Bishop calls Carroll Kuemper students to be steadfast in faith

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Sept. 6, 2007

CARROLL - Students carrying banners led the procession into Carroll Kuemper's first all-school Mass of the year Aug. 30.

A senior and a kindergartener from each of the 13 parishes in the Kuemper School System carried the banners. The Kuemper banner was the last to be carried at the Mass presided by Bishop R. Walker Nickless.

"It symbolizes that although we come from many communities, we are all part of one Kuemper family," said Kathryn Braddy, director of campus ministry at Kuemper. "It parallels the message that Jesus spoke of so often, 'We are all one body, one body in Christ.'"

Concelebrating Mass with Bishop Nickless were Fathers James McCormick, Tim Schott, Anthony Pick, James McAlpin, Leo Riesberg, Joe Dillinger, Dale Reiff, Siby Punnoose, Lloyd White, Richard Remmes and John Gerald. Deacon Tim Murphy assisted at Mass.

During the homily, two eighth grade students, Anna Nelson and Dylan Bordenaro, came to the altar and the bishop asked them questions about the readings. The first reading was from St. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians.

"If I was writing a letter to the students at Kuemper, I would say one of the things that he said. St. Paul said, 'Thank you for living your faith. Thank you for being steadfast in your faith,'" said the bishop.

He then asked the students, "What is the meaning of steadfast?" They responded that if someone is steady they don't change.

"Even though you are on the other side of the diocese, I think about you just like Paul thought about the Thessalonians," said Bishop Nickless. "I thank God for your faith."

In the Gospel reading, the bishop pointed out that Jesus said, "Stay awake." He asked the students why Jesus wants them to "stay awake." The students said that no one knows when Jesus is coming.

"The most important time for people to be ready for Jesus to come is when they are going to die," said Bishop Nickless. "All of us are going to die at one time or another. We better be ready."

Other than at death, God presents himself in different situations such as helping a friend in need and praying for help on a test.

He then explained the items he wears that signal that he is a bishop - miter, crozier, ring and pectoral cross.

"My ring shows that I am married to the church. All of you are my spouses," said Bishop Nickless. "I love the church and that is what this ring means."

During the homily, he asked all of the new students - kindergarteners and students new to the school - to stand and receive a round of applause. He thanked all of the teachers and administrators who work in the Kuemper School System. He also thanked the parents who choose to send their children to Catholic schools.

Before the conclusion of Mass, Bishop Nickless invited three students to the front of church to receive statues of Father Junipero Serra, the priest who inspired the Serra Club.

"He gave his life to the church. He is a great model for all those who are called during their lives," said the bishop. "The Serra Club supports vocations and growth in our faith. I have three statues that are passed to classrooms from year to year to make sure that people pray for vocations."

The representatives were Ashley Sibenaller, a fifth grader, Andy Goetzinger, a seventh grader, and Travis Espenhover, a senior.

"In kicking off the new school year, we wanted to emphasize the importance of prayer throughout the 2007 - 2008 year for an increase in vocations," said Braddy. "In grades first through fifth grade, the statue will be passed to each room to stay for one week reciting the Prayer for Vocations. They will repeat this again second semester."

In both the junior high and the high school, each homeroom will have the statue for a week and recite the prayer once a day. They will also repeat the process second semester.

"One reason that we asked the bishop to come is because we know how important the Serra Club and its mission is to him," said Braddy. "We knew that the message the bishop gave would reach the students in a special and powerful way."

The bishop thanked all of the priests for attending and the singers for providing the music for Mass.

As the students returned to class, they greeted Bishop Nickless and shook his hand.

"It is an honor that the bishop can come, once in a while, and talk to the kids," said Chelsey Sapp, a junior at Kuemper and a singer at the all-school Mass. "Then the kindergarteners can get to know what a bishop is and see what he does and what he wears."

Kent Henderson, a sophomore, said he saw how much the bishop cares about Kuemper.

Junior Jessie Kennebeck said it was "cool that we could have the bishop come just so we can see people higher up than priests and who are making decisions for us."

"There are a lot of churches in his diocese and to come here every once in a while to say Mass is very nice of him," said Nathan Greving, a sophomore who also sang at Mass. "It was really cool to have that many priests come together as one also with their schools. It shows a lot of unity."