St. Valentine School has been an alma mater for many, a pride of the parish community. For 74 years, it nourished not only students and their families, but the teachers, too. Many excelled through life because of its presence and dedication.
Yet sadly, we have come to a moment where it will be only a memory.
"Memories are what we have, old friend. What else is there?" - says Gandalf to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. But the moments you spent at St Valentine are much more than memories, they continue to breathe life into all of us who have benefited. So indeed we are grateful.
We are grateful to God for all those memories and moments that shaped so many lives over the years. And we believe that the love which shaped so many at St. Valentine continues to shape others today.
Dear Parishioners and Staff,
You proudly professed God's care and grace through the school to countless families. True, all
good things eventually come to an end with the change of times and circumstances. But it is
also true that all good things find their fulfillment in God, who is the beginning and the end.
To the teachers and staff who gave decades to St. Valentine's: you taught more than reading and math. You taught kindness, discipline, and faith.
To the parishioners and volunteers who served lunches, ran fundraisers, and kept the building going: Catholic schools don't run without you.
To the parents who chose St. Valentine's and the alumni who carried its name into the world: you are the reason it lasted 74 years.
To the students - every kid who walked through those doors on Hope Street: you are the legacy.
The school may close, but what happened inside those walls doesn't.
Thank you, St. Valentine School, for 74 years of love, learning and faith. Your Legacy lives not only in our memories but in the future that you continue to shape!
Gratefully Yours,
Fr. Manuel Fernandes