Dear Cathedral Family,
The greatest gift of all is…?
December is upon us. And with it comes the season of giving and receiving gifts. As Catholics, we have the season of Advent as we prepare for the absolute greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. As we enter this season of gifting, I have much good news to share with you from our beloved school, Cathedral.
I “googled” quotes about “the greatest gift” and found many interesting responses; health, friendship, surprise, the ability to forget, unconditional love, others’ belief in you, and many others. But keeping in mind the two Great Commandments, I settled that love is truly the greatest gift. Two quotes that really stayed with me are, “The greatest gift is a portion of thyself," attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, and “Love is the greatest gift that God has given us. It’s free”, from Taraji Henson. Giving of ourselves to others is the love that God commands us to do, and this December and Advent, I believe this is the way to stay above the stress and anxiety of the season.
Here at Cathedral, we have our Catholic and Holy Cross traditions to guide us, and of course, this is magnified this time of year. Being grateful for all of our blessings at Thanksgiving rolls right into the season of giving and receiving, and this year we are emphasizing this in two unique ways: our 2nd annual Christmas on the Hill on December 9 and a special Christmas Toy Drive for two Catholic schools in western North Carolina, Immaculata Catholic School, and Asheville Catholic School, who both had their communities devastated by the severe storms this past September. Through our connections with the Sisters of Providence and our own Sr. Mary Ann Stewart, we connected with both of these schools. We were told that families “are not even thinking about Christmas this year,” as the immediate concerns of daily survival dominate the thoughts and actions of the families there. Our toy drive will stock the Christmas Store the schools are hosting, allowing them to celebrate the season of giving and receiving despite their hardships.
Our broadcasting class, under the direction of Marc Quaranta, coordinated with our Marketing Department to prepare a short video to bring the situation to our eyes and hearts. Please view it here. We are asking our students to bring at least one gift for a 3-13-year-old at the schools (They are both Pre-K through 8th-grade schools, with around 200 students in each school.) We are collecting the toys here at Cathedral and will be delivering them to the schools on Wednesday, December 11. For those unable to bring their gifts to us, please use this Amazon Wish List if you want to donate.
I was a part of a similar effort twenty years ago for a Catholic school in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I believed then and still do now that this type of endeavor is impactful for students and helps them see and experience the joy of giving in a selfless act of love.
The work on our grotto, which is truly a labor of love, continues and will be completed later this month, just a few weeks later than expected. Please watch for a new date for the dedication ceremony in 2025. Special thanks to the Ryan Hasbrook '92 family for making this project possible.The impact of Our Lady’s Grotto will provide a way to honor Mary, the Mother of God, as she points us to the greatest gift of all, her Son and our Lord Jesus Christ. And, speaking of blessed babies, I am happy to share that four of our Educators are preparing for the birth of a child this month. The greatest gift of all: Christ Jesus and any newborn child. What a wonderful gift for these families and the Cathedral family.
In closing, I invite you to click here to read the monthly message from our Chief Mission Integration Officer, Matt Gring.
As we graciously receive and selflessly give, may this upcoming holy season be simple and full of love for you and yours.
Humbly and gratefully,
Rob Bridges, PhD
President