Classical antiquity days took place from 13th-16th January 2016 in the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium. The purpose of these three-day activities for first-year students is to discover the world of classical antiquity, recognize it and give it meaning in today’s world, and clarify the concept of classicism. As in classical antiquity, where academic subjects were not strictly divided, students experience intensive interdisciplinary learning on the first day. The second day is meant for practical work in the form of various workshops from sculpturing, painting, to drama, Roman cuisine and sport in antiquity. On the last day students present their work and acquired knowledge in workshops to the entire school community and visitors.
St. Stanislav’s Institution had the pleasure of hosting students, parents and other friends of the school to the New Year’s Concert, which took place on Thursday 7th January 2016 at 7. p.m. in St. Stanislav’s Chapel . The program consisting of popular works from the treasury of Christmas music from Slovenia and abroad was presented. The concert was performed by vocal and instrumental soloists of The Music School of St. Stanislav’s Institution, St. Stanislav’s Music School String Orchestra, St. Stanislav’s Youth Choir of The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium, Chamber Choir Megaron, St. Stanislav’s Student Choir and The Primary School Children Choir.
The Virgin Mary was called to rejoice above all because of what the Lord accomplished in her. God’s grace enfolded her and made her worthy of becoming the Mother of Christ. When Gabriel entered her home, even the most profound and impenetrable of mysteries became for her a cause for joy, faith and abandonment to the message revealed to her. The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history. (From the homily of Pope Francis at the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on 8 December 2015)
May the spirit of Christmas fill us all with joy of life and gratitude for everything we are blessed with. Let us remain open to the new Life and, like Mary, accept it wholeheartedly and bring it into this world that strives for peace, mutual acceptance, justice, mercy, and tenderness. May the New Year be a year full of sincere and genuine relationships, readiness to help and support each other and blessed abundantly by our merciful Father.
Roman Globokar, Ph. D.
Director
We have the great honour to announce that the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium alumna Petra Kovačič from Tolmin won the first violin tutti audition in Vienna on 18th December 2015. This time all four candidates to make it to the final round were women and Petra is the fifth woman to be admitted to the Vienna Philharmonic since the start of this month. »The times may be a-changing.«, commented Slipped Disc, the world’s most-read cultural website.
At The Diocesan Classical Gymnasium in St. Stanislav’s Institution sport climbing has had a long-established tradition since 1993. In these years, twenty-one annual national climbing championships for high school students in Slovenia have been organized. Each year about 150 contestants from all over Slovenia take part. National championship is held every year at the end of January, this year on 27th and 28th January, 2016.
This season we have decided to expand the competition and invite some foreign climbers as well. The conditions for the participation are the following: foreign climbers must be enrolled at a secondary school in the academic year 2015/2016 and born between 1997-2000. The competition runs separately for registered contestants who are lead-climbers and for those who are tope-rope climbers.
If required, accommodation is available in St. Stanislav’s Institution. For further information adn foreign climbers registration, please contact us by 18th January 2016 at [email protected]
We look forward to meeting you in Ljubljana.
Andrej Kokalj, P.E. teacher, Head of National/International Climbing Championship for High School Students in Slovenia
phone: 00386 41 569 530 [email protected]
On 8th December 2015 the inauguration of the Jubilee of Mercy took place in Rome when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. In St. Stanislav’s Institution, there are many opportunities to pay more attention to God’s mercy toward all of us and to be thoughtful of everyone in everyday life.
Mercy does not mean haughtiness, indulgence and lenience, but the ability to accept other people’s needs, embrace their fate in order to help each other at a moment, when a step forward cannot be taken. Mercifulness means being ready to enter the chaos of another person. The logo provides a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year is all about. The logo, which is to be used worldwide throughout the jubilee year, is the work of Jesuit Father Marko I. Rupnik and presents the Son having taken upon his shoulders the lost soul.
Fr. Rupnik made two mosaics in St. Stanislav’s Institution: the major one in St. Stanislav Chapel and another one in the Chapel of Wisdom of God, situated in the Janez F. Gnidovec Residence Hall.
The Congregation for Catholic Education has organized for the first time a world congress entitled Educating Today and Tomorrow – A Renewed Passion with 2000 delegates responsible for Catholic education. It took place in Rome from 18th-21st November 2015. The conference was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration Gravissimum Educationis and the 25th anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae.
The purpose of the conference was to direct the Catholic education into the new era through cooperation among different educational institutions. Catholic schools and universities, who act in the name of the Universal Church, are there for others. They propose the faith and offer pastoral accompaniment, while resolutely defending human dignity and diffusing knowledge. This is done in dialogue with others, allowing for mutual enrichment as we contemplate that light of hope and faith lies at the root of all education. One of the key challenges of the congress was to answer the issue of the new forms of poverty, which in particular reminds the Church of its primary mission. A similar point was made also by Pope Francis who addressed the participants in the Plenary Session saying: “The greatest failure of a teacher is to educate within boundaries – those of a selective culture, secure culture or within the boundaries of a rich social sector.”
Dr. Roman Globokar, the director of St. Stanislav’s Institution, who participated in the congress with three other Slovenes, accentuated that the meeting has been meaningful also for Slovenia, where Catholic education should be more often presented to wider public, which would enrich the educational and cultural section of Slovene society. A better understanding of Christian pedagogy, which opens up the individual in his freedom, thus enabling him to live his life to the fullest and contribute to the common good, would contribute to the same cause. In this perspective the continual formation of teachers is of utmost importance. According to Dr. Globokar they should be bearers of gospel’s authentic spirit and not only conveyers of knowledge.
Each year the entire school community of St. Stanislav’s Institution celebrates St. Stanislaus’ Day to mark the feast of the Institution’s patron. This year the holy mass and the solemn celebration took place on 12th November 2015, focusing in particular on music and the striking figure of St. Stanislaus Kostka, which was inspiringly described during the sermon by the archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore. The entire event is to celebrate the many talents and successes of the pupils of Alojzij Šuštar Primary School and the students of Diocesan Classical Gymnasium. It is also to express gratitude to the keen supporters of the Institution and Heavenly Father for all the abundant blessings. The enthusiastic audience and performers proved that the Institution’s mission is being admirably fulfilled.
St. Stanislaus – Young Man Born for Greater Things
The Archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore, who celebrated the mass with many other school and parish priests, spoke mainly of St. Stanislaus’ short life and tried to encourage the young to dare to follow God’s calling, because they, too, are born for greater things than just the transitory ones. Man who answers God’s calling is virtually capable of more, he could have ever thought. “When man decides to fulfil God’s wish, God makes his approach.” More Than 300 Young People Born for Greater Things
At the solemn celebration more than 300 pupils and students intertwined music and poetry. The event’s guiding thread was Music, universal language of creation through which it was neatly demonstrated that music is in fact inborn in every human, resides in him and leads him towards transcendence. Five choirs of the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium and Alojzij Šuštar Primary School, string orchestra of Music School performed along with ballet and hip hop dancers. The children of The Good Shepherd Kindergarten rounded beautifully the big picture of the Institution’s educational endeavours.
The entire event concluded with special thanks through the lyrics of John Rutter’s song Look at the World that was sung by all the singers: »Give us thankful hearts, that we may see all the gift we share and every blessing.«
Each year the entire school community celebrates St. Stanislav’s Day to mark the feast of the Institution’s patron. We have the pleasure of inviting you to this year’s celebration which will be marked with holy mass and a solemn celebration on Thursday 12th November 2015. Holy mass will be celebrated at 3 p.m. in the parish church of St. Vitus in Ljubljana Šentvid by the Archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore. The solemn celebration will take place at 5 p. m. in the new sports hall of the Alojzij Šuštar Primary School. Mr. Matjaž Barbo, musicologist, will hold the official speech. The performance will be given by the students of all schools in St. Stanislav’s Institution.
We look forward to meeting you.
Roman Globokar, Ph. D.
Director of St. Stanislav’s Institution
Missionary village, which took place in St. Stanislav’s Institution from 16th-17th October, 2015 is a yearly event organized by the Church, which provides a variety of activities and learning opportunities to meet the Slovene missionaries and their work in different parts of the world. This year’s guest of honour was fr. Pero Opeka, a Slovene priest and missionary, who has been working in Madagascar for four decades. He gave two speeches to students of DCG and Alojzij Šuštar Primary School on his rich experience and lifelong endeavours with Malagasy people and their well-being.
