Mass was the highlight of Bishop Edward Malesic’s March 6 visit to Lake Catholic High School in Mentor. The liturgy was celebrated in nearby St. John Vianney Church.
Father Ian Kelly, Lake Catholic’s chaplain, was the concelebrant. Deacon George Malec, a 1980 Lake Catholic alumnus and a member of the school’s advisory board, assisted with the liturgy and Father Eric Garris, a 2008 Lake Catholic graduate and diocesan vocation director, was the bishop’s master of ceremonies.
“You are the beloved sons and daughters of God and he delights in you,” the bishop told the 500 students, faculty and staff who gathered for Mass.
(See photo gallery above.)
He reminded them that what they are doing (education) is work, and that growth and change require work and effort. “Sometimes, it can be uncomfortable and awkward, but there is joy in the midst … There is stress in my life, but there is always joy. God is in my life and that fills me with joy,” he said.
In the day’s reading, he noted that Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. Even though they forgot about him, the Lord never did.
“God can take even our worst decisions and turn them into something good,” he said.
And God loves us so much that he sent a special gift – his beloved Son. That gift, along with hope and grace, give us the promise of eternal life with him. “Look at the cross. It may look like a sign of defeat, but it is a sign of triumph because Jesus rose from the dead.”
Bishop Malesic encouraged the group to heed the advice given in Scriptures and not to reject the cornerstone. Instead, “Build your life on that cornerstone … You’re here now for a reason … We all struggle sometimes but it can lead to something great … The Lord has a way of making his dreams come true and his dream for you is that you become saints.” As saints, he said we will enjoy life everlasting in heaven.
He told them to be proud of who they are – beloved sons and daughters of God – and to wear their Lake Catholic apparel with pride. “You are special people.” The students were also encouraged to use their God-given gifts/talents for something bigger than themselves.
After Mass, he gathered with a dozen students representing grades 9-12, John Morabeto, Lake Catholic president, Tom McKrill, ’07, school principal, and Cari Foster, director of mission and formation, in the St. Thomas Aquinas Learning Center for lunch and conversation. In addition to a meatless Lenten Friday lunch, they enjoyed homemade chocolate cakes baked by students in the cooking classes.
The bishop also posed for photos with the students and administrators, representatives of the cooking class and with three of the four members of Lake Catholic’s Division II state championship 400-yard freestyle relay swim team.
Lake Catholic, a coed high school, was established in 1970.