Depew Courier/ Friday, October 24, 2014
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St. Mary’s High School holds ceremony for new additions By Jennifer Lysiak
THE LANCASTER SUN EDITOR
Nearly 100 people were in attendance at St. Mary’s High School on Monday for the blessing and dedication of the new additions to the school, as well as the installation of the St. Mary’s Board of Trustees and School Officers. Presiding over the ceremony was Bishop Richard Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, who blessed the new St. Francis of Assisi Peace Garden, Marian Conference Center, St. Mary’s Student / Alumni Art Gallery, Icon Hallway, and the Advancement and Enroll-
Bishop Richard Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, and St. Mary’s High School student, Hannah Gresham, spoke at the blessing and dedication of the school’s new additions.
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ment Department Offices. “We are charged by the Lord Jesus to go and make a difference in the world by the way we live our Christian lives and that of course is one of the fundamental reasons why St. Mary’s High School and all of Catholic schools exist,” said Bishop Malone during the ceremony. “So, I take the opportunity to thank all of you who are a part of the community of St. Mary’s as we celebrate today another step forward in the life and service of this wonderful high school.” Bishop Malone added that last spring he spoke at St. Mary’s graduation ceremony and it was inspiring for him to seen so many students graduating and
the number of awards that were given to the students. “Most heartening to me is when I find these young people around the Diocese,” said Bishop Malone. “I see them at mass, I see them going above good works, and I know that St. Mary’s has done what it needs to do to show why we’re here in the first place to serve the Lord and help human kind grow.” The additions were funded through a grant from the Galasso Foundation, which was founded by 1939 St. Mary’s graduate August Galasso. In fact the St. Francis Peace Garden is dedicated to Marty Galasso’s, the son of August. St. Mary’s High School President Mark Tramont said August formed the foundation, which supports a number of different Catholic organizations throughout Western New York, as well as many other endeavors. A majority of the trustees are residents of Lancaster and the board examines different areas to donate money to. Some projects include capital improvement of schools and buildings, or monies are dedicated to other activities. The peace garden will allow students and faculty members to use it as a meeting space, students will have privileges so they are able to come during their free time to enjoy the garden, and it will serve as a outdoor class-
room. “It really is a functioning outdoor classroom and it’s protected,” joked Tramont. “The kids would have to jump over the wall to get out.” But all kidding aside, Tramont said it is a very safe environment and it is a place students can go to, “take a break in the day, collect their thoughts, and it will help us too as a school. It gives us a little bit of an area to bring families into that are considering St. Mary’s.” The art gallery, which used to be a hallway lined with unused lockers, now will enable students to display their works of arts. “We have a great art program and one of the problems is that we didn’t have a place to display the art that the kids were producing and we have some tremendously talented artists,” added Tramont. Another hallway serves as the Icon Wall where religious icons, generally a flat panel painting, are displayed. The icons are an Eastern European tradition and Tramont said they are working with a couple of individuals to write icons. Further changes include renovating another area for the school’s offices for enrollment, advancement, and alumni.
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