On the Church calendar, Feb. 2 is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day. It also was Groundhog Day, the midpoint of Catholic Schools Week and the first time Bishop Edward Malesic visited Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron. (See photo gallery above.)
The faculty, staff and 800 students put their tradition of Holy Cross hospitality in action as they welcomed the bishop. Hoban is sponsored by the Brothers of the Holy Cross.
The bishop, a native of Pennsylvania, reported that Punxsutawney Phil, the infamous Pennsylvania groundhog purported to forecast the length of winter, saw his shadow that morning. That means six more weeks of winter – if you trust a rodent to forecast the weather, he quipped.
Before celebrating Mass in the school gym, the bishop blessed candles that will be used for school liturgies throughout the year. Candles are a source of light, which was a theme for the Feb. 2 Mass. The bishop also told those gathered that they were celebrating the presentation of Jesus, a friend they can trust. In the Gospel, Simeon said that when he encountered Jesus, he finally had seen the salvation which God prepared in the sight of all people. Jesus is meant for all of us – for every generation and place.
Jesus is lifted up high both at his birth and at his death on the cross for all to look upon. “There is no shadow in Jesus. Jesus is the light, and in him there is no darkness,” the bishop said. His light must be allowed to shine forth to light up the world, he added.
Using an analogy to the movie and Broadway musical “The Lion King,” Bishop Malesic said the main character Simba was consecrated and given over to a higher purpose, rescuing the kingdom when it was near collapse. The story is similar to that of Jesus, who also was born for a higher plan.
“But one is a cartoon and one is a real person. We don’t give our lives for cartoon characters, but we are asked to give our lives to Christ. His presentation to the world is hope for our future,” he said.
The bishop reminded the group that they also were consecrated and dedicated to God’s plan at their baptism, when they were presented as his children. He said by sending their children to a Catholic school, their parents allow them to more easily claim their divine destiny and discern God’s will for them as future residents of heaven.
“We want you to discover who God created you to be. You ultimately were created to be saints as well as knights,” he added, referring to the school’s mascot. “The vocation each of you will be called to – marriage, priesthood, religious life – are different lanes on the same highway that ultimately lead to your ultimate destiny,” the bishop said. He noted that many of the students are at a moment in their lives when they are wondering what God’s plan is for them.
“Trust yourself and trust God and you will do just fine,” he told the students. “He will give you everything you need to do his will. You just need to not be afraid of God’s plan for you. Ask for his help, accept it and forge ahead. That is why I pray every day that you continue learning what your gifts are and how to use them,” he said, adding he also prays that they develop a real, deep and personal relationship with Jesus.
“Know that you are important to God, you have an important part to play in God’s plan for your family, for your Church and for our world. As friends to each other, you have already helped make the Archbishop Hoban family better. Keep on doing that. You are here for a reason, too – to build one another up in Christ,” the bishop said.
While cartoon characters like Simba are fun to watch and the groundhog’s shadow can be an interesting winter diversion, Bishop Malesic reminded the students that Jesus is real. “And he speaks to the depth of your heart,” he said, telling them to follow him. “And then, the decision what to do next is up to us. My suggestion is to go with God.”
“The Lord is asking you to shine out, to be a light for all,” he added.
After Mass, the bishop was guided through the school by students, Principal T.K. Griffith, a 1989 Hoban alumnus, Hoban President Christopher DiMauro, a 1999 alumnus, and Holy Cross Brother James Spooner, associate principal. They stopped by the weight room, the school’s technology center and visited some classrooms, where the bishop chatted with students and teachers. The bishop, himself a musician, also got a demonstration of the school’s popular steel drums and he saw the unique chapel before eating lunch with about 18 students, teachers and staff members and heading back to his office in Cleveland.