Hail Mary...

This past Monday was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holyday of obligation.  Our school community gathered for Mass with our chaplain, Fr. Richard Dion.    Continuing our custom of proclaiming one of the scripture readings in a foreign language (with the English translation in the program), Mrs. Guerra of our world languages department read the second reading in French.  Catrina Sylvia '15 read the first reading and Liam Quinn '15 read the prayers of the faithful.

In his homily, Fr. Richard spoke of God breaking into human history with Mary and asking the students how they will (or have) respond when God breaks into their history.  He spoke of the response of David Gagnon '11 who after one year of college, answered God's call to enter the seminary and discern serving Him and His people as a priest.  He urged the students to also answer God when He breaks into their history.

Our beloved and late English teacher Mr. Gorski '58 lived around the corner on Wellington Road for most of his life.  A statue of Mary graced his front lawn for decades and his family graciously donated the statue and its base to the school as they are in the process of selling his house.  Mrs. Krassowski of our art department did an amazing job restoring the statue and the base and finished it in time for Monday's Mass.  After the final blessing, Fr. Richard blessed the restored statue and had the students pray over it by praying the "Hail Mary."  I was very, very moved by that blessing.  The statue is in our chapel for now until we find a permanent place for this permanent reminder of Mr. Gorski.