Did you Say "Four" or "Fore"?
- Kathleen Mock
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
2025 final "Swing for the Kids" Golf Tournament at the RB Inn
Four score and three years ago, American Psychologist Abraham Maslow published his motivational theory describing a hierarchy of needs. At the most basic level, human beings require their Psychological needs to be met: air, water, food, and shelter, for example. The second level is Safety, specifically security, employment, and health. In the center of the pyramid lies Love and Belonging. Maslow posited that human beings desire friendship, family, and a sense of connection to thrive. The final two levels include Esteem and Self-Actualization. Today, critics argue Maslow’s theory is over-simplified and culturally biased. Most significantly, they propose the needs do not necessarily fall into a step-by-step hierarchy.
Scholarly arguments aside, our faith strongly supports the need for Love and Belonging, and continually teaches us the importance of community in living out our purpose. In Psalm 133:1, God asks us to live not in isolation but in relationship. John 1:7 advises we seek out fellowship with another, and Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us that alone we may be overcome, but two can resist. Current research indicates being part of a community is vital for our well-being for a variety of reasons:
Offers emotional support as well as practical help and advice
Helps develop a sense of identity
Reduces stress and isolation
Benefits physical health
In 1995, members of St. Michael’s Parish Knights of Columbus Council 11632 decided to host a golf tournament to support our school, and for the next 30 years (with only two exceptions), the "Swing for the Kids" Golf Tournament has been a much-anticipated annual community building opportunity and fundraiser, providing income for necessary improvements and upgrades. Various golf courses throughout the area were utilized, including Maderas, Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club, and most recently, the Rancho Bernardo Inn. To all those who planned, led, and supported those past events, I am most grateful, because their gifts of time, talent, treasure, and love have helped St. Michael’s School continue to be a school of excellence.
This year, together with the Knights and a group of parents, we are changing courses, both metaphorically and physically. We shift from a fundraising endeavor and focus exclusively on community, camaraderie, and friendship, and our new logo, "Legacy and Legends," embodies our total community: past, present, and future. We invite current parents, alumni parents, parishioners, and friends of St. Michael’s School to participate in the transformation at our new venue -- The Country Club of Rancho Bernardo -- on April 20, 2026. This exclusive event (no other golfers or tournaments on the course) will truly be a day of celebration, and you might even walk away with some fantastic prizes for the Longest Drive (Men's and Women's), Closest to the Pin, and a Putting Contest. Our pastor will be on the course for our traditional “Beat Fr. Mel” hole, and the top three teams will win rounds of golf at prestigious courses in the San Diego area. So, get your foursome together and join us in celebrating one another and our shared values. A new era has begun…
Deo Gratias, Kathy
