During Mass in the Chapel of Our Lady on Sunday, May 28, Head of School Rachel E. Stone, assisted by Fr. Mark Connell, presented each new sacristan with a cross, the symbol of their office.
In unison, they responded, "I promise today, in the presence of this community, to work more closely with you, Father, as a member of Canterbury's campus ministry. Through my efforts and with the help of God I hope to cultivate a more responsive faith community; a more active worshiping community; and a more dedicated service community here at Canterbury. I promise all this to you, the administration, the faculty, and to this community."
Addressing the twelve new sacristan directly, Rachel Stone said, "Remember, you may be further along on your faith journeys than many of your peers, so do not allow that difference to create division. Canterbury's Catholic heritage provides a common focus on our Five Values, regardless of our backgrounds and beliefs. As sacristans, you must protect and sustain that focus, foster open dialogue, and be the approachable, respected role models you all spoke about during your interviews.
Sacristan is the highest leadership position at Canterbury School. They assist the School chaplain at Mass, serve as positive role models, and help conduct on- and off-campus retreats.
The 2017-2018 sacristans are: Robert Berry, Patricia Buckley, Nelle Carmody, Brendan Desmarais, Will Dowler, Anna Oeser, Nicholas Pizzano, Sophia Poli, Gillian Schullery, Jessica Stolfi, Clara Tomann, and Gabriella Vitelli.
To view photos of the ceremony, click here.