to create community in our common search for Veritas, or Truth. It is in community where our students, faculty, and staff connect to share their common values, hopes, and dreams. They support and care for one another through life’s challenges. This was especially true during COVID-19.
After being isolated for almost two years, Marian Catholic dedicated this year to rebuilding community. As spiritual leaders for the student body, our Dominican Preachers have been an integral part of reconnecting everyone. Their reflections are an indication of just how special the Marian Catholic community is. And how ready they are to lead the change.
Joshua Bell: I believe Community is a Dominican Pillar because of the role public prayer plays in the Church. We celebrate Mass in a large group of people to grow closer to others and God.
Miguel Manning: Community is, to me, my favorite and most important Dominican Pillar. Without the community, the Church would not exist. … We unite and become something bigger than ourselves. Ultimately, the community teaches us to love others.
Anna Grill: I think Community is one of the Dominican Pillars because it reflects what Marian is. God teaches us to be disciples and when coming together as a community we take care of each other and fulfill God’s calling. Marian is a place that lives out community wherever you may go. The school embraces community and is welcoming of everyone.
HOW ARE DOMINICANS CALLED TO COMMUNITY?
JB: Dominicans are called to be open, loving members of the community who help others, as well as themselves, get closer to God.
MM: Dominicans are called to the community to serve it. Sometimes the community needs guidance, and Dominicans are called to be the light to follow through the darkness. For example, the transition from quarantine to a normal school year has been extremely difficult. From being in almost complete isolation to being in an active school environment, the community is still healing. Some haven’t even felt the warmth of a community for over a year. In response to this, the Dominican Preachers decided to guide the community into the light through our theme “Be Transformed.” We wanted the school to be renewed after such a dark and lonely time in our lives.
Jayson Evans: Even at The Last Supper, Jesus called people to share in Communion. It was a time that He knew was going to be hard, but He still found time for people to come together, even with the one that was going to betray him. The word community can easily be put into the mindset of only people that we like. However, we are called by the greatest commandment to love one another as the Lord has loved us. The community is filled with people of different feelings, thought processes, opinions, races, etc. God has called us to strengthen the community as people of faith. It may be difficult, but so are many of the ways/paths to success in a material world.
AG: Dominicans are called to be a part of a community because it is what God wants for us. God wants us to love our neighbors and make new friends. Going to a Dominican school, I believe that we all have a purpose in the community at Marian. God created us to help one another, and as part of a community, we can turn to each other in times of need. When we are in community and relation with others then we can support and rely on each other.
2021-2022
MARIAN CATHOLIC DOMINICAN PREACHERS
Joshua Bell Jayson Evans Anna Grill Miguel Maninang Oyiniola Nelson
JB: Marian Catholic is a special place because of its emphasis on the Dominican Pillars. I believe, however, that Community is the most recognized and executed Pillar. I have a core group of friends who mean so much to me, but even people I meet for the first time are kind and interested in what I say. The environment around Marian is something truly special that I’ve witnessed in all four years at Marian.
MM: We create a sense of community at Marian Catholic mainly through our school spirit present at our pep rallies and school games. Some of my own favorite Marian Catholic memories are from basketball or football games or pep rallies. I remember being a freshman, singing the fight song for the first time at the all school pep rally. Most of the freshmen didn’t know the lyrics, but it was still a time I felt connected with the student body. This connection would grow even more during my first football game when we would cheer our players on as they made a risky play, or sing “Hey Baby” with the band during the halftime show. These small moments of school spirit create the sense of community that make me love Marian Catholic.
JE: Recently, the community period that Marian has implemented has allowed students like myself to see and interact with people who we wouldn’t on a day to day basis. This year, I had the chance to go on a Kairos retreat (shout out to K210). It is a part of the Marian community that I hope everyone experiences. Not only does the retreat help you understand your role in the community that is the body of Christ, but it also strengthens the Marian community by letting you get to know people you would normally just pass in the hallways.
AG: At Marian we create a sense of community through everything we do each day. Whether it be through our school retreats, Mass, or even seeing each other in the halls. At Marian, we come together as a school community in times of need whether it’s helping our neighbors or helping our country. We all offer something to the Marian community and that is what makes our school so special.
WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN FOR STUDENTS AT MARIAN CATHOLIC (SHORT AND LONG-TERM)?
JB: Right now, community at Marian means coming to school and having a group of people I can talk to and interact with. The students at Marian are kind and open to talking with others. In the long term, I hope to keep in touch with many of my close friends. High school is one of the most influential times of life. The people you attend high school with see you at your highest and lowest points. Your high school friends are people who truly care about you which is especially true at Marian. MM: Community means being part of a family. In the short term, we are a family that could have fun. We have a multitude of groups, clubs, and sports that provide a place for just about any student. I’m personally in the speech and theatre community, and the reason I have so much fun and feel included is because of the people. In the long term, when you feel lost, I could look at Marian as something you could always come back to. Marian is a very diverse school. If you need someone to relate to, there is always someone who might be going through something similar to help you.
JE: I don’t know if I speak for everyone, but for me Marian has shaped the meaning of community for me as a diverse, creative, and evolving collective mindset and spirit. Especially in the time of the pandemic (COVID-19); I was at home the whole time. However, the sense of community was not lost. I was still able to get the education that I needed along with interacting with many people.
AG: Community at Marian short term gets us through our day to day as teens. Each day we face our own levels of stress and anxiety and having each other to rely on helps us to work together and gets us through our day. In the long term, community teaches us how to put the needs of others as a priority. This can help us continue in our adult life moving forward to extend ourselves where we are most needed. Marian helps us build this foundation over four years so we can be the best versions of ourselves.
