GREENVILLE - Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr, archbishop of Cincinnati, kicked off a year-long celebration observing the 125th anniversary of St. Mary’s School by presiding at a special Mass Monday morning at St. Mary’s Church across the street.
“Thank God for St. Mary’s School,” the archbishop said to those school students, staff and other parishioners gathered. “Remember all who taught at St. Mary’s School and all of the administrators. One of the blessings of a Catholic school is that you can take time out to pray and read from the Bible.”
He went on, “When you’re in the light you are free of sin. Sin is not following Christ. Sin is going in the wrong direction. The original sin turned the world upside down. We have to remember Jesus performed all miracles because He wants us to understand he is going to perform greater miracles. Every one of the sacraments is a miracle. Physical miracles don’t last; spiritual miracles last forever. Children of light see that Jesus performs miracles today. We are very blessed to have Catholic schools to learn these things.”
Others taking part in the Mass were Tom Graber as well as St. Mary’s priest, the Rev. John R. White. Also in attendance were former priests of St. Mary’s, the Revs. Harold Kist and Robert Hadden.
Students taking part included Chloe Cox, who presented the angelus; Hayley Maher, Shane Barga, Katy Bolen, Paul Gibson, Irina Dingham, Jaida Kelly, Joseph Edwards and Emma Jennings, the entrance procession; Isabelle Rammel, a reading; Cole Kramer, a responsorial psalm; Tyler Beyke, Alex Hadden, Madalynn Cook, Kelly Witwer, Carmen Badell, Wyatt Rammel and Evan Saylor, petitions; Andrew Winner, Anne Gibson, Maxyn Sharp and Landen Kreusch, gift bearers; Carlos Badell and Kali Meyers, program distributors; Brookelyn Schmidt and Kary Tollefson, prayer card, distributors; and Molly Hunt, Brandon Beyke, Pablo Badell, Paige Kreusch and Valerie Myers, servers.
“It was a privilege that the archbishop came out and said Mass for us,” said Vernon Rosenbeck, St. Mary’s School principal afterwards. “One hundred twenty-five years is a long time.”
A reception was held following the Mass at the school.
Faculty of St. Mary’s School include: Sherri Jones, preschool AM Butterfly; Dianne Blocher, PM Butterfly and Caterpillar; Rosie Adams, preschool assistant; Carol Henry, kindergarten; Kathy Ayette, first/second grade; Linda Waltke, third/fourth grade; Kathy Pierri, fifth grade; Roberta Foster, sixth grade; Sylvia Kelly-Pressnall, seventh/eighth grade; Steve Lantz, physical education; Steve Blocher, music; Ken McCoy, band and orchestra; Debbie Barga, keyboarding; and Sherry Myers, art. Chris Detling is the school secretary and Darrel Bingham is in charge of maintenance.