By EmmaLee Italia | Correspondent

With rousing Gospel music and prayers for peace and healing, the monthly Mass in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, was an opportunity for the student body and faculty to focus not only on what makes them unique, but the Catholic faith they have in common.

“The things of the world around us don’t affect who we are unless we take it in and allow them to define us,” NDHS chaplain Father Jason Parzynski said during his homily. “How many of us ate breakfast this morning and thought about the people in the poorest countries who didn’t have anything to eat?” he posed. “We can believe things are true, but we don’t always genuinely care … we can wrap our minds around [an idea], but what are we doing about it?”

Photo Gallery: Mass for Black History Month 

Before the start of the Mass, held Feb. 8 in recognition of Black History Month, Principal Mary Liz Ivins answered the question, “Why do we celebrate Black History Month?” as opposed to recognizing other ethnic groups in the same way. She gave a brief history of her family’s journey as immigrants from Ireland – all of whom made choices such as whether to come to America, where to work and how to raise their families. Many of African-American descent, however, did not make that choice; their ancestors were taken from their homes and families and sold into slavery, Ivins said.

“Somewhere within the ancestors of those who did not choose to come to this country is the courage to face adversity and faith that helped them through tremendous struggles,” Ivins said, “and determination to find goodness and beauty within this country, their country, America. That is why we celebrate Black History Month. May we open our hearts and minds to understanding what we do not understand.”

Salt of the Earth

Slide projections before Mass featured famous African-American activists, artists, scientists and others known for their excellence in their respective fields. A short video presented students of NDHS holding messages they most wanted their fellow students and faculty to know. Among them were, “I am more than my color,” “I believe that more courses in diversity awareness would help our school,” “There’s more to Black History Month than civil rights,” and, “Not all black students at Notre Dame are African American.”

Father Parzynski recalled the Gospel from Matthew 5, which was proclaimed at Sunday Mass Feb. 5, when Jesus speaks to the crowd, saying “you are the salt of the earth.”

“He didn’t say ‘if’ you are the salt of the earth – he said ‘you are,’” he emphasized. “Salt enhances flavor … Christ is saying your lives bring flavor to the world around you, if you embrace who God created you to be. Salt also has cleansing properties … God doesn’t want us just to enter the world, and sit and watch – he wants us to make it a better place, to clean up the mess.”

Father Parzynski entreated the students to think of salt’s healing properties and how by helping people find their way to Christ, the students and faithful can help them begin to heal so they can be salt to others.

“Christ alone can heal a broken person ... but our job is to help that person find the way,” Father Parzynski explained. “It’s the Corporal Works of Mercy; it’s what defines us as Christians. Believing is simply not enough; we have to do something about it. We have to become Christ to the world.”

Celebrating Diversity

The Notre Dame African American Club, of which there are nearly 100 members, participated in the Mass during the Prayers of the Faithful and the Presentation of the Gifts, as well as producing the video presentation with the school’s Justice Club. Several members also sang in the school’s Madrigal Choir – including Azzeiza Beadle, who sang two solos, and Jahmai Person, who also read a special meditation following Communion that he wrote.

“In receiving the Holy Sacrament, there is hope that we find the common value in each other,” Person said. “However, we should not sit in the groove of life and wish; we should have faith and pursue hope … We should move through hope, by not only opening our hearts to Jesus and receiving him, but also by opening our hearts with love to those around us.”

Person also read a statement explaining the group’s decision to change its name to the SHADES Club – an acronym that recognizes the various ethnic groups represented at NDHS.

SHADES stands for: S: South America; H: Haiti and Honduras; A: African Americans, Africans, Asians, and All Americans; D: Dominican Republic and the countries of the Caribbean; E: Europeans, Ethiopians, and Everyone in our School; S: So many different races, religions, cultures and nationalities.

“In the midst of much hate and division between people of different backgrounds, the African American Club has unanimously agreed to officially change our name to the SHADES Club,” Person read. “In hopes to open our hearts and minds, we extend our love and support to each and every ethnic background to stand together as one.

“On behalf of the new and expanding SHADES Club, we thank you all for giving us the opportunity to share and experience together, one of many different ways to worship our higher power. There are many paths to get to the same place, and our club takes delight in bonding together, with you all, to get there.”

The purpose of the Mass recognizing Black History Month, said members Mylyn Thomas and Nabia Evans, was “to show how we all do things, including Mass,” referencing the prayers and music. They hoped students would take away the theme, “you should not view people by their color.”

“We’re all from different cultures and have different gifts,” agreed SHADES member Shomari Hollis. “[The club] is about opening people’s minds to the achievements of our community.”