Bishop encourages educators to light the way for others to find Jesus
By Tami S. Scott, associate editor
Katherine Rech, of Fairmount, stands with her children during Mass.
Fairmount mom of four, Katherine Rech, sat with her two young children along with her own mom, Kay Magnarelli, for the Aug. 29 Annual School Opening Day Mass at Holy Cross Church. Another one of Rech’s children was participating in the celebration as an altar server.
Three of her four are students at Holy Family School; the fourth just graduated from the grade school and is now attending Camillus Middle. Rech said she hopes for the kids to have a “successful and happy year” with many blessings, in a safe place where they can have fun and learn how to be good to one another.
“I was a Catholic school student in my elementary years,” attending Holy Family School as well, she said. “I think it creates a really good foundation for the kids and gives them the opportunity to learn about the church and God,” so in their later years, they can lean on their faith when contemplating life decisions like education, work and family, she added.
In his homily, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia reflected on the passion of St. John the Baptist, likening the saint to that of a lamplighter, who lights the way for others to find Jesus. As Rech relies on the school to supplement her children’s knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ, so Bishop sees the teachers as lamplighters, much like John the Baptist, and encouraged them to testify to the light and help in the search for truth.
“Our challenge more than ever today is to be that lamplighter like John who invites other people to know Jesus, to share the light,” he said.
Before Mass, we asked Alicia Rosier, a fourth-grade teacher at St. Rose of Lima in North Syracuse, how being a teacher at a Catholic school has formed her faith. Her response foreshadowed the homily.
“I think when you teach the faith, you get a deeper faith yourself because you have to have the right kind of mindset [which is] a deep faith yourself, in order to pass that onto kids,” she said. “If they see you getting passionate about your faith, then they’ll become passionate about theirs.”
Newly revised mission statement
Bishop Lucia presents the newly revised mission statement to the school principals.
At the end of Mass, the principals were asked to approach the altar so Bishop Lucia could present them each with the newly revised Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Syracuse Mission Statement.
Superintendent Amy Sansone introduced the Mission Statement, completed over the past year in collaboration with the System Implementation Team (SIT). SIT is a diocesan body of administrators and teacher leaders who meet three times a year to monitor the schools’ accreditation.
The Mission Statement reads as follows:
Inspired by the evangelizing mission of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Syracuse partner with families, communities, and parishes to nurture academic excellence rooted in Gospel values. We empower students to develop a strong moral conscience informed by the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and to live their faith with compassion, integrity, and respect for all life. Preparing them for a diverse world, we cultivate lifelong learners who are witnesses to Christ’s love through service to others.
“Our system of schools is proud to share a Mission statement. The previous edition was written over six years ago — before Covid, prior to Bishop Lucia, and under our initial Middle States accreditation,” Sansone said. “This newly revised Mission statement represents the joint efforts of all our schools to articulate their common goals, values, and ideals. It is wonderful to have what unites us always at the front and center of what we do each day.”
