More than two dozen graduates of Catholic elementary and high schools were honored as distinguished alumni this morning at a May 6 brunch and award ceremony at St. Philip Neri’s parish center. After an opening prayer, Archbishop Gregory Aymond thanked the honorees, who were nominated by their parish and school communities, for embodying the values of Catholic education into adulthood.
“A tree shows that it is a healthy tree by the fruit that it bears,” Archbishop Aymond said, thanking the assembled “ambassadors” of Catholic education. “You are distinguished as you go about your life. You speak about the Lord; you speak about Catholic education,” he said.
“Thank you for that light; thank you for continuing to witness; thank you for seeing the benefit of Catholic education,” the archbishop added.
Dr. RaeNell Houston, Catholic Schools superintendent, encouraged the honorees to look for opportunities to share “holy moments” with everyone they encountered. These holy moments might be simply giving someone a smile, a listening ear in others’ times of grief or by pointing out the lessons of hope embodied by Christ in the Gospels.
“When we share these holy moments, we become more like Christ and we become stronger in our faith,” Houston said.
This year's honorees are:
Archbishop Chapelle, Ms. Angelina Christina
Archbishop Rummel High School, Mr. John Theriot
Archbishop Shaw, Mr. Willie Marque
Christ the King Parish School, Mr. Chris Roberts
DeLaSalle High School, Mr. John J. Altobello, Jr.
Immaculate Conception, Mr. John Patrick Connick
Jesuit High School, Mr. David Scotton
Mary Queen of Peace, Ms. Kristin Lanoix Macke
Mount Carmel, Ms. Karen Vivien Conigliaro
Our Lady of Lourdes, Mrs. Michele Barrere Tymkiw
Our Lady of Prompt Succor School, Mr. Jason Moran
Our Lady of the Lake School, Mrs. Michelle Kennedy
Pope John Paul II, Mr. Chad Swan
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ms. JoAnn Oncale Prima
St Mary's Academy, Ms. Cheryl Brown
St. Angela Merici, Ms. Jan Daniel Lancaster
St. Anthony School, Ms. Julie Bodin
St. Augustine High School, Mr. Raymond Fritz
St. Catherine of Siena, Mr. Jeff Lionnet
St. Charles Borromeo, Mrs. Mary Schmidt
St. Christopher, Ms. Carol Pond
St. Cletus, Mr. Carl Kluttz
St. Edward, Ms. Aimee Becegeay Gardner
St. Francis Xavier, Ms. Kathleen Calder
St. Mary's Dominican, Ms. Patrica Warren Byrne
St. Peter Catholic School, Rev. Fr. Daniel Brouillette
St. Philip Neri, Ms. Susan Chocheles Panzavecchia
St. Rita Harahan, Mr. Bryan Rauch
St. Scholastica, Sr. Jeanne d'Arc Kernion
Stuart Hall, Mr. Becker Hall
Ursuline Academy, Ms. Deborah Augustine Elam
Visitation of Our Lady, Ms. Gina Duplessis