Closing Liturgy of Summer ECS

"The words ‘thank you’ will never lose value," said Fr. Grzegorz Slodkowski during today's closing liturgy for the summer session of the ECS program (English and Cultural Studies) at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. "It is not subject to fashions or time trends. It shows that we are not lonely islands, that our lives - whether we like it or not - are connected with God and other people, that we are needed. Gratitude restores faith in humanity, becomes an expression of the sensitivity of the heart. A sincere ‘thank you’ works both for the donor and for the recipient. This word sows joy, restores sympathy. Gratitude opens our hearts more broadly and more strongly to the needs of others... Therefore, on behalf of myself and all ECS participants, I thank the entire SCJ community for the benefits we have received during these few weeks. May the expression of our gratitude be above all our prayer, but also a good word and a simple smile." Languages from around the world were heard during this morning's closing liturgy. This year’s initial summer session included 40 students from 15 countries: Angola (1), Brazil (9), Cameroon (1), Colombia (2), Croatia (1), Gabon (1), Haiti (2), Indonesia (1), Madagascar (4), Mexico (4), Nicaragua (1), Poland (2), Portugal (1), and Vietnam (10). Twenty-three of the students were Dehonians or SCJ candidates.