Br. Bernard Wierdak, O.P.

When I learned that my formation for my religious order and for the Catholic priesthood would take me to Kenya, I was filled with excitement. Although the news of my plans aroused my excitement and curiosity, I was filled with questions too. I had an idea that I would serve at a secondary school for two months, and that the work would involve ministry and teaching, but I was still uncertain! I came to discover a beautiful place filled with joyful people: St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School.

 From the moment I stepped onto the school compound, I felt energized and ready to immerse myself in the St. Aloysius community. God has bestowed many blessings on the school, and He continues to pour out his goodness on the students and staff. The school is marked by a deep commitment to the well-being of its students, a generous and caring group of staff and faculty members, and a lively faith tradition that helps and encourages the students to embrace the Christian life. I saw firsthand how Chemistry, Life Skills, Biology, and English classes contribute to the well-rounded education of the students. And the school offers even more courses than the ones I saw. Furthermore, numerous activities such as sports, journalism, scouting, music, and dancing give the students opportunities to develop hobbies and skills and to make new connections with their peers. The school is equipped with a wonderful team made up of a social worker and a counselor who provide interpersonal care to the students and their families. I saw all of these aspects on a weekly basis, and it filled me with confidence in the mission of St. Aloysius.

God is also present in the midst of everything the school does. The most prominent way a person sees God when he goes to St. Aloysius is in the exuberant life and infectious joy that the students and faculty share with others. I was amazed to see this joy, especially when I came to understand how challenging the life situations are for the students. They seek God and they seek to love and support one another despite numerous obstacles related to poverty and family instability. The students’ faith motivates them to strive for excellence and to have hope in a future where they are better able to love and serve. Having this positive, faith-informed outlook does not do away with the serious challenges and obstacles in the students’ lives, but it does provide a great motivation for the students to keep trying to attain their goals. Plus, there is a chapel right in the heart of the school. In particularly joyful or challenging moments, I found it a great place to retreat and spend some quiet minutes with God.

 I learned a lot about life and about the hope we have in our faith in Jesus from my time at St. Aloysius. I enjoyed time playing sports, teaching classes, leading faith activities, forming friendships, celebrating milestones, and serving God and my neighbor. The celebration of St. Aloysius Gonzaga’s feast day, in particular, brought all of these wonderful aspects of the school community together. These parts of my experience all helped me to grow as a disciple and inspired me to serve God’s people with even more commitment upon my return to the United States. I continue to look back and cherish my time at St. Aloysius, and I am filled with deep gratitude to God and to everyone at the school for what they did for me in my two months I had in Kenya. I only hope that I may go back someday soon and share this deep gratitude in person!