Rockets celebrate faith, community, and service

By Alex Minella

Catholic Schools Week is a nationwide celebration during the last week in January each year that highlights the importance of faith-based education and strong school communities. Theology teacher Mrs. Mary Beth Sandmann explained that Catholic Schools Week is important because it shows how “Catholic schools commit to an education rooted in faith.” Sandmann also shared that “faith and community go hand in hand; we are created to share our gifts and talents with others.”

Throughout the week, students are taking part in faith-centered activities. Catholic Schools Week began on Monday Jan. 26. There was supposed to be the annual videoconference with Archbishop Casey celebrating community but was canceled due to the snowstorm from the weekend. Unfortunately, the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Week Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains on Tuesday, Jan. 27 was canceled for the same reason. The all-school mass scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 28, will be rescheduled since it was canceled due to unsafe snow and ice conditions to cross the street to GA. Thursday, Jan. 29, is dedicated to celebrating vocations.

The week will conclude with a Day of Christ’s Love in Action on Friday, Jan. 30, led by senior Kairos Leaders. Senior Gracie Mastruserio became a leader for Catholic Schools Week as a part of the Service Leadership Team and Kairos Leadership Team. On Friday, Mastruserio, along with other student leaders, will be assisting teachers in leading and facilitating the Day of Love in Action. Students will be participating in service opportunities led by teams of teachers that include making bracelets, writing and decorating Valentines Day cards, building beds with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and many more. The day will be filled with 4 forty-minute sessions with activities students registered for during a previous CREW. They will then end the day with an early dismissal at 11:15 a.m. Mastruserio said, “We hope that this Day of Love in Action will increase participation in service at McNick as a whole.”