Archdiocese of Baltimore schools celebrate Catholic Schools Week

 

What are Archdiocese of Baltimore schools doing to mark Catholic Schools Week? Below is a sampling of how institutions in the archdiocese are observing the annual week-long event.

·        St. Joseph School in Cockeysville kicked off its Catholic Schools Week celebrations Jan. 26 with a special Mass, where its National Blue Ribbon flag was blessed. The inaugural raising of the flag followed the liturgy. St. Joseph, St. Margaret School in Bel Air and St. Mary’s Elementary School in Annapolis were named National Blue Ribbon Schools in September by the U.S. Department of Education.       

·        Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski celebrated Mass Jan. 27 at St. John Regional Catholic School. On Jan. 30, students from the Frederick school planned to assemble bags with personal items and school supplies for more than 500 homeless students in Frederick County Public Schools.

(Photo via Archdiocese of Baltimore Twitter account)

·        Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori and Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson, superintendent of Catholic schools, visited Monsignor Slade Catholic School in Glen Burnie and St. Mary’s Elementary and High School in Annapolis Jan. 28.

Redemptorist Father John Tizio, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Annapolis (from left), and Rebecca Zimmerman, principal of St. Mary’s Elementary School, enjoy a visit from Archbishop William E. Lori and Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Barbara McGraw Edmondson, during Catholic Schools Week Jan. 28. (Courtesy St. Mary’s School)

·        Mercy High School was to hold a prayer service Jan. 29, followed by the blessing and rededication of its newly restored statue of Our Lady of Mercy. Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori planned to visit the Baltimore school the same day.

This statue of Our Lady of Mercy is a replica of a miraculous statue in the Church of St. Pudenziana, Rome. (Courtesy Mercy High School)

 

·        The new biology laboratory at Mount de Sales Academy was expected to be blessed Jan. 29. Father Michael J. Roach, pastor of St. Bartholomew in Manchester, presided at the blessing. The lab was made possible by a $25,000 matching grant from the Theresa F. Truschel Charitable Foundation, Inc., as well as donations from the Catonsville school’s parents’ club, alumnae association and board of trustees.  

·        Eighth-grade students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Ellicott City were to trade places with their teachers Jan. 31. Students taught a class for 30 minutes as part of faculty appreciation day. Jodi Phelan, director of development at the school, said the hope was that the role reversal would give students “a greater appreciation for the wonderful job our teachers do each day.”