A few weeks ago, the seniors at Bishop Maginn High School were despondent. Not only had they lost their prom, it looked like there wouldn’t be a graduating ceremony either.
Over the weekend, they were jubilant. School and Archdiocese officials worked for days to put together a ceremony in a space big enough for social distancing and nice enough to give the seniors a ceremony they deserved.
They chose the Albany Cathedral, a beautiful, pillared church built at the hight of the Catholic Church’s power and resources.
There was plenty of space to distance, everyone was wearing a mass, the vast cathedral had been disinfected day and night for days, and that was not a simple task.
They were a beautiful thing to see, all the colors of the rainbow full of love for one another. If you can do it, said a speaker, go out and show the world how to do it. I made some good friends in this class, I will miss them.
At the end of the ceremony, school officials asked the families to stay in their seats and asked the graduates to come up, one at a time, to stand six feet apart. A photographer went up to the organ to take the photo, and the school sent one to me.
This ceremony was one of the most meaningful and beautiful experiences of my life, and I want to thank each and every one of you who helped to make it possible.
Congratulations, class of 2020, you beautiful people, may the wind always be a your ack and may your dreams come true.
Congratulations to all those young ladies and young men! May their accomplishments be bright beckons to all who dare to work hard to make a dream into a reality! They are a testament to the human spirit! Here’s to the Class of 2020, may your futures be as bright and beautiful as you are!
It’s funny that the ceremonies that have been forced to become less routine and more creative have held more meaning than the traditional “pomp and circumstance” cookie cutter ceremonies. It’s wonderful that these kids got a unique ceremony and know, really know, that they are loved. What a gift for all involved!