Ave Maria!
The academy celebrated the installation of a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes for its high school building this past month with a Solemn Mass celebrated by Fr. Vassal, procession, and blessing.
The Solemn Mass was sung by the high school students and included the singing of both Gregorian and polyphonic pieces in honor of Our Lady.
The statue hails from France where it was hand carved by the religious of Bethlehem Monastery out of solid wood from the region of the Pyrenees (Lourdes). The beautiful new statue has been placed on a solid oak niche constructed by a parishioner. Furthermore, the senior class has generously taken up the task of paying for the statue as a going away gift for the academy.
This installation marks the high point in the restoration of the high school hallway which has seen many changes in order to help promote unity among students and teachers in the high school and also in preparation for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Academy. As a part of this restoration is included the painting of the hallway with the school colors (dark blue and burgundy), the application of a large school logo opposite the statue, and the hanging of pictures of past graduating classes, academic achievements and athletics teams since the school’s founding.
Students have been given the responsibility of preparing weekly flower arrangements and votive candles in honor of Our Lady. The installation of the statue in the physical center of the high school is meant to portray the central importance of Our Lady of Lourdes in the daily life of the high school who herself said: “I am the Immaculate Conception”. May Our Lady watch over and protect the academy so that our young men might be formed after her Immaculate Heart!
