‘A wonderful blessing’: Special Mass celebrates gift of Catholic education

Before the archdiocese’s Catholic Schools Week Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis on Jan. 29, a group of sixth-grade students handed out worship aids to participants. Leanna Paul, left, of St. Gabriel School in Connersville joined three students from St. Mary School in Rushville: Maria Mosburg, left, Hadley Burklow and Kallie Gettinger. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)

By John Shaughnessy

For 12-year-old Kallie Gettinger and 57-year-old Father Joseph Moriarty, the archdiocese’s Catholic Schools Week Mass on Jan. 29 was a time of firsts, touched with joy.

A sixth-grade student at St. Mary School in Rushville, Kallie was in awe of how big and beautiful SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis is as she entered it for the first time with a group from her school.

Then she and two of her classmates—Hadley Burklow and Maria Mosburg—plus sixth-grader Leanna Paul of St. Gabriel School in Connersville were asked to hand out worship aids as students, teachers and administrators from the 68 schools across the archdiocese entered and eventually packed the cathedral for the Mass.

“This is fun,” Kallie said about being chosen for her role. “It makes me feel part of a bigger community than Rushville.”

As Archbishop Charles C. Thompson took time to speak with the four girls before he processed to the altar to celebrate the Mass, Father Moriarty stood close by, smiling as he talked about being at this, his first archdiocesan Catholic Schools Week Mass as the pastor of a parish with a Catholic school.

“Catholic education has to be a priority for us,” said Father Moriarty, who became the pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis in early January, his latest assignment in his 31 years as a priest. “I’m a product of Catholic education all my life. And I’m just so grateful. I think the joy of Catholic education is the freedom to proclaim God in everything and to have that foundation. And also to teach our students values.

“We live in a world, a culture, that would often say that life and success is about position or ambition. Catholic education has a different view. In the example of the saints, we’re called to be humble before God, as was Mary, the chief example of humility. And every saint has found their own way. In our Catholic schools, we give our children a foundation to find that way—to make their contribution in serving God through humility.”

A celebration of a special gift

With a smile, Archbishop Thompson began his homily with a couple of questions as he walked down the center aisle of the cathedral to get close to the students from across the archdiocese.

One of his questions focused on asking the children and youths what they consider special about their Catholic school.

Hands shot up throughout the pews, leading to a list of answers: friends, community, teachers, priests, religion classes, a Catholic education and the opportunities to go to Mass, to take part in adoration, to learn about God and to prepare for a life with him.

Nodding to affirm each answer, Archbishop Thompson also cited the valuable contributions of parents, grandparents, educators and staff and “everyone who makes up the Catholic community, who makes possible the gift of a Catholic education to transmit the faith to students.”

He also noted, “And as we come together, we know that in any endeavor as Christians, as Catholics, we don’t do it on our own merit. We always need God. That’s why we have Jesus in word and sacrament, to bring about that healing, that forgiveness, that grace we need to carry forth the mission” that Christ has for his followers—to take the word of God and the love of God into our hearts and share those gifts with the world.

“We have to make sure we’re transforming the world, and not let the world transform us,” the archbishop said. “That we choose to hear the word of God. That it’s God’s love, it’s God’s truth that guides our life.

“If we’re going to transform the world, if we’re going to be faithful witnesses, good Catholics and good citizens, we need something greater than ourselves. We need each other. We need our community. We need one another, but we need one another in Christ’s name.”

In ending his homily, Archbishop Thompson returned to his themes of mission and gratitude.

“When we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, we celebrate all these schools to carry on the mission of the Church, which is ultimately the mission of Jesus Christ.

“I thank you for being here. I thank your parents and grandparents for making the sacrifice so you have this opportunity. For the teachers, the administrators, and all the community—for all the people who work in the schools to make that possible. May the word of God take root in our hearts.”

‘It’s just a beautiful opportunity’

After blessing everyone in the packed cathedral at the end of Mass, Archbishop Thompson returned to the steps leading up to the altar. There, he shared in what has become one of the joy-filled traditions of his celebration of the Catholic Schools Week Mass.

At the archbishop’s invitation, school group after school group lined up to have their photo taken with him. And for the next 25 minutes—until the last photo had been taken with the 20 or so school groups who waited patiently for their turn—smiles, laughs and an overall mood of joy marked the interactions.

That joy was reflected in the expression of Brian Disney, the archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, all throughout the morning of the Mass—from greeting school groups before the Mass to watching them have a photo taken with the archbishop.

“This Mass is definitely one of the highlights of Catholic Schools Week,” Disney said with a smile. “It’s where we all come together, where all of our schools come together and show that we are one archdiocese—the local Church with Archbishop Thompson as our pastor.

“It’s just a beautiful opportunity to see that the archdiocese is bigger than an individual parish, that it’s bigger than just a school, that it covers a large portion of central and southern Indiana. We’re just excited to have all these kids here with their great energy. It’s such a wonderful blessing.” †