By MARY STADNYK
Associate Editor
Kim Clauss, principal of St. Paul School, Princeton, and a student admire the Lumen Gentium Award they received at the Catholic Schools Mass. This year marked the first time the award was presented to the school by the diocesan Department of Catholic Schools. Rose O’Connor photo
The three simple words that the Bishop of Trenton uttered at the start of his homily for the 2025 Catholic Schools Mass captured the attention of those gathered in the best of ways.
“I love you,” Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., told the students, educators and others representing the Catholic schools in the Diocese. He added, “Today, we thank God for the gift of Catholic education and for each and every one of you.”
PHOTO GALLERY: 2025 Catholic Schools Mass
Celebrated Oct. 16 in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, this year’s annual Mass was once again a colorful and poignant showcase of the Catholic school experience. Hundreds of uniformed students stepped off buses that traveled from schools throughout the Diocese to take their places in the church. The choir and handbell ensemble from St. Catharine School, Spring Lake, set a sacred and joyful tone, and the procession of banners that students carried down the center aisle offered a moment of school pride and tradition.
Students from Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly; St. Mary of the Lakes School, Medford; Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Moorestown; St. Charles Borromeo School, Cinnaminson; Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Asbury Park, and Red Bank Catholic High School, Red Bank, participated as readers, altar servers and gift bearers. Joining the Bishop and students were more than 20 priests of the Diocese who concelebrated the Mass.
Unconditional Love
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell offered his young flock words of hope and encouragement.
“We are saved by faith, not by our own doing,” he said, citing the Letter to the Romans. In it, the Bishop said, St. Paul “reminds us that we are made right with God not because we’re perfect or because we always get everything right, but because of our faith in Jesus.”
“That’s good news!” the Bishop said. “It means that even when we mess up, even when we feel small or unsure of ourselves, God’s love is bigger than our mistakes.”
“God doesn’t grade us like a teacher,” the Bishop said. “He loves us unconditionally just as we are.”
He challenged the students to: “Be proud of your faith. Be grateful for your school and your good parents who make attending a Catholic school possible. Be brave in living the Gospel.”
“Let’s keep supporting schools that don’t just teach facts but form hearts. Schools that don’t just prepare you for college but prepare you for heaven,” he said.
Special Recognition
A highlight of this year’s gathering was the presentation of the inaugural diocesan Lumen Gentium Award, which was given to St. Paul School, Princeton.
According to the Department of Catholic Schools, the award – which will be presented annually — recognizes a “Catholic school that lives out its mission statement, shows high academic and personal growth and serves as a model of Christ’s Light to all nations and all people.”
Kim Clauss, St. Paul School principal, and Shannon Rooney, vice principal, stepped forward to receive the award and be congratulated by Bishop O’Connell and diocesan officials.
Afterward, Clauss said, “To receive an award like this, you have to have a strong community. We receive such strong support from the parish community and our school community. Parents make a commitment when sending their children to Catholic schools. That commitment is found in all areas of our school life. Additionally, our teachers work tirelessly to provide an excellent education for our students. Everyone goes above and beyond and it’s all for our children!”
View St. Paul School’s winning video submission:
Day of Blessings
Four years ago, Donna White, principal of St. Catharine School, Spring Lake, asked diocesan school officials about opportunities for her students to serve as music ministers for the Mass.
“And here we are,” she said of the 60 students, that formed the handbell choir and song leaders.
To see her students perform that day nearly brought her to tears, she admitted. She expressed appreciation for the Catholic Schools Mass where students can see the Bishop and “hear how much he loves us, prays for us and supports the mission of our schools.”
Students, too, expressed appreciation for the Bishop’s messages.
First time attendee, Aubrie Bodino, a seventh grader in St. Benedict School, Holmdel, remarked that the Bishop taught students about their Catholic faith in a way that’s different from religion class at school.
Anna Hughes, a senior in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, was inspired when Bishop O’Connell said that “God has a purpose for all of us.”
“I also thought seeing the other schools around us was meaningful because we all believe in the same things and are united with our faith,” she said.
Caitlin Patrick, also a Notre Dame High senior, was “beyond blessed” to see the other Catholic schools from around the Diocese.
“I am very grateful to my parents and my teachers for giving me the best education at Notre Dame. Because of them, I have been given amazing experiences just like the Mass today,” Patrick said. She added that her Catholic education “has instilled in me the values of Christ to live a faithful and righteous life every day.”
St. Jerome School, West Long Branch, students Margaret Hennelly, eighth grade, and Kaylee Widdis, seventh grade, both enjoyed the sense of being part of a bigger family.
“I was blessed to come today,” Widdis said, then added if she’s invited to attend again next year, she’ll be there.
Paa Ken-Kwofie, an eighth grader in St. Paul School, said he experienced a “special feeling” when the congregation recited the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) and sang the various hymns during the Mass.
It was about “all of us coming together to show our love for God,” he said.
Students from Sacred Heart School, Mount Holly, carry their school banner at the start of Mass. Rose O’Connor photo