St. Bernadette students ‘Rockin’ the Church
By Tanya Connor
NORTHBOROUGH – “Hi, everyone! Welcome to our show. We’re going to tell you four great stories today…”
This was “the start of something new.” And something not-so-new.
Seventh-graders, friends at St. Bernadette Elementary School, smiled as they shared their faith with fellow students via their original production “High School Musical 4: Rockin’ the Church.” They performed Feb. 3 in St. Bernadette Church for Catholic Schools Week.
Narrator Julia San Clemente told the audience – students in grades four through eight, principal Deborah O’Neil and a few teachers and parents – the first story was the story of creation, the start of something new.
The girls sang: “Living in my own world, didn’t understand that God made us for a reason. I never believed in what I couldn’t see. I never opened my heart to all the possibilities. I know that something has changed. God’s calling me, and right here tonight this could be the start of something new, a new creation for me and you.”
Next the girls illustrated the need for a new creation. A serpent (Alexandra Ryan) asked a “vulnerable girl who listened to the devil instead of her conscience” (Megan Whelan): “So, been to any good restaurants lately?” He informed her she didn’t need restaurants “because all the delicious food you could possibly need is … on that tree.”
When she objected that God said not to touch that tree, he responded: “Why do you care what God says? It’s a free country! You can do whatever you want!”
After she ate the fruit, God the Father (Alexis Weiss), Son (Kate Foster) and Holy Spirit (Isabella Rino) sang sadly about the broken relationship.
A disgruntled Noah (Alexis Weiss) and shipmate (Natalie Lambert) with seasick giraffe (Alexandra Ryan) sent up their sung “S.O.S.” And Abraham (Kate Foster) and Sarah (Isabella Rino) did a rap as they waited for God to send them a son.
“Now we interrupt this program for an important disciple message.”
Eighth-grade disciples Alicia Ptak and Michelle Aube and background singers Shawna Bigelow and Gina Marie Scaffidi beamed as they sang their original
“Disciple Message.” The disciples wore T-shirts displaying the song.
“Your world is my world. Your heart is my heart. You’re my one God. … God I love you.”
Eighth-grader Mariah Gomes was the tech crew.
Seventh-graders returned for the closing song – “Another God’s House Partay” – about happily participating in Mass at St. Bernadette’s.
“We are very blessed to be able to have ‘God’s partay’ as often as we do,” Mrs. O’Neil said when they finished.
“That was a beautiful prayer,” she told the actresses, thanking them for creating and sharing their production and having such a good time doing so. She praised Loretta Carroll, their religion teacher, for encouraging them.
Mrs. Carroll said it began when they were sixth-graders and she assigned projects about Old Testament characters.
“I was just, like, ‘Maybe we could do a musical,’” said Alexis, noting that they’ve been in school plays.
Kate said they thought maybe they could write one song, like those in the movie “High School Musical.” Isabella said they tried using all “High School Musical” songs, then decided they wanted more of a mix, and that their songs originally started as jokes.
They didn’t finish this project before the end of the school year, Alexis said. But the idea didn’t die.
Mrs. Carroll said the girls wrote a narrative, skits and words to existing music.
Isabella said Mrs. Carroll told them they could make it a production. Kate praised their teacher for helping them during their free periods and suggesting they do it in church instead of on stage.
“We were always told that singing is praying twice,” Natalie noted.
“I think it brought me a lot closer to God,” Julia said, adding that previously she didn’t know much about the Old Testament.
“You felt like you were living the story,” said Alexis.
Isabella said it felt like they were preaching to fellow students.
The girls said they thought they would be made fun of. But Isabella said she saw smiles when she appeared as Sarah.
“The reaction from the audience makes you want to give them a better show,” she said, and marveled that they got a standing ovation.
The girls talked about being nervous, but supporting each other and experiencing God’s support, having fun, recognizing their talents and showing others they too can do something similar.
“Without one of us, it wouldn’t be the same,” said Megan. And indeed, one of them – guitarist Mikenna Doherty – was out sick. But Mrs. Carroll told them, “The show must go on.”
Now they are performing for a wider audience.
They were scheduled to perform it Wednesday morning for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students at St. Bernadette’s. Their Wednesday afternoon show for grades 1 through 3 was to be rescheduled due to snow. They also hope to perform it for the school’s Arts Night later this year.
OLA students pass bishop’s quiz
By Tanya Connor
WORCESTER – The bishop was on a search.
He was searching for truth.
And he found it in young “theologians” he was instructing.
The occasion was a Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which Bishop McManus celebrated Tuesday at Our Lady of the Angels Parish for Catholic Schools Week.
As he began his homily, he told Our Lady of the Angels Elementary School students that their principal, Doreen Albert, had informed him theirs was the best Catholic school in the diocese. He meant to find out if that was true – by quizzing them.
The blessing of candles is traditional for the Feast of the Presentation, at times called Candlemas. Bishop McManus had started Mass at the back of the church. Students lined the center aisle holding candles. One was lit for him, and they processed forward together. The light-bearers formed a line in front of the sanctuary, and he censed the altar.
While preaching, he turned back to the sanctuary and counted: “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.” He’d found eight candles. The church lights were good, so candles weren’t needed to read. Why were they there?
Because Jesus is the light of the world, a girl informed him.
The bishop noted that there were candles by the lectern, altar and tabernacle.
“What’s inside that beautiful tabernacle?” he questioned, and expressed pleasure at the answer given. “First grade and he’s a major theologian. He just told me inside the tabernacle is the Body and Blood of Christ.”
Next he wanted to know who the Word of God is, and was told: Jesus. Words tell us about something, and Jesus tells us about God, who wants us to spend eternity with him, he explained.
The bishop stumped his “theologians” with his next question: What is the first and last thing a priest does involving the altar? He wasn’t looking for the answers “incense” or “bow.” He asked the students why he kissed the altar.
“People don’t go around kissing stones or marble,” he said, not Irish enough for blarney, at least right then. The more serious answer was that the altar represents Jesus, so the celebrant kisses it as a sign of reverence for Christ.
“So wherever Christ is in the church, we put candles to remind us Christ is the light of the world,” the bishop concluded. “Mrs. Albert, I think you’re right. We have little theologians.”
The paschal candle, lit at the Easter Vigil, lights the candle for the newly baptized, the bishop continued. That light is to be kept burning brightly.
Forty days ago the Church celebrated Christmas, Bishop McManus reminded students. He asked what led the Magi to Jesus? A star. And what they brought him? Prizes. The bishop said the Magi gave Jesus the best that they had, and told students the best thing they have is life, and they should spend their whole lives giving back to God.
Touching on the theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week: “Dividends for Life,” the bishop told parents, “You are investing with hope of great dividends.”
Catholic schools are different than public schools, he said. Catholic schools can give students answers to the questions: “Where did I come from?” (from God) “Where am I going? (to God) and “How am I going to get there?” (by following Christ). The bishop compared a Catholic school education to a light that enables one to get around in a previously dark, scary room.
He told Our Lady of the Angels community he was glad to be with them for Catholic Schools Week and said he hoped they enjoy the rest of it.
At the end of Mass he thanked the principal, faculty and staff, praised parents for the sacrifices they make to give their children such an education and had the congregation applaud the student choir for aiding the worship.
Oh yes, and he told students he would leave it up to Mrs. Albert when to give them their “Bishop’s Day” off from school.
Firefighter talks about the need for prayer
By William T. Clew
“I want to tell you how important it is to pray and to talk to God. He is your best friend.”
Firefighter Jim Ridick from the fire station of Grafton Street told the kindergarten, first and second grades at St. Stephen’s Elementary School that his parents and teachers taught him to pray and to talk to God and he has been doing it all his life.
The firefighter, brother of Father George J. Ridick, pastor of Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, spoke to the students as part of the school’s Catholic Schools Week observance.
He was dressed in full firefighting equipment. He explained that the pants and jacket were made of stronger material than ordinary clothing to protect his skin. The helmet protects his head from falling objects. He said firefighters also wear a face mask and an air tank on their backs so they can breathe in a smoke-filled building. The tank is very heavy, he said.
Firefighting is a dangerous job, he said, and sometimes even firefighters get scared. He told the youngsters that whenever they hear a siren they should talk to God because someone needs help.
“I do that,” he said.
He told them to pray for firefighters, for police and for ambulance drivers.
“They need help, too,” he said.
The youngsters asked several questions. One asked whether all the trucks went out when there is a fire. They send all they need, he said, and sometimes, at a big fire, they need lots of help.
One youngster said his dad is a firefighter.
“Then you know how dangerous it can be and why you should pray,” Mr. Ridick said.
He was asked whether he ever had been to a fire when someone died. Yes, he said, “and it was not a happy day. It was very sad.”
Another youngster said that when there is a very smoky fire “you should get down low to get out.” That’s right, Mr. Ridick said, and people should never go back into the building, even if they forgot something or to get a pet.
When a fire truck is behind you, said another youngster, you should pull over to the side of the road.
“My dad told me that,” she said. That’s right, Mr. Ridick said. He said he wished everybody did that.
Firefighters used to be called firemen, but girls can be firefighters too, he said. Then he asked the student how many of them wanted to be firefighters, to be policemen, to drive an ambulance. Many hands shot up for each category. Some stayed up for all three jobs.
He was asked whether he slid down a pole at the fire station. He said the Grafton Street station is on one floor, so there is no pole, but he has been in other stations with two floors and slid down the pole.
Do firefighters take baths at the stations, a girl asked. No, he said. When an alarm comes in they are sometimes eating or sometimes exercising or sometimes taking a shower. They have to leave what they are doing very quickly. If they are showering, they dry off, get dressed and get on the truck. There is no time for baths, he said.
A teacher asked whether they recognized Mr. Ridick. Several said they did and one said they see him cutting grass. That’s right, the teacher said. Mr. Ridick volunteers to do the yard work around the school and St. Stephen’s Church.
Finally, he asked the students what he had asked them to do when he began his talk.
“Pray.” a girl said.
“That’s right,” he said. “Just remember to say a little pr
By Patricia O’Connell
CFP correspondent
GARDNER - Sacred Heart Elementary school opened Catholic Schools Week with a Mass for the students.
It was also the first time Father Frederick D. Fraini, III met the young people seated in the pews.
“How honored and special I feel as your new associate pastor,” he said as he greeted them.
In his homily, Father Fraini talked about how, as a young child, he was once a Catholic school student.
“How happy I am to be with all of you today. We share something in common,” he said, referring to his time in a parochial school. “I can’t wait to get to know each and every one of you.”
Father Fraini then talked about how he wants the students to grow in their faith.
“I want us to draw closer to Jesus each and every day,” he stated. “I want you to fall in love with Jesus like you never have before.”
Referring to the First Reading, about King David, Father Fraini explained the king was a great leader who also got himself “in trouble.”
“Most of the time, when we’re in trouble - it’s our own fault,” Father Fraini told them, explaining that we get in trouble when we choose to do our own thing, and choose to do things our own way.
“Who saves the day?” Father Fraini asked rhetorically.
“Jesus saves the day,” he answered.
Father Fraini also talked about his own education - high school, college and then six years of seminary training. It wasn’t always easy, he admitted.
In seminary, he was 500 miles from home. One morning, he recalled, he was the first person awake on his hall. And he asked himself, “Am I supposed to be here?”
Then, he went into the chapel to pray. After a while, a friend came in and tapped him on the shoulder.
“I was reminded of all the reasons I was where I was,” he related.
“God loves us so much,” he continued.
Father Friani then asked the children to say a short prayer - “Lord Jesus, help me to be who you want me to be.”
He asked the students to repeat it. And then repeat it again.
“Make me a promise you will pray that prayer every day,” he said.
‘Come to pray’ at novena speaker says
By William T. Clew
Students in the third, fourth and fifth grades at St. Stephen’s Elementary School heard a business leader, world traveler, and cancer survivor urge them to attend the St. Francis Xavier novena from March 4-12 at St. John’s Church.
Francis R. Carroll, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Carroll Enterprises at 554 Main St., the holding company for Small Business Service Bureau, Inc., among other entities, also spoke and answered questions about his throat cancer and urged the youngsters never to smoke. His talk was part of the school’s Catholic School Week observance.
Though smoking is a main cause of throat - or laryngeal - cancer, Mr. Carroll said he never smoked. He said that, as a non-smoker, he didn’t know why he got throat cancer. He told the students a bit about how the disease has affected his life.
His larynx, or voice box, was removed surgically. For about a year he couldn’t talk, he said, so he wrote. He now speaks by using a prosthetic device which he presses against the opening in his throat.
He told the students that he cannot sip soup, for example, or go into the water for a swim. Without the prosthesis against the opening in his throat he cannot talk, and he gave them a demonstration of that.
“Does it hurt when you talk?” a student asked.
With a grin he said, “I’m an Irishman. The more I talk the better it gets.”
“Can you sing?” another asked.
“I’ll sing for you,” he said, and sang a little song about St. Francis.
In answer to other questions, Mr. Carroll said he has traveled around the world “about 10 times.” He was asked whether he had been to Poland, to Israel, to Egypt, to Puerto Rico. Yes, he said, to each question. The youngsters were asking about countries where they had relatives or, for some, from which they had come, a teacher said.
Had he ever seen the Great Wall of China, a student asked. Yes, he said. He walked on it and parts of it were very steep. He was asked whether he had ever been to Nevada. “Yes,” he said. Had he ever seen the Patriots? “Yes, once,” he said. Had he been in Fenway Park? That got a “yes” and a big grin.
Mr. Carroll has been to other places, too. Among them was a trip with Jesuits to Central America to help with flood relief. Years ago he was instrumental in building a hospital in Vietnam dedicated to Americans who died there in the Vietnam War. In Worcester, Mr. Carroll, a U.S. Navy veteran, headed the Korean War Memorial Committee of Central Massachusetts which built the memorial to Massachusetts service personnel killed in that war.
He also is a major supporter of the St. Francis Novena at St. John’s Church.
In his talk to the St. Stephen’s students he said, “ The whole world depends on you and what you do with your lives.”
Mr. Carroll had shown the students he could sing. They returned the favor as he sat in front of them, singing “Our God is an Amazing God.”
Students collect dividends of Catholic education
By Tanya Connor
WORCESTER – “Shout it from the rooftops!” Or at least take it to high school – and beyond.
A group of junior high school students seem determined to do that with their faith – thanks to their education at Our Lady of the Angels Elementary School.
And faith isn’t the only thing they’re planning to take with them when they graduate. As part of a Catholic Schools Week celebration, they talked about the “dividends for life” they’ve received at Our Lady of the Angels. “Dividends for Life” is the theme of this year’s national Catholic Schools Week, which started Sunday and concludes tomorrow.
Nikki O’Connor, seventh-grade homeroom teacher at Our Lady of the Angels, said she held a prayer service Monday in the chapel with students in grades seven and eight. They said a decade of the rosary for the people of Haiti and talked about the dividends being highlighted for Catholic Schools Week: faith, knowledge, discipline and morals. Then they ate breakfast together, decorated the Catholic Schools Week logo and hung their copies around the school.
“It was a nice reflection time for them,” she said. “I think they get very nostalgic about the time they’ve spend here.” Some eighth-graders are getting sad about leaving, she said.
Students who spoke about the event with The Catholic Free Press Tuesday looked both back and forward – with thoughtful seriousness.
“Here they nurture your faith,” seventh-grader Tucker Lindgren said of Our Lady of the Angels. “You can talk to people about your faith. You’re not afraid to. Now you’re used to telling people about your faith.” So, he figured, “Shout it from the rooftops.”
“Some people don’t know what to believe in” so they can be swayed to the dark side, said Sonny Goodwin, another seventh-grader. “I thought it was kind of a reminder what to believe in,” he said of Monday’s session. “It also reminded us of, like, our morals, so we can be part of God’s love.”
Stephanie Kowalchek, an eighth-grader, said they talked about how Catholic schools are important.
“It’s not in my future to be in a Catholic high school,” she said. “It’s like a reminder of where I’m coming from and to bring the Catholic faith, even though I’m not in a Catholic school.”
“And now we have to put into real life what we learned here,” Tucker added.
Stephanie said she’s the only one on her block who goes to Catholic school.
“You know what’s right,” she said. Neighborhood youth also know “that people being bullied is wrong.” But they don’t have the nerve to stand up against it because they haven’t been taught to; it occurs every day in public school, she said.
“You don’t want to impose,” she said, trying to explain her dilemma. “You still want to keep your friendships.” But you want to do what is right.
Her classmate Kayla Casavant said it is good to have friends who share your faith at Our Lady of the Angels.
“You’re the face of your religion” to people who aren’t members of it, she said.
That goes with the dividend of self-discipline and how others will perceive Catholics, said their classmate Will Roberts.
Kayla said she has friends who graduated from Our Lady of the Angels and now attend Marianapolis Preparatory School in Thompson, Conn., where she plans to go. They say the self-discipline they learned here helps them there, she said.
Will said he attended public school before Our Lady of the Angels. He said friends still in public school, headed for St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury like he is, say, “Oh, you have so much homework.”
“I think to myself, ‘What happens when you get to St. John’s?’” he said. “I’m glad that I’ve learned all these study habits.”
Stephanie said people on her block ask her, “You actually did your homework?”
“We have to do our homework,” she explains. “There’s consequences.” At Our Lady of the Angels, students are not allowed to skip class either, like her neighbors sometimes do, she said.
We also talked about how we’re all different,” Kayla said of Monday’s event. Students could choose from different kinds of cereal and celebrate their individuality. Sonny added that different kinds of milk were also available.
“Everyone had their own poster,” Tucker said. All the posters were the same, but they colored them differently to show their individuality.
“It makes us feel special,” he said.
“It’s OK to be different,” added Sonny.
“I thought it was kind of interesting – you take, like, one word, like faith or morals,” said Stephanie. “It was kind of cool to see all these different perspectives.”
The bulletin board seen on the way out of the school summed up these students’ experience of Catholic education: “We know what Jesus would do.”
Seniors, seniors and juniors mingle at Senior Center
By Tanya Connor
WORCESTER – “Seniors” are alike in some ways.
A high school senior and a senior citizen reported this discovery Monday. The occasion was a Catholic Schools Week event that took seniors – and juniors – from St. Mary Junior/Senior High School to the Worcester Senior Center for a tour and lunch.
Michael Dudek, St. Mary’s principal, said he started the Catholic Schools Week get-together three years ago. Previously it took a little while for the two groups to integrate, but this year some got right into it, he said.
“That’s what it’s all about – meeting new people … sharing life experiences,” he said. “Some of [the students] don’t have grandparents. Some of them gravitate to people that look like their grandparents.”
Amy Waters, director of elder affairs and director of the senior center for the city, showed the youth places used for games, exercises and classes. The students perked up when she expressed a desire for young volunteers to get the elders interested in Nintendo Wii.
While the two groups didn’t play such games together Monday, they did get a chance to interact over lunch. At some tables youth and elders sat together. Others were filled with one age group or the other. But when spaces opened up, the teenagers went over and began talking with senior citizens.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Nicole Desroches, one of the high school seniors. “I had one lady say she was practically like us – they’re a little bit slower. They do all the fun stuff we do. She said she stopped sledding two years ago.
“I actually didn’t think I was going to know anyone here, but I knew a couple from church,” Nicole continued. Given that, she decided: “I kind of knew everybody.”
“Oh, he was wonderful to talk to,” said Carol Burke, an elder who visited with high school senior Buddy Hayfron. “I love teenagers. I have a teenage mind.”
“I thought it was interesting – how the school changed for the better,” said Frank DiLiddo, one of today’s students. He ate with Frank Kolaczyk, whose daughter attended St. Mary’s years ago, and Victor Pigoga, whose son and daughter also graduated from there. The high school seniors had their photo taken with the two men.
“They were good kids,” said Rita Suydam, who started frequenting the senior center a year ago. “They were friendly. They asked us if we were interested in sports.” She said she replied that her interests were baseball and basketball – the only two sports they had at her school – St. Mary’s Central Catholic High School in Milford.
“It was nice meeting people that gave you their input into what to expect in life,” said Carlos Deoliveira, a junior at Worcester’s St. Mary’s. “They told me not to invest in the stock market.”
Juniors Veronika Kisiel and Kristyn Giangregorio got a different sort of advice.
“We got to talk to a guy with a tattoo,” Veronika said. “He got it when he was in the Navy.” The girls said he suggested they get one too – for the memories it would bring back.
St. Anthony School students display inventions at expo
By Patricia O’Connell
CFP Correspondent
FITCHBURG – Students at St. Anthony Elementary School recently attended a trade show.
An army of sales men – and women – aggressively promoted a variety of “products,” including invisible dog fences, remote-controlled dog door openers, freeze-free windshield wipers and special finger coverings that make it easier to apply nail polish.
“Act now,” said Michael Fossa, who promised to throw in a free toothpaste dispenser to anyone who purchased a double-sided toothbrush.
It was the annual Inventors’ Expo, run by students in Matthew Gauvin’s eighth-grade class.
Mr. Gauvin said he assigned the project to give students an idea of what it’s like to work at a trade show. Ideas could be an original invention, or an improvement upon an existing product, he noted.
“It’s more than just creating a product,” he explained. “They have to market it. They have to come up with not only the product, but the poster to sell the product.
Mr. Gauvin said he wanted students to get a feel what it was like to be at a trade show, where people plug the same product “day in, day out.”
“It’s not as easy as they think it is,” he added.
Students also needed to think about the target audience, he explained.
In this case, it was the younger students at St. Anthony Elementary. For instance, the information they’d give a seventh-grader is different from what they’d say to a much younger child, according to Mr. Gauvin.
“They have to look at their customer and adjust their presentation to reflect the age of the customer,” he stated.
Colorful posters accompanied each product. In front of each exhibit stood a student, answering questions and offering reasons why you should buy – now.
A crowd of younger students gathered around Shane Lashua’s automatic door opener for dogs. A mini overhead door had been cut to size, and inserted into a wooden partition. Shane admitted he did receive help on this project from his father, who works in the construction trades. His mother breeds dogs.
Olivia Collette was selling “Polar Paws,” a contraption that warms gloves and hats with the help of a hand-held hair dryer. It did work. The gloves were toasty warm. This invention is also something Olivia said she might use herself, later.
Brianna Millen said the assignment entailed coming up with something that could make life easier, either for yourself or for others.
She was selling “No Fuss Nail Huggers” that allow you to apply nail polish without dribbling onto the surrounding skin.
Brianna, who is considering a career in either cosmetology or nursing, thinks she’ll use her product long after the trade show shuts down.
“I actually used it before to paint my nails, and it really did work,” she said.
St. Anna announces tuition break for families with more than one child enrolled
LEOMINSTER - St. Anna School plans to cut its tuition for families with more than one child enrolled in the school.
The tuition will drop by 50 percent for the second child in a family, with further cuts for additional children, according to Danielle Colvert, principal. The program will begin with the new school year.
As an example, she said, cost for the first child from a non-parish family would be $3,900. The tuition for the second child would be $1,950, for the third child it would be $1,560, and for every child thereafter tuition would cost $1,200.
The school has 150 children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. She said parishes also can provide subsidies for families who contribute to those parishes.
St Anna School has heard the challenge of Bishop McManus to “grow enrollment” in schools, Mrs. Colvert said. Families want their children to come to St. Anna’s, but the poor economy is a problem.
She said the response to the new tuition program has been positive.
School, Sisters, parish have strong connection
By Patricia O’Connell
CFP Correspondent
LEOMINSTER – Msgr. John E. Doran offers morning Mass for a group of religious sisters.
It’s a beautiful, warm, breezy day. He leaves the convent and takes a short walk to St. Leo Elementary School. Once inside, he welcomes some of the children back from summer break.
“Tell me where you went this summer,” he asks them.
Hands shoot up.
“Oh,” he answered, raising his eyebrows, when one of the students replied he’d been to Indonesia.
Msgr. Doran, pastor of St. Leo, is in an increasingly rare position. There are convents, there are parishes and there are parochial schools. But, usually, all three are no longer found together.
St. Leo is one of the few exceptions.
The Presentation Convent, technically, is not part of St. Leo Parish. It’s owned by the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But, originally, it was built by parishioners to house the Presentation sisters who taught at the school. There’s still a strong connection. The two parish priests – Msgr. Doran and associate pastor, Father Kevin Hartford – offer daily Mass in the convent chapel. (The Mass is at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public.)
Two of the sisters still work at the school. All of the sisters, who are able, pray for the students. Students in the fifth grade spiritually “adopt” a sister, and each prays for the other. During the year, the children also get to meet their prayer partner.
“There’s a close association with the parish and the school,” said Msgr. Doran about the convent, which now houses 17 sisters.
Msgr. Doran has led St. Leo for 20 years, and it’s a rare day that he isn’t at the school. Teachers often call him in to speak about the faith. He helps prepare the second-grade class to receive first Communion. He addressed the issue of stem cell research with the seventh graders.
During Lent, Msgr. Doran leads the Stations of the Cross for each class, inside St. Leo Church.
He attends all of the school plays and musicals, and he tries to get to some of the basketball games.
A Worcester native, Msgr. Doran was ordained in 1966. He has been a priest for 43 years, and 32 of these years have been spent in the North County.
St. Leo parish was founded by Irish immigrants in 1872. It’s the mother church for the city’s other four parishes and one mission.
Despite the Irish roots of the parish, and the order of religious sisters living nearby, Msgr. Doran said demographics are now very mixed.
St. Leo Elementary School also attracts students from various ethnic and racial backgrounds as well. With 293 students, Msgr. Doran said enrollment is full, although there’s still room for more.
“Our school is very community oriented,” he noted, adding that students conduct a coat drive every year, as well as collect food for the needy. They also help with maintenance of the public Carter Park, located directly across the street. And, at Halloween, the children dress in costume and visit a nearby elderly housing project.
St. Leo has about 5,400 registered parishioners, although only about half of them are active, according to Msgr. Doran.
In a time of shrinkage, closings and mergers, the parish has held steady and has even expanded.
Two years ago, doors opened on a new $4.5 million addition that contains a new school gymnasium and second-floor computer lab. This, he noted, was financed primarily by parishioners.
“We’re fortunate,” said Msgr. Doran. “We’re strong financially.”
Sisters add religious dimension to Catholic schools
Saint Joseph School in Webster is fortunate to have two religious sisters still teaching there, said Msgr. Anthony S. Czarnecki. Religious or clergy make up only 4 percent of full-time professional staff in the nation’s Catholic schools, the National Catholic Education Association reports.
The Congregation of Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice, has served Saint Joseph School since it was founded in 1892. The sisters, who reside in the convent adjacent to the school, follow the rule of St. Francis and strongly believe in prayer and community living, he added.
The involvement of the religious sisters in the school greatly adds to the Catholic education of the students, said Msgr. Czarnecki, pastor of St. Joseph Basilica.
When the sisters teach, he noted, every subject is permeated with a religious outlook as they inspire not only academic achievements but also formation of character. The overall positive effect of the sisters on the entire student body makes a lasting impression on the students and is a great benefit to Saint Joseph School, concluded Msgr. Czarnecki.
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Elementary School in Gardner also has one sister from the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary working at the school. She also directs the parish religious education program, according to Father Brian P. O’Toole, pastor.
She lives in what was once the convent for her order, located on nearby Regan Street. And, at one time, this did house a community of Presentation sisters, said Father O’Toole.
– Patricia O’Connell