Bishop begins Catholic Schools Week with Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne

WAYNE  Catholic schools from across the nation and in the Diocese kicked-off the annual weeklong celebration of Catholic Schools Week (CSW) Jan. 30. This year’s theme for CSW is Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.

To start CSW in the Diocese, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Mass in Immaculate Heart of Mary School here on CSW’s first day, also marking the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In his opening remarks, the Bishop told the students and parishioners, “We come today to celebrate the beginning of Catholic Schools Week and to give thanks for the gift of Catholic education here at Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Parish and School and throughout our Diocese and our whole Church. Whether it be parents who are our first teachers of their children, catechists in our religious education programs, and in a special way, those who lead and teach and serve in our Catholic schools.”

Students from Immaculate Heart of Mary School filled the pews along with their parents and parishioners of the faith community. Father Mateusz Jasniewicz, pastor of IHM, and Father Jack Hanley, IHM weekend assistant, were concelebrants of the Mass.

At the Mass, Sandra Giordano, principal of IHM, spoke to the congregation introducing the new IHM student ambassador program. “IHM’s student ambassador embodies the mission and vision of our school by sharing his or her Catholic values with others and demonstrating good character and judgement, maturity, and responsibility while being a respectful and diligent student who positively contributes his or her talents and skills for the good of Immaculate Heart of Mary School,” she said. Five students will serve as student ambassadors at IHM: Diana Renninger, David Ethan Harrison, Isabella Faustino, Thomas Struble, and Zachary Gallinger.

In his homily, the Bishop reflected on the second Scripture reading from Corin­thians about faith, hope, and love. “Today’s second reading could change our lives,” he told the congregation. “This reading is really God telling us, ‘Do you want to know what matters in life?’ St. Paul says, like a great teacher, ‘I am going to show you the very best. Aim for the highest spiritual gifts. Strive eagerly for the greatest gifts and I’m going to show you the way.’

“As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week this week, we are all in school and today, we hear from one of God’s greatest teachers, St. Paul. Today, hearing these words is our chance to be a little more patient, a little more kind. Love never fails.”

At the end of his homily, the Bishop said, “As we begin this Catholic Schools Week, we give thanks for our education and for those who taught us the faith and we are reminded that God has chosen each of us, put each of us on this earth for a reason and a purpose. We thank God for our Catholic schools and we pray each one of us can learn what God is telling to us in today’s reading through St. Paul. In the end, there are three things at last — faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.”

Following the Mass, the Bishop visited the school to see class projects created by the students.

Father Jasniewicz told the parishioners and students, “Catholic education is so important and so beautiful because Catholic schools are teaching the students by forming them not only in great academic programs but also the whole person that each student is with a beautiful love for Christ and Mary to prepare them to be truly responsible citizens.”