Dear members of the Whitefriars College Family,

I often quote the prayer to the great Archbishop of El Salvador St. Oscar Romero… It helps now and then to step back and take the long view.

I believe the opening line for this prayer is quite fitting for the last week of a school term. It is also pertinent to who we are as a Catholic School in the Carmelite Tradition. It is not by chance that the first of the three tenets of the Carmelite Charism is Contemplation (the other two being Community and Service). How often do we step back and take the long view? How often do we take a moment to reflect on what has been, to just take a moment to breathe? It might sound simple and a bit strange but the simple act of stopping and just focusing on your own breathing just for a few moments can be very good for your health. Some call these moments mindfulness, some call it mediation, some even call it prayer.