To the Band of Brothers: 
Salve Regina
 

9/28/2026
Fr. Willie, S.J. ’87 | President

As Catholics, we do many things that unite us to the universal Church. Not only the beliefs and dogmas like the Resurrection or the Eucharist, basic truths that make us Catholic, but also manners of expression and practices that help engrain in us those theological precepts that distinguish us from people of other faiths. They are practices that make real our name “Catholic,” taken from the Greek for “universal.”

Nothing helped me realize that more than the first time I visited a country whose language I did not speak. It was in France and we were at a Mass in Paris. Although I didn’t understand what was being said, I knew exactly what was going on because the actions, physical expressions, and movements were identical to what we do here in Miami. In an amazing way, I felt at home with my people, even though I was miles away from the comforts of Westchester.

Something similar and powerful happened to me on one of my visits to Israel. We were at the Church of the Dormition, just outside the walls of Jerusalem. We were escorted down a staircase and into a beautiful round chapel. In the very center, surrounded by a circle of kneelers, was a beautiful ivory statue of the Blessed Mother. She was lying down with her hands on her chest and eyes closed. It depicted Mary on her deathbed. The silence was deafening. There were people from all over the world. I saw groups with little flags; one group from Korea, another from Russia, and another from Brazil. As I knelt there in prayer, I felt moved by the Holy Spirit to sing. I started the Salve Regina. Not two seconds later, all those pilgrims, from all over the world, started singing together. It was amazing.

About fifteen years ago, we introduced that song into the life of Belen. Every single student, when he walks into the sixth grade, is taught to sing it. At every Mass, after every football game, after every assembly, our boys pay their respects to the Mother of Jesus by singing what has become the school song. The Hail Holy Queen in Latin has made its way into the hearts of our community, uniting us ever more deeply to the universal Church they belong to. It is no surprise that while it is easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than to get adolescent boys to sing, they belt out the Salve with great pride.

Whenever I preside at one of our Masses, you can’t imagine the joy that radiates through my soul when I see our students turn to face the image of our Lady and sing to her. And when they get to the name of Jesus, when they sing the words, “et iesum,” and bow, it almost seems like they bring the world to a moment of glorious praise. I am convinced that my joy is only surpassed by the joy of Mary as she sees her Belen children bow at her Son’s name.

Nothing in the practice of our Catholic faith is done arbitrarily. Nothing is done simply because it looks or sounds nice. It has all been created and designed with powerful purpose. It engages the whole person. We pray with our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our souls. Every genuflection, every kneel, every bow is put in place for the purpose of giving right praise to Jesus Christ. And while we at times might complain about having to do one thing or another, the very act of doing it unites us with Jesus and over a billion Catholics around the world.

What a beautiful grace and privilege to be part of something that has not only been around for thousands of years, but that is so much greater than just one person. We are part of a universal family that is keenly aware of its proper place in the world. That is one of the many gifts the Lord has given us. I pray we continue to grow in appreciation of it.

Auspice Maria