Friends,

In the dawn of this bright new year, we are grateful for the opportunity to begin again with a fresh and fruitful start. Though our calendars may have changed, our students are hard at work continuing to build on the passions they have developed all year - preparing to bring their learning into exams, their off-season workouts into in-game performances, their BC High experience into the next stage of their education at college and beyond. And, soon, we look forward to the privilege of accepting new Eagles into our community in just a few weeks!

After a powerfully reflective Advent season filled with wonderful Livestream Masses thanks to our Jesuit Community, the return to daily life can feel frighteningly mundane. But as our Campus Ministry team has consistently reminded us - the work of Christmas truly begins in these ordinary weeks and months when we set ourselves toward bringing Christ's light into each and every day.

As we turn our eyes toward the future, USA East Coast Jesuit and Cristo Rey High School Presidents and Principals have been meeting weekly since the middle of March. Dr. Anthony Fauci is a graduate of Regis High School in New York and has been incredibly helpful throughout the pandemic. He joined the Presidents' meeting on January 6 to discuss the pandemic, vaccination rollout and Presidential transition - and even a light moment talking about his basketball jump shot at Regis. A true man for others!

The fruits of our Jesuit Network were on prominent display across the nation on this historic day as our first African-American, Asian-American, and female Vice President, Kamala Harris, and President Joseph Biden were sworn into office. President Biden began his day with a Mass celebrated by Rev. Kevin O'Brien, SJ, president of Santa Clara University, and the Inauguration invocation of Rev. Leo J. Donovan, SJ, president emeritus of Georgetown University. The wisdom of these wonderful Jesuits reminds us to place our faith and trust, firstly in God, but also in our brothers and sisters as we work toward a more perfect union together.

AMDG,

Grace Regan P'12

On Friday, we celebrated our 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Service with the theme of “Our Story”. In a lovely, almost entirely student-driven service, we honored this idea by telling stories about the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King, BC High students and alumni, and the current context in our larger society.

A very special thank you to all of the students, faculty and staff who made the day possible - and to our two alumni guest speakers, Trustee Ifeanyi Obukwelu ’07 and Matthew Thompson Jr. ’18.

As a flagship school in the Jesuit Network around our country and world, it is no surprise to see members of our community frequently appearing in the USA East Province's JESUITS magazine. On the cover of this most recent issue, you'll find the bright smile of Fr. Patrick Nolan, SJ against the backdrop of the Boston skyline in Viola Stadium. Inside, the touching story of Fr. Nolan's path to the Society of Jesus begins on page 10, featuring his two Jesuit uncles (Fr. James Dolan, SJ, Fr. Donald Devine, SJ) and Sister of Charity aunt, Sr. Frances Devine, SC.

On page 18, longtime staff member and former Director of Enrollment, Principal Gadisa Goso of our partner in mission Nativity Prep is featured in a piece on the inspirational work Nativity Schools around the country are doing to further racial justice.

Kudos as well to Fr. Jack Hanwell, SJ '74 on continuing his work as Socius for the USA Northeast Province in the newly formed USA East Province!