Celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation

St. Mary's Celebrates the Sacraments of Initiation

On April 19, 2023, the Church and Schools of St. Mary were blessed with celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation, which included baptizing four young adults in the Catholic faith who also received their First Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation with fellow students, yielding a total of 14 Catholics welcomed to the Church. These individuals spent months preparing for this moment through prayer, contemplation, diving into religious instruction, and studying the scripture. It was a beautiful experience for all in attendance to witness their commitment and readiness to join the Catholic community through these sacred sacraments. Fr. Dominik Wegiel, the Chaplain for the Schools of Saint Mary, presided over the Mass. To say that Fr. Dominik was glowing would be an understatement. He, along with Mr. Anthony Cannatella, Campus Minister and Theology department chair, and faculty member Sr. Monica Marie, O.P., worked with the candidates since January to assist them along their journey in preparation for the day.

As faculty member Sister Monica Marie told us, "It has been such a gift and privilege that Jesus allowed us to share in His work in gathering His children to the Father. Most of all I have been moved to witness glimpses of God's incredible love working in each of these students as He drew them to Himself. It is a reminder to us all of the extravagant love God has for each soul and the miracles He desires to work in our hearts and our lives. I am so proud of these students for their openness to His grace, and I will always hold them in my prayers as they continue their journey of following Jesus all the way to heaven!"

Mr. Cannatella could not have been more pleased with its results: "At St. Mary’s, we have a lot of special events — from our international pilgrimages to Spirit Days to Freshman Camp — all of which are great events, where we engage our students with many different opportunities. However, there has been nothing more rewarding than watching these students grow in their faith and receive the Sacraments over these last months. At St. Mary’s, we emphasize the importance of educating the entire person - intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. I believe that accompanying students in their journey to Christ is the center and core of what it means to be a Catholic School, and it has been so delightful to participate in this program and watch these students grow."
 
Many Catholic schools boast of educating the whole person. At St. Mary's we educate that whole person with an accountability that animates all we do. This is the sure path to giving our students the well-rounded education they need, and at St. Mary's, as disciples of Christ, we walk that Catholic, Academic and Cheerful path every day. In honor of the fruitful work done by the School, please consider making a donation in the names of our newly initiated Catholics.

View the Mass