By Katie Vasquez
After spending years forming friendships and growing their faith, hundreds of eighth graders across the Diocese of Brooklyn came together on Friday with their bishop to prepare for the next step of their journey, high school.
The Jornada Movement, a Hispanic youth ministry that brings teens and adults together for retreats and faith-building reflections, provided the music to get these soon-to-be graduates pumped up for the special liturgy.
The Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph brought the 1,800 eighth grade students in the Diocese of Brooklyn together with their shepherd.
Bishop Robert Brennan says attending each graduation ceremony would be otherwise impossible. As each student prepares to move on to Catholic high schools across the Diocese, they hope they can continue the relationship with God built in their Catholic academies.
“Archbishop Molloy also has very spiritual…they have a lot of faith programs…even though [at] Sacred Heart, we’ve done so [many] things in Church to grow in faith, Archbishop Molloy will also be helping me grow in faith spiritually,” said Bryan Casiano, an eighth grader at Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Bayside.
“I hope to…possibly become an altar server in that school…become someone known for their passion through Christ, and to do His works through me,” said Ethan Canales, an eighth grader at Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Bayside.
“We certainly hope that when our kids graduate here, they stay close to the Lord. It’s very easy to do when you’re in our schools. Most of them are going to our Catholic high schools, then it will be no problem,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
“But, Catholic high schools are paradigms of Catholic identity and Catholic imagination, so I’m confident there.”
“That’s very encouraging, and, whether it be to the Catholic high schools, which we really want to encourage, or through their parish youth programs, that they stay connected, being connected is so important,” said Bishop Robert Brennan.
Since there are so many graduates in the class of 2025, the Diocese had to split the celebration into two different Masses. The second Mass will take place on May 9th.