Honoring our God

To conclude Catholic Schools Week today we gathered for Mass.  Father Chris Martel, the pastor of Saint John Neumann Parish in Merrimack, was our celebrant.  Father Chris preached passionately about how we must not keep our lamps covered, rather we must let our light shine and let our faith shine for the world to see and to witness.  Mrs. Magoun of our modern languages department read the first reading in her native French.  Following Communion, Kasie Bourque '14, Allison Doherty '14, and Kira Duffy '13 read the prayer they composed for all of the Catholic schools in the Manchester area to use this week at their Masses.

February 3 is the feast of Saint Blaise who is the patron saint of those who have throat illnesses.  On or around his feast, many Catholic churches have a blessing of throats using two candles that are placed on people's shoulders as the following prayer is read:

Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

We decided to have a blessing of the throats after Mass and Father Chris brought a number of candles for us to use.  Many students and staff assisted Father Chris as laypeople are able to perform the rite as well.

And with that, another Catholic Schools Week has come to a close.  A big thanks to everyone who took part in our activities and who made everything possible.