THE GRADUATING EIGHTH GRADERS from St. Cecilia Catholic School in Tustin were celebrated for their achievements and encouraged to continue growing their faith as they go on to high school and proceed through life.
A BACCALAUREATE MASS CELEBRATES AND BLESSES GRADUATING STUDENTS PRIOR TO THEIR COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The heartening words were delivered by Fr. Michael Khong, St. Cecilia’s parochial administrator, during the school’s annual Baccalaureate Mass on May 28.
“You are graduating from this school today, but you are not done yet,” Fr. Michael said. “Hopefully, throughout the time that you studied at this school, it helped you to have a good foundation of your Catholic faith. Continue to practice your faith and learn more.”
The Baccalaureate Mass, which was one of multiple graduation-themed events at St. Cecilia, provided the opportunity for parents and family members, teachers, clergy and the entire parish community to honor their graduates.
“I felt really sad, but it seems really exciting to move on to the next chapter,” said graduate Adrian Vitug, who is attending high school at Mater Dei. “Going to Mass to end it was really just happy and holy. It was a nice way to end my time at St. Cecilia.”
Graduate Yustina Moussa said she’ll always think of St. Cecilia as a second home.
“We’re all together,” said Moussa, one of the salutatorians. “It’s a strong faithful place here. I will definitely take that feeling with me.”
Rosemary Ho, mother of graduate Luke Ho, the class co-salutatorian, said she was grateful for the journey that Catholic education has provided to her children. Catholic education at St. Cecilia has helped her family maintain a strong faith and helped to raise their children in a modern world that comes with many distractions, Ho said.
“I’m just very proud,” she said. “I’m very blessed. I’m very grateful. We’re able to focus on what’s important and that’s his education, his faith, his love for God. And that is the greatest gift that we can ever give our kids.”
As the school choir sang “Our God is Here,” the Mass began with the 32 graduates filing in, two-by-two, through the center aisle of the church, taking their seats in the first two pews closest to the altar.
The offertory hymn, performed during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, was “Open My Eyes Lord.”
The choir sang “Oceans” during Communion and “Go Out, Go Out” as the processional song.
“St. Cecilia really knows how to celebrate this next phase in these young people’s lives,” said Lisa Heppelmann, mother of graduate Ava Heppelmann, who started her educational journey at St. Cecilia as a preschooler. “And they do it in a beautiful way. And so, sitting through the Mass, it was just a beautiful moment to reflect on the incredible years she’s had here. This is a school full of awesome kids and wonderful parents. And over the 13 years that we’ve been here, we’ve made a lot of memories with the people that you see here today.”
Ava’s father, Larry Heppelmann, said his greatest joy has been seeing his daughter blossom from a shy, introverted girl to realizing she possesses the courage to be a leader. Ava and her family benefited from smaller size of St. Cecilia, he said.
“It’s a small intimate school,” Larry Heppelmann said. “So, you form relationships with parents, sometimes the faculty, and it’s something you don’t get in a larger school. And adding the religious component to it that we’re all the same faith and we’re all heading in the same direction.”
During his homily, Fr. Michael referenced the Bible verse John 16:12-14, reminding the graduates that there is always more to learn.
“Our Lord Jesus said, ‘I have much more to tell you, but you cannot hear it now. I will send the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth will lead you and guide you.’”