Wednesday, December 9, 2009

ST. ANDREW DEANERY — Students, faculty and staff from St. Nicholas Academy and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School (OLSH) came together for a special Mass on Dec. 4 with Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.

It was an opportunity, according to Gerry Myers, principal of St. Nicholas, to celebrate the “wonderful partnership” that comes as the school plans to expand and relocate to the OLSH campus next year.

Pictured from left in the offertory procession are Catherine Fahr, Kateri Budo and Kelley Peter, all sixth graders at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. (CT/Tony Tribble)

With approval from Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk for the closing of OLSH school, requested by the parish and recommended by the Cincinnati Area Education Commission, St. Nicholas will move from its current Deer Park site. Our Lady of the Sacred Parish has joined in a covenant agreement with St. John the Evangelist and Holy Trinity parishes to become part of St. Nicholas Academy for the 2010 school year.

Fathers Ron Williams, OLSH pastor, and Ray Kellerman, pastor of Holy Trinity, ­concelebrated the Mass, held at OLSH, which also marked the feast of the school’s patron saint on Dec. 6. During his homily, which focused on St. Nicholas, Archbishop Schnurr invited the students to reflect on the saint and to think about why the church has devotions to saints.

“The archbishop told the students to follow the example of St. Nicholas so that we’re all drawn closer to Christ,” Father Williams said.

“He was personable and engaging and was very sensitive to the fact that this was the first time our two communities have come together,” he added. “The children were meeting each other for the first time, and I think it went beautifully. It went a long way toward bringing them together.”

“It was so nice to meet the faculty and students,” said Myers. “They were so gracious and welcoming. It was wonderful to come together in the context of prayer and the Eucharist.”

A reception following the Mass gave the students the chance to meet their pen pals. Students from both schools have been corresponding with each other in an effort to become better acquainted.