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By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer
ROSWELL—As students and faculty rejoice in the dedication of
their new school, Blessed Trinity High School continues to grow and find its
niche within the archdiocese.
Officially dedicated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue Dec. 5,
Blessed Trinity is one of two new high schools in the archdiocese which opened
in the fall of 2000 with ninth and tenth grades. The school will add an
eleventh grade in the fall of 2001 and its first senior class in 2002.
Joined by Father Tim Hepburn, the school chaplain, and by pastors
of feeder parishes, Archbishop Donoghue presided at a Liturgy of the Word to
dedicate the school. Pastors taking part included Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan,
vicar general for pastoral ministries and pastor of All Saints Church,
Dunwoody; Father Joe Corbett, pastor of St. Brigid Church, Alpharetta; Father
Frank McNamee, pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell; Father Bob Susann,
MS, pastor of the Church of St. Ann, Marietta; and Father Hugh Marren, pastor
of St. Benedict Church in Duluth.
With the green drapery of the school’s theater as a backdrop,
the archbishop said that the dedication was a symbol of hope for the future.
“Especially if we look at the history of our Church in this
country—we understand that the establishment of a Catholic school, to
serve any particular locale, is in a way, a sure planting of the truth of
Christ and of His Gospel,” the archbishop said. “And we can hope for,
and we can expect, that many young men and women, destined to build up and
improve our society, will pass through the doors of this school—this year,
next year, and for many years, and many generations yet to come.”
God’s grace provided the strength to open the new high
school, the archbishop said, which required faith and courage.
“It is the grace that comes from God’s
revelation—God revealing to us, in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, how
we are to live, how we are to believe, that gives us the shared desire and
determination to make this school a reality.”
He then encouraged the parents, teachers and students in
attendance to work toward making Blessed Trinity an exceptional school.
“I encourage all, no matter your station in this valiant
enterprise, to do whatever you can for the sake of Blessed Trinity High School,
for in doing so, we are, both as individuals, and as members of the one Body of
Christ, banishing ignorance from our society, from our culture, and laying the
groundwork for a better day and a more enlightened civilization,” he said.
“We are a light for the world, as the Gospel says, set on a hill, for the
glory of God, and for the good of His people.”
Principal Frank Moore spoke of the courageous steps taken by the
first faculty members, parents and students, to make the high school a reality
last fall.
“It took courage for this archdiocese to build five new
schools in two years. It took courage for 34 people to leave jobs in stable,
proven environments and come to work for this school,” he said. “And
it took the greatest courage of all for 219 families to enroll their children
in this school, having no way of being sure of the curriculum or the faculty. I
think that their courage has been rewarded and it will continue to be
rewarded.”
After a final blessing, the archbishop and other priests processed
out of the theater to the strains of the hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy,”
which will be the closing song for future Blessed Trinity liturgies.
Accompanied by the priests, the archbishop walked throughout the
building, blessing hallways and classrooms with holy water.
The Roswell Catholic high school, built to serve 1,000 students,
and Our Lady of Mercy High School in Fairburn, built to serve 500 students,
opened in mid-August 2000 with freshmen and sophomore students.
Construction of Blessed Trinity, which sits on property adjacent
to Queen of Angels Elementary School and St. Peter Chanel Church, cost $24
million, including land acquisition. Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung
International of Savannah designed the school and the general contractor was
Baston-Cook Co. of Atlanta. In addition to funds from the archdiocesan capital
campaign, a $26.9 million bond issue funded construction of Blessed Trinity.
The school is situated on 68 acres and has 32 classrooms; a
chapel; six science labs; two computer labs; two learning labs; dance and drama
facilities; an art lab; a choral room; a band room; one gymnasium which seats
1,200; a practice gymnasium which seats 150; three weight rooms; locker rooms;
a cafeteria; a media center; and a 650-seat auditorium.
Each classroom has at least five computers and the opening
student-teacher ratio was about 12-1. Each learning lab has 10 computers,
science labs have 11 and computer labs have 28.
Michael Schurke, a tenth-grader, said that the attractive and
modern facilities are just part of the school’s many benefits. An
offensive guard for the Blessed Trinity Titans football team, he also plans on
playing baseball and tennis and said that he likes being part of a small
student body.
“I like that we get more attention from the teachers,”
he said. “They seem to be more focused on the students. I make better
grades here (than in public school). I just don’t want to let my parents
down, so I work as hard as I can.”
As they enjoyed a reception in the school’s cafeteria, which
was draped in the school colors of green and gold, parents and students sang
the praises of the new school.
“I’m very excited about the school. It has extended our
family so that we are now a part of a community,” said Ginny Nixon, who
has a child in the ninth grade.
“I like that they are getting that religious element,”
she said. “They are exposed to that element on a day to day basis.”
Caroline Murphy, a sophomore, said that she appreciates the
intimacy of the school.
“It is so much fun and it’s so small,” she said.
“You know every face and every name. This has just been the best
experience. There is so much spirit at this school.”
Keeping the close community atmosphere may pose a challenge next
year, when the school is projected to have over 400 students in ninth through
eleventh grade, but the principal is confident that everyone will find his
place. There are currently 46 sophomores and 167 freshmen. A new ninth grade
will be admitted and upperclassmen may be added also.
“Some of the intimacy we’ll miss, like having one lunch
period,” Moore said. “But through various opportunities for
extracurricular activities and sports, I think everyone will find their
niche.”
Moore said that the faculty will double next year as well.
“That is our biggest strength—our people,” he said.
“We have an extremely good faculty and the curriculum they’ve
designed is very, very good.”
Moore said that he is looking forward to establishing traditions
and procedures at Blessed Trinity.
“The thought of having seniors and a graduation and
alumni—those are things we are looking forward to, and that is our
ultimate goal—to bring people through here and onto the next phase in
their lives.”
As chaplain, it is up to Father Hepburn to make sure that the
students carry their faith into adulthood.
Mass is celebrated four times a week at Blessed Trinity and a
Communion service is held once a week. Father Hepburn is currently developing a
core team of young adults to interact with the students on a relational level.
“What I would like to see is that we take the components of
several good years of parish-based youth ministry and allow the tested
principles that work for teenagers to permeate the educational
environment,” he said.
The goal of the core team, Father Hepburn said, is to pray and to
“immerse themselves in the student community with the goal that through
relationships with the students, they will help them to find or deepen their
relationship with Christ.”
Father Hepburn, who also serves as the assistant director of
vocations for the archdiocese, said that he is excited about his ministry at
Blessed Trinity.
“I am getting less sleep than I have ever gotten in my life,
but I get up in the morning and I am very happy about coming to work,” he
said. “I really have a lot of hope in what the archbishop has set in
motion here—as a real potential place where the Gospel will not only be
heard, but will really open people up.” |
