At Opening of Schools Mass, educators called to ‘teach the fullness of the Catholic faith’

As they embark on a new academic year, Catholic school administrators, educators and parents must work together to provide students with “basic foundational lessons for living that we learn early in childhood and continue to need and to reference throughout our adult lives,” Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory said Aug. 30.

Celebrating Mass to mark the opening of schools in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Gregory called Catholic schools “arenas where we build on the wisdom and the faith that children must find first in their homes.”

He said that Catholic schools “support – and try to support – the lessons of faith that youngsters first discover in the lives of their parents and grandparents for the benefit of their growth in Christ.”

“Catholic schools cannot work in a vacuum; they cannot provide faith where there are no seeds of faith in the home; they cannot substitute for parental spiritual values where these are absent,” the cardinal said. “Nevertheless, where these fundamental virtues and values are found in the home and in the lives of parents, Catholic schools can become a springboard for growth.”

The traditional Opening of Schools Mass was celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Because of ongoing concern over COVID-19 and the recent surge in cases of the Delta variant of the virus, attendance at the Mass was limited, but was streamed via the archdiocese’s YouTube channel.

“We are fortunate indeed to have such excellent Catholic schools here in the Archdiocese of Washington, but we now face the challenge of keeping them strong especially in the light of our current pandemic limitations,” Cardinal Gregory said.

He called Catholic schools (in the archdiocese) a "welcome association of parents, administrators, teachers, parishioners, and pastors who combine their efforts and means to provide these blessed institutions with the resources and the students to make them the successes that they are.”

Noting “the importance and the staying power of so many basic things that we might have learned as children,” Cardinal Gregory said “none of them could be more important than the faith lessons that we have learned and that you as parents, teachers and administrators are trying to pass on to our children.”

Cardinal Wilton Gregory gives his homily at the Archdiocese of Washington’s Opening of Schools Mass at the Crypt Church of the National Shrine that was livestreamed on Aug. 30, 2021. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Referring to the Mass’s Gospel reading (Matthew 5:1-12) recounting Jesus’s sermon on the mount, Cardinal Gregory said the Beatitudes “are a basic listing of Christian morality… (and) summarize Jesus’s moral principles and teachings in simple and yet profound wisdom and spiritual insight.”

The Beatitudes, he said, “represent a primary faith vision of human living that remains profoundly important all of the days of our lives.”

“In the long history of our Church, there may be more complex theological teachings, more scholarly ethical principles, more sophisticated doctrines of faith, but there are no more basic categories of living the Christian life than we find in the Beatitudes,” Cardinal Gregory said. “They remain a source of wisdom for all the days that God may grant to any of us.”

The annual Mass includes a yearly commissioning, where Catholic school educators promise “to serve and continue to grow as missionary disciples of the Lord” while recommitting themselves to their “important role in participating in the ministry and the mission of this Church.”

Prior to the commissioning, Cardinal Gregory, reminded the educators that they are “entrusted with sharing our knowledge and faith with young people” and that in their vocation they “must strive to be examples of Christian living in faith and in conduct.”

“You must continue to grow in holiness and teach the fullness of the Catholic faith with gentleness, patience and concern for your students,” the cardinal told educators. “You should be ever cognizant of your role in shaping the lives of our youth by your example, and by your own life, you will model for them our Catholic faith and Christian life.”

Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services, told the cardinal that “each one of us tuning in (to the Mass) across the archdiocese is privileged to share in and extend your teaching ministry through the work we do every day with our students and their families.”

While honoring educators for their “contributions to Catholic schools here in the Archdiocese of Washington,” Cardinal Gregory said he also wanted to recognize those parents “who have entrusted your children to our care and formation in the faith.”

“We hope that what we do in collaboration with you will allow them to remember and to live those basic faith principles that must remain with us all throughout our lives until we reach life eternal,” he said.

Prayers were offered during the Mass that “students and schools grow in wisdom and knowledge;” that students in archdiocesan Catholic schools “learn to know and love the Lord and experience His presence in the classroom;” that teachers and administrators have “courage and strength to joyfully evangelize their students each day.”

At the end of the Mass, Wendy Anderson, the archdiocese’s associate superintendent for academics and school leadership, praised educators for their “faith, trust and dedication” as they overcame the challenges of teaching during a time of pandemic while “making sure our students were educated and nurtured in a safe manner.”

“Although we are still celebrating Mass virtually again this year, we are still united in the Eucharist. We are the Body of Christ – His hands and feet bringing the Good News to the students and families we serve throughout the entire Archdiocese of Washington,” she said.

She noted that as educators face the start of a new school year “with some of the same challenges and uncertainties of last year,” they are “more at ease… and we can look forward with hope to the coming school year.”

Each year, at the Opening of Schools Mass, educators and other school personnel marking significant years of service to schools in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington are singled out for their dedication. Those honored this year were:

45 Years

Cheryl Hanton, Saint Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, Cheryl Hanton, a fifth grade teacher at St. Augustine Catholic School in Washington, D.C., was recognized for her 45^th anniversary. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Cheryl Hanton of St. Augustine School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

40 Years

Claire Brinkmann, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Sue Foreman, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Ed King, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Kenny Purcell, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

James Roper, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

35 Years

Christine Brant, Saint Mary of the Mills School, Laurel, Maryland

Mary Ruth Clark, Holy Redeemer School, Kensington, Maryland

Virginia Cooper, Saint Bernadette School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Debra Corradini, Saint Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland

Bernadette McDonnell, Saint Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland

Margaret Ruppert, Saint John the Evangelist School, Silver Spring, Maryland

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass, Henry Herrera, a music teacher at St. Francis International School in Silver Spring, Maryland; was recognized for his 30^th anniversary. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Henry Herrera of St. Francis International School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

30 Years

Delores Grymes, Saint Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Henry Herrera, Saint Francis International School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Vaughn Holsey, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Tom Krawczewicz, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Luis Lopez, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Eileen Perkins, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Pepe Plaza, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Marsha Raymond, Saint Mary of the Mills School, Laurel, Maryland

Grace Slattery, Saint Francis International School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Elizabeth Smith, Saint Bernadette School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Theresa Taylor, Saint John's School, Hollywood, Maryland

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass, Charlene Howard, a religion teacher at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.; was recognized for her 25^th anniversary. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Charlene Howard of Archbishop Carroll High School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

25 Years

Chris Benedick, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Tom Brett, Saint Peter School, Waldorf, Maryland

Joseph Cabigas, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney, Maryland

Carol Cipollone, Archbishop Neale School, La Plata Maryland

Father James Day, O.SS.T., DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

David Freeman, Saint Mary of the Mills School, Laurel, Maryland

Janet Cardona Glotnis, Saint Andrew Apostle School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Charlene Howard, Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, D.C.

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass, Maria Joya, a program manager at Sacred Heart School in Washington, D.C.; was recognized for her 25^th anniversary. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Maria Joya of Sacred Heart School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Maria Joya, Sacred Heart School, Washington, D.C.

Margaret Konieczka, Saint Andrew Apostle School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Kelly Lama, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Hilary Lewis, Jr., Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Wanda Lovette, Saint Mary's School of Piscataway, Clinton, Maryland

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass, Susan McDonough, the principal of St. John’s School in Hollywood, Maryland; was recognized for her 25^th anniversary. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Susan McDonough of St. John’s School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Susan McDonough, Saint John's School, Hollywood, Maryland

Julia Zaera Meade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Laurie Quirk, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Stephanie Rico, Saint John the Evangelist School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Jennifer Rison, Archbishop Neale School, La Plata Maryland

Cathy Robinson, Archbishop Neale School, La Plata Maryland

Maire Russo, Saint Joseph Regional School, Beltsville, Maryland

Jim Turk, DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Kimberly Wood, Saint Thomas More Catholic Academy, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Rick Wood, Saint Mary's Ryken High School, Leonardtown, Maryland

Michele Young, Saint Mary of the Assumption, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

At the Aug. 30 Opening of Schools Mass, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Elementary School in Clinton, Maryland, was recognized for the 60^th anniversary of its founding. From left to right are Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Ann Gillespie, the principal of St. John the Evangelist School; and Christian Buchleitner, the archdiocese’s assistant superintendent for school operations and student services. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Also, during the Mass, the following schools were presented with a papal blessing in recognition of their celebrating milestone anniversaries of their founding:

60th Anniversary

Connelly School of the Holy Child, Potomac, Maryland

Saint John the Evangelist School, Clinton, Maryland

Holy Cross School, Garrett Park, Maryland