An emotional day for the seniors,  and an important day for me and the teachers and administrators and families at Bishop Maginn High School.

I have been working with refugee students for four years now, and sometimes I am nearly overwhelmed by the experience.

I have listened to their often wrenching stories of brutal persecution, loss, hunger, fear, and danger. I admire their good cheer and support for one another. They never seem to lose faith.

I am in awe of their courage, openness, versatility and generosity.

I haven’t suffered what they have suffered, but I have been on a journey with them all the same. I know what they’ve gone through in order to graduate from a high school in America.

I am humbled by the love and dedication of their principal, Michael Tolan, and of my friend Sue Silverstein, the art and theology teacher with the biggest heart in North America.

The Catholic Church has taken a beating lately and has its troubles. But the school represents the best of the Christian ideal, I think, loving and helping the needy and the vulnerable.

She and Mike have been working for days to have a proper graduation for these kids and their proud families. This is a milestone for them. For me, too, I stuck with it, ups and downs, and great and learned a lot myself.

Zinnia, the school mascot, can’t come because of the virus. Maria and I were invited to the ceremony at the Albany Cathedral. this afternoon.

Nobody gets in without tickets and there are very few of those. Maria and I talked about whether it was safe for me to go – some of these kids had the virus – but the school is following every possible recommendation from the CDC and I just won’t miss it.

I have never felt safer anywhere than I do at Bishop Maginn.

I’m watched over by the statue of Jesus in the school lobby, he’s known as “High-Five” Jesus because everybody gives him a high five as they come in or out of the school

We will be sitting in our own pew, quite distanced from the ceremony, and way to the back of the huge cathedral. I won’t get close to any of the seniors, and we will be wearing masks. I don’t know if they will even know I am there, but it hardly matters.

I have come to know and love many of these kids, and I am bursting with pride for them. Congratulations, you wonderful people. A huge transition and you all paid for this with heart and blood.

I want to thank the Army Of Good for making so much of this graduation possible. None of us will ever forget it.

P.S. Most of the people we have been providing food support to will also be there.

I congratulate them as well.

This work continues, the need is greater than ever.

More seniors ready to start the new school year. If you wish to contribute to this work, you can, via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Refugee Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

Thanks