Celebrating the Opening of Schools Mass Aug. 21, Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory invoked the blessing of the Holy Spirit upon educators in schools across The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and urged them “to model our Catholic faith and Christian life” to their students.

“I pray this is a year of truth for our schools, and that you (educators) and all of your youngsters be filled with a spirit of truth and courage this year and every year of your lives,” Cardinal Gregory said.

Cardinal Gregory was the principal celebrant of the Mass that was offered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Concelebrants included Washington Auxiliary Bishops Roy E. Campbell Jr. and Juan Esposito and about 20 priests. The choir for the Mass was comprised of students from Saint Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, Maryland.

The Mass was attended by Catholic school teachers, principals, administrators, support staff, members of the archdiocesan Board of Education, officials from the Catholic Schools Office and others. It is offered each year for educators just before students return to their classrooms.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has 90 Catholic schools, from preschools through high schools located in the District of Columbia and the five surrounding Maryland counties: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert and Saint Mary’s.

Addressing the “wonderful members of our archdiocesan school community,” Cardinal Gregory said the annual Mass was a time to “honor the Holy Spirit and ask the Lord to send His Spirit of truth” and prayed the Holy Spirit would “enlighten our minds and lead us in all truth.”

Likening the Holy Spirit to a “good lawyer … dedicated to discovering the truth at all costs,” Cardinal Gregory reminded the educators of their obligation “to speak the truth to each other … (and) being people of truth takes courage and determination.”

Calling truth “a mystery that gives meaning to facts,” the cardinal told educators they must be “willing to face all the difficult questions our young people face and often ask you.”

With a student body comprised of extremely varied ethnicities and nationalities in Catholic schools in the archdiocese, Cardinal Gregory said educators must teach young people “the truth found in the willingness to see one another as brothers and sisters and friends.”

“Teach the truth that together you can build a better school and community and the truth that our faith is a shared bond,” he said.

During the Mass, Cardinal Gregory commissioned the teachers to “teach the fullness of our Catholic faith with gentleness and compassion,” and prayers were offered for students “to learn to know and love the Lord” and for teachers “to have the courage and strength to joyfully evangelize their students.”

At the end of the Mass, 14 schools and 40 educators celebrating significant anniversaries this year were honored.

Kelly Branaman, the Secretary for Catholic Schools and Superintendent of Schools for The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, congratulated the honorees for their “remarkable and frankly immeasurable” impact on influencing and forming students.

She noted that the archdiocese has “an exceptional group of educators and staff” and said it was her prayer the new school year “would be one of hope, excitement and joy.”

 The schools that were honored were:

Pallotti Early Learning Center in Laurel, Maryland marking its 50th anniversary

Saint Joseph’s Regional Catholic School in Beltsville, Maryland marking its 60th anniversary

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland marking its 65th anniversary            

Little Flower School in Bethesda, Maryland marking its 70th anniversary

Saint Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, Maryland marking its 80th anniversary

Our Lady Star of the Sea School in Solomons, Maryland marking its 90th anniversary

Blessed Sacrament School in Washington, D.C. marking its 100th anniversary

Saint John School in Hollywood, Maryland marking its 100th anniversary  

Saint Michael School in Ridge, Maryland marking its 105th anniversary

Saint Mary of the Mills School in Laurel, Maryland marking its 130th anniversary

Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland marking its 155th anniversary

Saint Peter School in Washington, D.C. marking its 155th anniversary

Saint Augustine School in Washington, D.C. marking its 165th anniversary

Holy Trinity School in Washington, D.C. marking its 205th anniversary

Those honored for 25 years of service in Catholic education were:

Loren M. Bass at Our Lady at Good Counsel High School, Olney, Maryland

Andrew C. Battaile at Gonzaga College High School, Washington, D.C.

Phyllis Bottegal at Saint Peter Catholic School, Olney, Maryland 

Paul V. Buckley at Gonzaga College High School

Angelika Clark at Mary of Nazareth School, Darnestown, Maryland

Patti Crowley at Saint John the Baptist School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Kerri Edwards at Holy Trinity School, Washington, D.C.

Karen E. Egan at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

Ann Enkiri at Holy Redeemer School, Kensington, Maryland

Amanda Goco at Saint Mary of the Mills School, Laurel, Maryland

Bernadette Gomes at Saint Francis International School, Silver Spring

Habte Haile at Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, D.C.

Elvia Hernandez at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.

Jorge Hernandez at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School

Michele Kowansky at Mary of Nazareth School

Penny T. Lynch at Gonzaga College High School

Yolanda McLaughlin at Saint Mary School, Rockville

Erma Pompey at Saint Francis International School

Jeremy Rheam at Saint Vincent Pallotti High School, Laurel, Maryland

Jean Zwald at Saint Peter School, Capitol Hill

Those honored for 30 years of service in Catholic education were:

T. Scott Blair at Gonzaga College High School, Washington, D.C.

Anne Marie Bradley at Holy Trinity School, Washington, D.C.

Amparo Dimas De Martinez at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney, Maryland

Cecilia M. Fernandez at Gonzaga College High School

Marilynn M. Kelley at Gonzaga College High School

Concetta Lucey at Saint John the Baptist School, Silver Spring, Maryland

Katie Sague at Our Lady of Victory School, Washington, D.C.

Lisa Williams at Saint Thomas More Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Kimberly Wood at Saint Thomas More Catholic School

Susan Wooten at Saint Raphael School Nursery School, Rockville

Those honored for 35 years of service in Catholic education were:

Andrew J. Collins at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney, Maryland

Patricia Douville at Saint Vincent Pallotti High School, Laurel, Maryland

Maureen C. Hickson at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

Cheryl Kimm at Saint Peter School, Waldorf, Maryland

Ana Lopez at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

Sheila  Martinez at Our Lady of Victory School, Washington, D.C.

Mary Shannon at Holy Trinity School, Washington, D.C.

Those honored for 40 years of service in Catholic education were:

Sandra Duffy at DeMatha Catholic High School, Hyattsville, Maryland

Shirley Jeffords at Saint Bernadette School, Silver Spring, Maryland

William Johnson at Saint Columba School, Oxon Hill, Maryland

Those honored for 45 years of service in Catholic education were:

Charlie Hennessy at Holy Trinity School, Washington, D.C.

Susan Tersoff at Holy Trinity School