Once a Sacristan . . .

Holy Redeemer Catholic School is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and a number of events have been planned throughout the year to celebrate.  Today, in association with the Archdiocese of Portland, the University of Portland's School of Education, and the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame, Holy Redeemer School hosted a Symposium on Catholic Education.  

All of the Catholic school teachers in the Archdiocese, as well as many pastors, school board members and parishioners gathered at the University of Portland for this event.  The day began with the keynote address by Fr. Edward "Monk" Molloy, C.S.C. the president-emeritus of the University of Notre Dame. Later in the day, the participants attending two of nearly twenty "break-out" sessions on topics ranging from classroom management to building better school boards.

But for me, the day revolved around the Symposium Mass celebrated by Archbishop Vlazny of the Archdiocese of Portland. Although I had no role in planning for the Liturgy, I had been asked to be around to offer assistance with hosting the Archbishop and organizing the concelebrants. However, things were a little bit un-organized and I found myself falling back into my old role as a university sacristan. 

Thank God, Stacey Noem was the contact person assigned to the Mass from the Office of Campus Ministry at the University of Portland, and the Archbishop brought his wonderful Master of Ceremonies Todd Cooper. Between the three of us we pulled it all together in the nick of time and the majority of participants would never have guessed how frantic everything was right up to the moment we began. I guess its once a sacristan always a sacristan!