OUR SHIELD

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Our School Colors – The official school colors are cobalt blue and gray with black and white as secondary colors. The blue band symbolizes the heavenly goal of all Christians. The gray used on the shield is suggestive of an iron metal field, and this iron gray represents all earthly tools and skills that humankind uses to improve life on Earth. The moral value of iron is found in the manner of its use. Iron is the servant of metals; it can be used to build tools making life more comfortable or the iron nails that pinned Christ’s hands and feet to the Cross. To live in the world and be successful, Frassati Catholic graduates will know how to competently use the “tools of the world”, but in a spirit of service rather than for self-aggrandizement. Thus, our students will pursue academic success not as an end in itself, but as a means to serve others with intellects sharpened by a rigorous course of study.

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Mountains – Symbol of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and of our Spiritual Journey in the World

The black and white mountain is a symbol of both Blessed Pier Giorgio, who found great joy in hiking and mountain climbing, and of the challenges that all of us face in the temporal world. On a photograph taken during his last hike, Blessed Pier Giorgio wrote - “verso l‘alto!” - in English, - to the heights!, which for him meant not only the summit of a mountain, but the heights of perfect charity, and ultimately, heaven. Pier Giorgio wrote to a friend “If my studies allowed me, I should spend entire days in the mountains, contemplating in that pure air the greatness of the Creator.” The mountain side is steep, for life is difficult, and Pier Giorgio’s life was no exception to this. Amidst many personal trials, he was a source of joy for all he met because his hope was deeply rooted in Christ. Our eternal hope lies outside of this world and for that reason, the mountains’ highest point symbolically stretches into the azure blue field, evoking a sense that our spiritual journey in this world leads “to the highest”.

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Compass – Symbol of a Well-Formed Conscience

Because the academic skills acquired by our graduates can be used for good or evil, we must also provide the graduate a "moral compass", with which they can responsibly and prayerfully evaluate right and wrong. The compass is shown in black and white, colors of the Dominican order, and the eight points represent the eight Beatitudes, which “are the heart of Jesus’ preaching” [1]. When Pope John Paul beatified Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, he bestowed upon him the distinctive title, “Man of the Eight Beatitudes,” because these served as his compass and guided him in the right use of all his talents. The eight points of the compass also represent a symbolic unification of the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude) with the four Pillars of Dominican Life (Prayer, Study, Community, and Apostolate). The moral compass then is a spiritual tool to help guide the young person through life and to the ultimate goal of Catholic education - a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, represented with the black and white Dominican Cross.

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Cross – Symbol of Our Salvation

In an address to representatives of Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools and Leaders in Religious Education, Pope John Paul II reminded us that: “The ultimate goal of all Catholic education is salvation in Jesus Christ.” [2] The cross is the indispensible truth that the Church proclaims and that Frassati Catholic will teach: the message of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the redemption of the world.

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