The Speeches of Michael S. Leach
From Here to There
Commencement Address
May 14, 1994
As you advance from the relative “comfort zone” of the here and now to the ominous “twilight zone” of the there and thereafter, discover those portals which good English opens, understand and embrace the real meaning of HOPE, rely on and react from the viscera, anticipate your rendezvous with the “thing,” and recognize and acknowledge that the really important things never change.
THE WIZARD OF OZ: THE TRIUMPH OF SIMPLICITY
Commencement Address
MAY 20, 1983
Yes, Dorothy flew over the rainbow only to realize that there was no place like her home in Kansas. Gentlemen, your journey over the rainbow begins tonight. Always remember that you have a Kansas too – and your Kansas is HOLY CROSS…..
DIMENSIONS OF MAN : AN UNAUTHORIZED TAXONOMY
Commencement Address
May 15, 1992
. . . if you’ve stretched farther and reached higher than you or anybody else thought possible, then in that mode of overachievement, you are Superman; you are Beowulf. You are an epic hero of the finest order. You are a Holy Cross Man. Yes, the Holy Cross Man: he’s the envy of kings, really quite a wonder; for he, and he alone, can “shake down the thunder!”
Four Years: A Tribute to the “Old Soldier”
Commencement Address
May 17, 1997
As you commence from here to eternity,
Stand tall and straight and true,
Then drop in reverence to your knees
Because he did it all for you.
Shake Down the Thunder
The Holy Cross Experience.
A communion of place and purpose . . .
A state of mind . . .
A way of life . . .
The whole man . . .
The man you are . . .
The Holy Cross Man, inspired by yesterday
And pledged to tomorrow . . .
Shake Down the Thunder Video
From Douglas Degan’s HC Archive YouTube channel
On the evening of May 16th 1998 at the University Of New Orleans Lakefront Area, the Holy Cross School in New Orleans, La. held the schools graduation ceremony. Presented here are highlights from the graduation of the Tiger Band seniors. The musical selection featured is a song composed by Holy Cross band director Mr. Christopher Smith ’79 called Shake Down The Thunder. The composition includes a wonderful narrated journey of what is means to be a Holy Cross Man written by long time Holy Cross faculty member Mr. Michael Leach. Holy Cross faculty member Mr. Michael Orkus ’67provides the narration performance.
Hail the Class of 1971
April, 2018
Somehow our mutual recognition of the journey bonds us more securely in our teacher-student roles and links us in a kind of Holy Cross DNA. May such solidarity endure forever!
The Circle of Serenity
But perhaps even more importantly, your opponent will know you’re there when he witnesses your endurance for just one moment more. He’ll know you’re there when he observes your eyes. What he beholds is a transparent and dispassionate stare. Much to his chagrin, he confronts the stoical eyes of the Tiger – a true champion at home in the circle of serenity.
Address to the Class of 1972
May 21, 2022
Certainly, it is with equal measures of HUMILITY and PRIDE that I wholeheartedly and gratefully accept this honorary diploma. . . . You’ll never know how much Holy Cross’s gesture means to me. . . . Indeed, it is a treasure!
Address to the Class of 2022
May 21, 2022
But first and foremost, let’s be clear: Today is not about me. It is about you. . . . Congratulations! And understand that your Holy Cross Experience has prepared you to “Commence with Honor, Confidence and Dignity.” CRUX SPES UNICA.
To Serve Them All of My Days
Greek philosopher Plutarch wrote, “The mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting . . . and then it motivates one towards originality and instills the desire for truth.”
Michael Leach ignited that fire for thousands of Holy Cross students over his almost four decade tenure at the Lower 9th ward high school. This is the story of Michael S. Leach.