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By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer
FAIRBURN—Though the weather outside was frightful, a theater
full of faculty, parents and students delighted in celebrating the dedication
of Our Lady of Mercy High School a week before Christmas.
Conversations regarding the threat of a winter storm in Atlanta
could be heard throughout the school at the dedication Dec. 18, but it was
Archbishop John F. Donoghue’s arrival to bless the school that generated
the most excitement.
Crimson poinsettias dotted the stage of the school theater, draped
in red velvet curtains, as the Knights of Columbus honor guard, with swords
aloft, made a path for the archbishop and several priests from the archdiocese
as well as archdiocesan representatives.
Student Anna Shultz performed “Ave Maria” on the violin
as a prelude to the ceremony. After an opening prayer, Deacon Whitney Robichaux
proclaimed the Gospel.
The archbishop then spoke to those in attendance, stressing the
need for wisdom in a Catholic educational environment.
“For teachers, ‘be wise’ means bringing your
teaching in line with the teaching of the Church, for the teaching of the
Church is the living presence of the Holy Spirit among us, the will of the Lord
we are to follow, and the only pure truth,” he said. “For those who
serve on the professional staff of this school, ‘be wise’ means, be
examples of service for those young people who are ever watching what you do,
and how you conduct yourselves.”
“Not every child who passes through this school is destined
for public fame, or for the making of critical global decisions, but every one
of them is destined to grow into responsibility for the well-being of those
they will be given by God to love. Their first lessons in these facts of life
come from their parents—but when these young men and women are here in
this school, five days or more in a week, everyone who works in a position of
responsibility becomes a surrogate parent. So ‘be wise,’ all of you
who work here—be the best examples for these young men and women who watch
you, and see what you do every day, and who miss very little of what is done
around them.”
He explained that Catholic education is a blessing, one that will
produce fruits.
“Dear friends, we are involved, as St. Paul righteously
asserts, first and foremost, in trying to do the Lord’s will—as
adults, parents, teachers, professionals—and as dedicated and diligent
young people, and all are looking to benefit—to receive grace from what we
have been given, this great bounty of the Lord’s favor, this gift of
Catholic education.”
Accompanied by Principal John Cobis, and student and parent
representatives, the archbishop moved throughout the high school, sprinkling
holy water and blessing the altar in the chapel, as those in the theater
continued to sing the Marian hymn “Hail Holy Queen.”
Upon his return to the theater, the archbishop was treated to a
presentation of photos from the first Mass he celebrated at Our Lady of Mercy
and a soulful rendition of “The Christmas Song,” performed by
ninth-graders Lenneia Batiste and Allison Irby.
Our Lady of Mercy, a school enriched by a diverse student body,
held its first day of school Aug. 14, 2000, opening with ninth- and tenth-grade
students. An eleventh grade will be added in the fall and a senior class in
2002.
According to Cobis, the racially diverse student body, with
African-Americans comprising 44 percent and whites 55 percent of the student
body, is 70 percent Catholic.
The school, which is designed to serve up to 500 students,
currently has 48 freshmen and 27 sophomores. Admissions director Clay Cushman
said that Our Lady of Mercy hopes to attract about 100 incoming freshmen for
the school year of 2001-2002 while current students rise to the next grade
level.
The school, which cost approximately $20 million to build,
including land acquisition, is on a 54-acre site in north Fayette County on
Highway 279. Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung International of Savannah designed
the facility and the general contractor was Batson-Cook Co. of Atlanta.
Current facilities include 20 classrooms; a chapel; cafeteria;
media center/library; learning lab; two computer labs; art lab; four science
labs; a 450-seat auditorium; specialized band, choral and dance/drama rooms;
space for campus ministry and guidance programs; and two courtyards. The school
is extensively equipped with desktop and laptop computers.
At a reception afterward, Karen McKernan, whose daughter Cathleen
is a freshman, said that though she is not Catholic, she always appreciated
Catholic education.
“We had just been waiting for this to open. We wanted her to
be challenged and we felt like there would be more of a challenge here,”
she said, adding that she appreciated the support from other parents in the
school community.
McKernan’s husband, Mike, was educated in Catholic schools
and said that he witnessed the Catholic educators’ “dedication to
discipline and religious instruction.”
“I was very happy that they built a school here,” he
said.
A parishioner at Holy Trinity Church in Peachtree City, McKernan
said that despite glitches that are common in a new school, “we expect
that we can make this school the best school in the archdiocese.”
Karen Vogtner, principal of nearby St. John the Evangelist
Elementary School in Hapeville, is thrilled that the new high school was built.
She had to carpool with other parents in order to take her own children on the
long commute to St. Pius X High School in Atlanta, but believes that the
benefits of Catholic education are many.
“The students at my school will be able to take advantage of
having this school,” she said. “Catholic education is worth it; I
really believe that. It’s worth every sacrifice you have to make.”
Cobis said they expect at least 150 students next year and 300 the
year after that and the principal is looking ahead.
“Obviously I’m looking forward to being able to offer a
variety of courses, but I’m also looking forward to the expansion of the
extracurricular activities.”
This year the school offered five sports and Cobis said that the
students who participated exceeded his expectations.
“I have been very proud of them,” he said. “Every
school we play is huge compared to us, but the kids are getting the opportunity
to play and they are doing very well.”
Cobis said that he “knew a lot of work would go into a new
school, but there are so many things we take for granted” in an
established school. The principal is grateful to the archbishop, who has come
out to the school three times to celebrate Mass, and his educational vision.
“He has been personally supportive, not only of us, but of
Catholic education in general,” he said. “I’m honestly honored
just to be around the man.”
Father Paul Burke, chaplain at Our Lady of Mercy, also said that
he has learned a lot about establishing a faith community at the school. A
Communion service is held each day at lunch to fit into students’
schedules and he has established a Life Teen community that meets on Tuesdays
for the “four Fs—faith, fellowship, food and fun.” He said that
many aspects of being a chaplain rely on trial and error.
“No matter how prepared you are, you’re not
prepared,” he said. “You can anticipate spiritual needs, but those
aren’t necessarily reality ... You can’t be afraid to try new
things.”
The chaplain said that he was surprised by the level of the
students’ spirituality and that ministering in a school is “not as
predictable as parish life.”
“There’s a depth of spirituality there that’s way
beyond their years,” he said. “I have kind of dropped my jaw at some
of the issues they have raised that I hadn’t even thought about or even
prepared for. But that’s the exciting part.”
Father Burke has established a spiritual life committee known as
the “Mercy Moms,” and said he hopes to develop a eucharistic
community to be at the heart of everything that happens at the school.
“My spirituality is eucharistic,” he said. “I hope
to have the school more rounded from that and to have the life of the school
flowing from that, rather than flowing into that.” |
