Students, teachers celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Mass at cathedral

DETROIT — The scene at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament was colorful, with school uniforms representing Catholic schools from across the Archdiocese of Detroit on display during the annual Mass for Catholic Schools Week.


Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron presided over the Feb. 4 Mass, with hundreds of students in attendance to mark the special week, which celebrates the uniqueness and unity of Catholic schools across the country.

“This was my first time at the cathedral,” said Terrence McRae, an eighth-grader at St. Valentine School in Redford. “I love going to a Catholic school because I get to learn about God and express myself with God. It was also great to see other students who go to Catholic schools.”

The Gospel reading from St. Mark, in which Jesus instructs his disciples to take nothing with them during their missionary journey, was the subject of the archbishop’s message to the students.

“Going to school, you are instructed about being equipped for later on,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “All school is about being equipped, ready to move on to the next level. That structure shows up in the Gospel, the history of Jesus teaching his disciples before sending them out for their mission.”

The archbishop walked throughout the cathedral during the homily, asking students who were a part of the “buddy system” — in which older students are assigned a younger “buddy” to mentor throughout the year — to stand up. That mentorship continues throughout a student’s education and life, the archbishop said, with the Church playing a vital role in a student’s learning.

“Your schools are a continuation of Christ’s teachings, equipping you for your mission,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “With this conviction, we go about in our mission of education. Why does the Church have schools? The fire department doesn’t have a school; the post office doesn’t have a school, so why do we have schools? Because you are a big deal for God.”

The archbishop likened the Twelve Apostles being sent by Jesus to the work of Catholic schools being sent out to change to world.

“God willed it to make you his partners, to bring the world back into the light,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “Knowing Jesus Christ is the best thing that could happen you, and sharing Him is our greatest joy.

“Today is something new. When you receive Holy Communion, you’re accepting a mission from Jesus Christ. You’re making a promise that you are going out to change the world.”

The Mass is part of the weeklong Catholic Schools Week celebration, a national recognition of all Catholic schools provide for society, including countless students and teachers who have benefited from the Church’s contribution to education.

Students appreciated the chance to visit with the archbishop and the cathedral, taking time to reflect on the benefits of a Catholic education.

“It means a lot of have a week to celebrate all the Catholic schools,” said Lauren Malkoun, eighth-grader at Holy Family Regional School in Rochester Hills. “I think it’s important to make a special week to celebrate all we do. I think it’s a beautiful cathedral; it’s breathtaking.”

During Mass, Archbishop Vigneron took time to recognize the teachers and school pastors in attendance.

In the buildup to Catholic Schools Week, students and teachers sold T-shirts, raising $5,372 for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Larry Griffin, director of resource solicitation for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, was on hand to accept the donation.

Students also presented the archbishop with a banner representing each school in the archdiocese and explaining “what mercy means” to each.

“We made a poster of all the ways Catholic schools show mercy,” said Ayannah Sierminski, a fifth-grader at Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes School. “Mercy is being faithful to God and loving one another. You show mercy by forgiveness.”
When asked about her favorite part of Catholic schools, Sierminski replied: math.

“My favorite class is math, because all the things add up,” Sierminski said. “It doesn’t matter which way you do it, in the end, it all comes together. But today it was really nice to see the cathedral filled with students from all the different Catholic schools.”

At the end of Mass, schools were recognized with Catholic Identity Awards, based on students’ test scores showing knowledge of their faith. Students take the test in the third, fifth and seventh grades.

Holy Redeemer School in Detroit was the star of the show, scoring in the top three in all three grade levels, and claiming the top overall spot. St. Michael the Archangel School in Livonia and St. Augustine School in Richmond rounded out the top three.