Janine Corgan, right, who heads the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults in Notre Dame High School, poses for a photo with the nine students who received Sacraments during an April 16 Mass. Courtesy photos
A mid-Holy Week Mass at Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, included significant spiritual milestones for nine students, who received Sacraments of Initiation into the Catholic Church just in time for Easter.
Msgr. Dennis Apoldite, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, celebrated the Holy Week liturgy in the school’s auditorium, and conferred the Sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation on the students who had participated in the school’s Order of Christian Initiation of Adults program. Families and sponsors joined the Notre Dame students and staff for the liturgy. The celebration also saw several previous OCIA participants returning to serve as altar servers, sponsors and greeters.
The students who received Sacraments are:
Antonio Diaz ’27 – Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation
Mia Ludwig ’25 – First Holy Communion and Confirmation
Derek Wittenburg ’26 – First Holy Communion and Confirmation
Maddison Balaam ’27 – Confirmation
Adriana Burzachiello ’27 – Confirmation
Valerie Cordero-Beckert ’27 – Confirmation
Santhiago Rodrigues ’27 – Confirmation
Santi Gomez ’27 – Confirmation
Christian Uriostegui ’27 – Confirmation
Janine Corgan, along with Msgr. Apoldite, worked closely with the students during their preparation in the OCIA program. The culmination of this journey included a reflective, full-day retreat on April 14, led by Corgan.
“This program not only evangelizes, spreading God’s message and love, as well as deepening the students’ faith, but it also brings us together – our group and our whole community,” Corgan said. “These created bonds remain in their hearts. The community can relish this witness of faith, which often offers a little spark for each’s own.”
Reflecting on his Confirmation, Santhiago Rodrigues shared, “It just brings you closer to God and keeps your faith going; if you might not go to church as often or pray as often, getting confirmed can be something to bring you closer or to show God that you still have your faith in Him.”
Similarly, Christian Uriostegui added, “To me, it’s important because it completes me. It’s like a checkpoint. It guides me throughout my life, and I love that. It shows that Jesus loves me, but I also love him.”
Msgr. Dennis Apoldite celebrates Mass for the Notre Dame High School community during which nine students completed their Sacraments of Initiation.