The Class of 2025 celebrated their Senior Liturgy of the Holy Spirit today, September 20th. For the 3rd year in a row, the Most Rev. Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, returned as Celebrant.
Before Mass began, senior Ava Genna ‘25 welcomed back her fellow classmates & introduced the theme of the service: our “hermitage.” She began, “This year is one to closely reflect on our hermitage as Marist students, as the anniversary of Champagnat’s hermitage.” Our hermitage is a collection of the relationships & lessons that we’ve built, such as our “visits to Esopus,” or a “specific lesson from Peer Groups & Personal Growth classes.” Ava confidently stated that all of us at Molloy are not alone as Marists, but rather “in a community that’s bigger than ourselves,” each of us just a building block to a bigger “tower,” & that we must always keep the Marist mission in the back of our minds to ensure our hermitage stays strong.
During Mass, Bishop Brennan reiterated Ava’s sentiment about keeping our hermitage strong. He reminded us that Molloy is not just a building, just as the hermitage in France built by St. Marcellin Champagnat was not just a building, either. Rather, the buildings represent community, a place where people gather to build one another up to make Jesus Christ known & loved. The rocks & soil are the foundation of the property; the Marist mission is the foundation of our community. Bishop Brennan continued on to say that Molloy’s “building blocks,” or our students & alumni, are found all over the world, creating foundations everywhere, building people up in their faith.
The Liturgy ended with senior Amy Vu ‘25 speaking about her own personal hermitages, once again urging her classmates to keep the Marist pillar of Presence at the forefront of their minds. By doing so, building relationships & communities will be easier, & keeping them strong is the key to building each other up. Principal Dr. Darius Penikas closed the event with a simple piece of advice: “Anchoring your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ will help you when life gets difficult.” Congratulations, seniors, & thank you, Bishop Brennan, for celebrating with us!