A full year of work, on display in one evening.
From machine learning and medical research to foreign policy, philosophy, and presentations in French and Spanish, our seniors share what they’ve been researching this year.
Senior Seminar Night
May 25, 2026 | Media
Hawk Happenings
Texas History Trip
Form III recently hit the road for the Texas History trip, an annual Cistercian tradition. Special thanks to the dads and faculty who shepherded the boys all around Texas!
ISAS Arts Festival
It was great to see our boys work on display alongside students from across the region at this years ISAS Arts Festival.
Senior Seminar Night
From machine learning and medical research to foreign policy, philosophy, and presentations in French and Spanish, our seniors shared what they’ve been researching this year.
Mini Arts Fest
From gallery exhibitions and concerts to a one-act play, crafts, and plenty of popsicles, it was a full afternoon celebrating the arts across all Forms.
The Hillary Award
Cistercian’s highest athletic honor was presented once again this spring to a senior whose leadership, toughness, humility, and heart reflected the very best of our athletic tradition.
Experience Cistercian
Publications
The Name of Jesus
Jesus is the pivot point of the Hail Mary prayer. In the original Latin text, the prayer consists of two parts, each containing 15 syllables. The first part contains the biblical witness of the Annunciation and Visitation; the second features the doctrinal affirmation of Mary as the Mother of God who prays for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
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).
‘The Lord is with you’
Gabriel is not the first messenger of the LORD to greet someone with the phrase “The LORD is with you” (Lk 1:28). An anonymous angel hails Gideon, a young man from a poor and insignificant family, as the lad desperately hides his family’s wheat harvest from the marauding Midianites: “The LORD is with you, you mighty warrior!” (Jgs 6:12). Gideon then receives his commission to save Israel from the hand of its enemy and to be a judge over the 12 tribes.