Bishop Mark O'Connell to Celebrate Mass to Launch Catholic Schools Week
Bishop Mark O'Connell will celebrate Mass to open National Catholic Schools Week in the Diocese of Albany on Friday Jan. 23, at 9 a.m. at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Wynantskill. The Mass, which is open to the public, will also be live streamed so all teachers, students, and families across the 14-county Diocese can participate virtually. At the conclusion of the liturgical celebration, distinguished honorees and years-of-service award recipients will be recognized.
“Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community” is the theme of this year’s National Catholic Schools Week, which will be celebrated through January 31. The annual observance highlights the rich Catholic school traditions of academic excellence, community spirit, and the foundation of faith that is at the heart of Catholic education.
Among those being honored at the awards presentation is Kristine Hoffay of St. Jude the Apostle School in Wynantskill, who will receive The Bishop of Albany Distinguished Administrator Award. This award recognizes administrators who promote a school’s Catholic education, seeking to foster a Christian community of love in which God’s truth and life are integrated into the entire curriculum and life of the school.
Additional awards to be presented include the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Distinguished Teacher Awards. Meg Smith of St. Pius X School and Alphonse Lambert Saratoga Central Catholic School will receive those honors. Awards for outstanding school staff and commitment to Catholic education will also be presented, and teachers with milestone years of service to Catholic education in the Diocese will be recognized. (See attached PDF for complete list of recipients.)
“Catholic Schools Week is always a special time for us, not only because it allows us to come together and celebrate everything we love about Catholic education but because it gives us the chance to pause and reflect on the important and wonderful things that make each one of our Catholic schools unique,” said Dr. Christopher Bott, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Albany. “But what really sets our schools apart is not a ‘what; but a ‘who.’ Jesus Christ is the key to our mission, our ministry, our lives.”
The Annual Diocesan Art Show, featuring artwork by Catholic school students of all ages, will be held at the Empire State Plaza on Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 3:30-5 p.m.
Each diocesan school has its own website that can be accessed through the Catholic School Office website:www.higherpoweredlearning.org. For more information, contact the Diocese of Albany, Catholic School Office, at (518) 453-6602.
