Catholic schools across the Diocese of Lansing have a justifiable reputation for fostering personal holiness and academic rigor among students. Another hallmark, though, is smartly dressed school kids. At Sacred Heart School in Hudson, they kick it up another notch in terms of sartorial expectations with boys wearing neckties to Holy Mass every Friday. Just look at the photograph above. Very spiffy indeed! But why the tie? And why a uniform? The principal of Sacred Heart School, Ann Atkins, pictured below, explains thus:
As long as anyone can remember, the boys have been wearing ties to Mass on Friday. Probably since the 1960's. Tradition plays a big role in the culture of Sacred Heart School. Many of our students have parents, grandparents and even great grandparents who also attended Sacred Heart. The tradition of wearing ties out of respect for the Mass makes sense in Hudson because Sacred Heart Church is such a source of pride for our small town. The community has always taken great care of the church and it is beautiful!
The boys think that the ties make them look handsome. When I asked them at morning prayer why we wear a tie to Mass, one third grader, Craig Price, said, "we want to thank God for all of our blessings, and wearing a tie to Mass shows God that we care about how we look in His house". As for wearing school uniform:
When the students wear a uniform, it is as if they are part of a team. The uniform is a way of showing students that they belong at Sacred Heart School, and they feel privileged to come to school where they are valued and appreciated.
Dressing well for school keeps the children focused and prepared as they begin each day. We are united in our appearance and that shows we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Our students like the uniform (or, at least, they don't complain about them). We are a true community, and we work hard to be united as we grow, serve, struggle, laugh, play, forgive and pray together. The uniform is a visual reminder that we need each other to grow closer to God and be the light of Christ. We wear the uniform with pride, but it also keeps us humble.
Sacred Heart has used the same uniform for the last 12 years. It changed many times but the simple navy, red and white has lasted for over a decade. Parents say they appreciate the ease of dressing their children and it is less expensive than trying to buy different outfits for school. Our families do their best to find clothing pieces that fit the uniform policy. Having the students wear a school uniform is the tradition at Sacred Heart School. Our families participate with little concern or negative opinion.
* Want to know more about Sacred Heart School in Hudson? Go to: https://www.shshudson.com/
