A Rite of Passage

     In continuing with the happenings of this past week / weekend, I want to mention the local graduations from High School that took place, and our recognition of those events for our young graduates. Last Wednesday evening Greensburg Central Catholic held their graduation ceremony, and this past Friday evening the local public High School - Norwin - graduated over 400.  We also have youngsters at Serra Catholic in the Pittsburgh Diocese, as well as at a number of other area public schools.  We are very proud of all of the graduates, and particularly so of the almost forty from our parish family that have graduated.   This is an important time of transition and a proud moment of accomplishment.

     We honored our parish graduates at the 11:00 am Mass this past Sunday, and celebrated with cake in our social hall following Mass.  We recognized those in attendance (they came in caps and gowns), and shared four scholarships with the winning recipients.  Our parish Christian Mothers Confraternity graciously gave out three five hundred dollar scholarships to applicants from the parish based on their involvement in the parish, the life of the Church, the Community as well as school.  Three very deserving graduates received these scholarships - Alexa Kostelnik, Nathan Hursh and Dylan McCurdy.  There were so many actively involved in the parish that the choice was difficult,  There was a fourth scholarship established in the area by the Kinsey Family that awards a twenty-five hundred dollar scholarship to a graduate from each of the three local parishes who is going on to further study.  The recipient from Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton this year was Nathan Hursh.  We congratulate them all.  We, and their families, are so proud.

     I remember my graduation from Saint Vincent Prep in 1965.  There were thirty three of us graduating.  We received our diplomas from the late Bishop William G. Connare and from then Archabbot Rembert Weakland (now retired Archbishop of Milwaukee).  We were comprised of all priesthood students from the Diocese of Greensburg and the Benedictine Community of Saint Vincent.  Five were ordained eventually - two left active ministry and the rest of us continue ministering.  We've lost a few of our class to death.  Some of us have reconnected at reunions and such.  Some I've not heard from in years.  But they are often in my thoughts and in my memories.  Those were the days, my friends.