Our school is based on connections—to teachings, to each other, to our bigger community. 

Even our principal and president have connections that began years ago when they first met as principal and student. With all the flux and change due to our present circumstances, we will rely on our connections to keep us grounded in faith and purposeful in our actions. Principal Michael Wood and President Rev. John P. McGarry, SJ take a moment to reflect on these connections and what they’ve learned from them during the past few months.

From the Principal

Parents and Friends,

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending Kairos 148 with an incredible group of young men
at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Applegate. While praying in the chapel, eating in the dining hall, and walking around the property, I could not help but be nostalgic for my time on Kairos as a student. The memories flooded in as I reflected on the person I was at that time, and my experiences at Jesuit.

In the weeks following this experience, it became clear to me that my reflection was more than just a few old memories; it was a reminder about what we do at Jesuit High School. Even as we have been navigating the change to our educational setting—going from traditional on-campus classes to at-home digital learning—these memories still have the same result. Our students and our graduates are not finished products; Jesuit is just their solid foundation. They are still in the process of learning, searching, discovering, failing, listening, and experiencing a world that will continue to shape the person they are becoming. Our job at Jesuit High School is not to create finished products; rather, our job is to plant seeds that will one day grow. 

Our faculty, staff, coaches, and administration are here for these young men and you, their families.
My message to parents—as our Class of 2020 approaches graduation and our underclassmen look to advance—remains the same, whether we are sheltering at home or walking the grounds at 1200 Jacob Lane: be patient and confident that what your sons are learning and experiencing now is working to create a person who will live a life of meaning and purpose, with and for others, and who will continue to deepen a relationship with God. In addition to patience, I remind you to be hopeful. Enjoy the freedom of knowing that your investment as a parent is worthwhile, even with the upheaval in the world today. 

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God” as Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J., states so beautifully.

Mike Wood ’99, Principal

From the President

Jesuit High School of Sacramento is part of a worldwide network of Jesuit Schools plus an even more extensive expanse of other Jesuit ministries such as parishes, retreat and spirituality centers, social justice works, and more. This is a network that connects all of us, in good times and difficult days, to a family—a brotherhood. 

Here in Sacramento, we are connected to the other two Jesuit ministries—St. Ignatius Loyola Parish and School, and Cristo Rey High School. We strive to collaborate in living out our Ignatian vision and mission by inviting people to become closer to God and to live with a spirit of gratitude, generosity, and joy even as find ourselves going through a pandemic.  

You—our parents, students, alumni, and generous benefactors—can be comforted that this large global network of Jesuit institutions and dedicated people is here to support you. And we are here connected to each of you in solidarity of our mission—the mission of Jesuit High School Sacramento and the mission of the Society of Jesus. 

 Journeying with Youth is one of the four Universal Apostolic Preferences issued by Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., the Superior General of the Society of Jesus to guide the work of Jesuit schools and ministries. This preference is at the heart of our Jesuit mission— accompanying the young men we are blessed to have for their high school years and encouraging them to be Men for Others who serve in the world with generosity and who help to build a hope-filled future for all.  

As you read through this edition of Jesuit Magazine, you will see the resilience of these Marauder Men for Others to adapt to the changes that the last ten weeks have brought. Even the production of our magazine adjusted to our country “staying at home” and connecting with one another via our computers. 

We invite you to discover more than what these pages can hold by visiting the website (jesuithighschool.org) and experiencing the magazine in a more dynamic and engaging way with each story coming to life through songs, speeches, photos, and additional related content that shows how our mission continues to flourish during COVID-19 and for the future. 

Thank you for staying connected to Jesuit High School, and thank you for your generous support of our mission.  

Rev. John P. McGarry, S.J.