…and Why Being a Saintsman Is a Start

Dear current Saintsman,

I want to be completely honest with you: there are no hard-and-fast rules to being a man. Attending SAHS helps, but it’s only the beginning. The rest of your life, and the person you become, is entirely up to you. No one else.

You will fail, there will be pain, and the world will not be kind. It will seem easy to give up and to accept things as they come. You will have every opportunity to mess up, and even if you think you’ve said no enough…tomorrow, someone else will offer it up differently.

Deep down, though, a real man–a Saintsman–always knows which way is north and what the correct path is. You will never realize this while you’re there, but this is exactly what they’ve been teaching us since day one. They’ve gift-wrapped a life’s worth of lessons, the pillars of manhood, into three words. They’re the Augustinian Core Values of Community, Truth, and Love.

• Truth – To me, seeking truth requires knowing yourself, which is not something that occurs as a teenager. Part of being a man is defining your passions, your commitments, and the challenges you want to take on. A man is truthful to himself when he is independent of thought, when he cares for his emotions, when he has unique motivations, and when he is fulfilled by his pursuits. He must say no to vices, and yes to people and experiences that are enriching.

• Love – Many will rely on you, and a man never lets his people down. Loving is about taking responsibility. A great man is like a rock, strong in the face of adversity; he is like a tree, bountiful in generosity and life; and he is like the sun; rising daily despite obstacles. The people that love you will always do so; give them everything you have.Community – The world is a better place because of great men. Great men are enlightened, kind leaders; they help the weakest; they smile when hope is needed; and they endure when others are lost. They need little, so they give the rest of themselves to everyone else.

• Community – The world is a better place because of great men. Great men are enlightened, kind leaders; they help the weakest; they smile when hope is needed; and they endure when others are lost. They need little, so they give the rest of themselves to everyone else.

It is ironic that man must give the most in order to receive the most, but Saint Augustine spoke perfectly when he said: “find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.”

Notice the title didn’t say “become” a great man. It says “be” a great man. A man proves himself every day; it is not an end-game, but a way of life. You must be good at every turn, not at every other turn. A Saintsman doesn’t take days off. Your family, your friends, your faith, and your school are there for you, but don’t forget, the man you become is up to you. Never give up.

I want to be completely honest with you: if you want to be a great man, being a great Saintsman first can only help.

Mario Valverde Rojo ‘04