by Katie Vasquez
Kindergartners at St. Brigid-St Frances Cabrini Catholic academy have a new space to enjoy.
“The new floor, the new rug, everything is very new,” said St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy student, Benjamin Rodriguez.
“The first day we came back from vacation, they were in awe like complete awe. It makes the room a lot brighter, everything,” said St Brigid-St Frances Cabrini Catholic academy teacher, Alyssa Rivera.
The classroom was updated over the Christmas break thanks to fundraising from the parents and their pastor, Father Carlos Velasquez.
Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan says it’s a great way to kick off Catholic schools week.
“We don’t have any better way of transmitting the faith from one generation to the other. with that partnership between the parents in the school. we do all kinds of things and people do a great job of transmitting the faith,” Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brookyn.
The dedication, as well as this special mass with the school and the community, is just one of many celebrations Bishop Brennan will be a part of throughout the week.
Bishop Brennan will visit schools throughout Brooklyn and Queens to see the incredible education being offered in the diocese.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of National Catholic schools week and the theme is Catholic schools, united in faith and community.
“It is putting our best foot forward so that other people can see it’s a time to introduce our schools to young parents who are just bringing their children to the education age and hoping to invite them in. So we’re trying to spread the good news,” said Bishop Brennan.
This Bushwick academy holds a special place for Bishop Brennan and his family, his dad attended the school in 1952.
“To see this, the St. Brigid as it is, it really is active and people are friendly and sincere. and I’m so happy to come back here and take another look because I haven’t been back here in a long time,” said Bishop Brennan’s father, Bob Brennan.
The principal expects to have all the classrooms upgraded by the end of the summer thanks to a $75,000 grant from the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Fund.