The new Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School represents so much of what is dear to his heart, said  Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington. It passes on the faith and provides students with hope, a future, an  education and a moral  foundation.

“All of that is encompassed in these walls, and to have my name on it is humbling beyond belief,” he said.

Cardinal Wuerl presided at the formal dedication of the building Sept. 28 in Cranberry Township. He was joined by Bishop David Zubik, Auxiliary Bishop William Waltersheid, Father Philip Farrell, regional vicar of vicariate 4, and Father Charles Bober, president of Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic and pastor of St. Kilian Parish.

“It’s a dream come true,” Bishop Zubik said of the occasion. “We’ve been   working hard at this for a long time. There are so many young people whose lives can be deeply affected by all that this school stands for. Not only can they come to know about Jesus, they can come to know him.”

In his homily during Mass, Cardinal Wuerl thanked Bishop Zubik for his vision, dedication and courage in moving forward with the project. Catholic education, the cardinal noted, is an element of ministry that has identified the bishop. He described his joy in working with Bishop Zubik during his ministry in Pittsburgh. In noting what makes   the school distinctive, he spoke of what the church, represented in the school, brings to society and the world. It provides an encounter with Jesus and offers an invitation to faith in a world that is not always ready to accept Jesus’ message.

“At the heart of the  Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School is its Catholic identity,” the cardinal said. “It exists to provide a structured context where students can experience what it means to say that each of us has a relationship with God and, therefore,  because of that, we share a bond with one another.” Jesus taught us, he noted, that each of us count and that we are capable of changing the world, or at least trying to do so. The new school, Cardinal Wuerl added, stands in the community with the proclamation that Jesus is the answer to significant questions of life – how we should live, our purpose in life and what values should direct us.

Students are aware, he noted, that the world is challenging them on their own great questions in life. They face competing voices in their search for answers.

“Your high school education is an opportunity not simply for the next level of academic preparation and broader social experience but also for the development of yourself as a person of faith, virtue and culture,” he said to those in attendance. Cardinal Wuerl told the young people that they are challenged to commit themselves to strengthen the community and use their abilities to assist those in need. He told the congregation that they were at the ceremony because they recognize that faith is a determining factor in their lives and that they will be a better person because of their connection to God. The cardinal closed his remarks by stating what St. John Paul II said on many occasions – especially when talking to young people.

“Never hesitate – never be afraid – to make your choices in faith,” he said. “Always be proud of who you are, of your identity, of your relationship to God. Open your hearts to Christ and he will walk with you. Have the courage to believe. And have the faith that you can actually make a difference.”

Afterward, Bishop Zubik joined Cardinal Wuerl as he walked throughout the building and blessed it. A formal dinner celebrating the occasion was held later in the evening.

The 185,000-square-foot facility sits on a 75-acre site along State Route 228. It is the first Catholic high school to be constructed in Butler County. It was built to take advantage of the growing population in  Cranberry Township and southern Butler County.

There are currently some 292 students enrolled in the school, up 45 percent from last year when the school was located in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood. The building will eventually accommodate up to 1,000 students.

Cardinal Wuerl, a native of Pittsburgh, was ordained as a priest for that diocese in 1966 and served as the bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 until 2006, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the archbishop of Washington.