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Coca-Cola Scholar

March 6, 2024 | Media

Cistercian congratulates Rithvik Gabri ‘24 as a 2024 Coca-Cola Scholar! One of the most selective national scholarship competitions, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation (www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/) honors 150 seniors across the United States (out of over 103,800 applicants) who are leading and serving their schools and communities with distinction. Rithvik will receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join the Coke Scholars community of former recipients who continue to effect positive change in their communities and around the world.

In school, Rithvik has excelled as a Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipient, National Merit Finalist (1600 SAT), and leader of Cistercian’s Finance & Business Club (winner of the 2022 Texas Stock Market Game) and Robotics Club (winner of the 2022 First Robotics World Championship Title). Outside of school, he has pursued a number of business internships and ventures, including as CEO and Co-founder of The Commerce Crew, a non-profit to provide free student-led consulting on business, operations, and finances around the country with the goal of reducing waste in small businesses.

Hawk Happenings

Colleges on Campus

37 colleges and universities joined us on campus, giving our Upper School students the opportunity to connect with admissions representatives from across the country.

Alumni in Hungary

CPS graduates, now studying in Rome, made a stop in Hungary to explore their Cistercian heritage. Hayden, Nam, and Max (CPS Class of ’24) met up with Fr. John Bayer in Budapest. Max even brought his Cistercian hat.

Confirmation

Fr. Abbot Peter administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 39 Cistercian boys in the Abbey Church.

Experience Cistercian

Publications

What is happening in the liturgy?

Every morning, monks and nuns — and many lay people — arise early for morning prayer. The Latin name for this prayer, “laudes,” means “praises.” Often the psalms that make up morning prayer are indeed full of expressions of praise. One has inspired in me a reflection on the liturgy.

‘Blessed are you among women…’

Elizabeth’s words to Mary form the bridge from the Annunciation to the Visitation in the Hail Mary prayer: “Blessed are you among women, and blest is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42). After Mary’s hasty journey to her kinswoman, she, carrying Jesus in her womb-ark, receives an exuberant welcome from Elizabeth and John the Baptist. The unborn babies, Jesus and John, meet for the first time as their mothers embrace.

The challenge of truth for Catholics navigating today’s world

We have all surely experienced how difficult it can be to engage socially and politically as Catholics. Our faith pushes us into the uncomfortable position of prophetically challenging all political parties and calling everyone to conversion. Today, it can be especially difficult to exercise this prophetic mission, simply because the situations we should critique — the basic facts of the matter and their context — can be so difficult to ascertain (and contemporary media sadly makes our task even more difficult). This is a serious difficulty, since Jesus commands us not to judge by appearances (cf. Jn 7:24).