By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent

The oldest regional PTA in the nation celebrated its 90th anniversary Sept. 19, with a Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. A meeting followed in the Trenton War Memorial, the first location of the annual gatherings that began in 1933.

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“Ninety years? You don’t look a day over 31,” Bishop O’Connell joked at the beginning of the Mass, where representatives from schools throughout the Diocese joined their parish priests to celebrate the milestone.

In his homily, Bishop O’Connell reflected on the recent loss of his mother, June Eleanor O’Connell, who died in July at the age of 89.

 “She was, without a doubt, the greatest influence upon my life.  Not a day has gone by since July 22 that I haven't thought about something she said or did, everything prompted by love.”

He continued, “I used the phrase ‘everything prompted by love’ to describe my memories.  Today, as we gather in our cathedral, I believe that phrase is most appropriate to the occasion we celebrate together: 90 years of a partnership ‘prompted by love’ here in the Diocese of Trenton, the Parent-Teachers Association.  Congratulations on this anniversary and incredible milestone.”

Bishop O’Connell referenced the theme of the conference, “Keys of Change: Past, Present and Future,” and said, “Anniversaries are occasions to remember the past.  At the same time, however, anniversaries are also opportunities to renew what has made the past worth remembering in a commitment to the future.”

He recalled the number of lives touched by those who have served in the PTA since its formation in 1920 under Bishop Thomas Walsh.

“Ninety years of parents, mothers and fathers.  Ninety years of children, daughters and sons.  Ninety years of teachers, administrators and staff who shared with those parents and their children the awesome responsibility of imparting knowledge, enlightening minds and warming hearts, nurturing the Catholic faith, shaping a world view, teaching our young people what they need to know so that they could become what they need to be, ‘everything prompted by love’.”

Speaking to the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, Bishop O’Connell acknowledged the roles and responsibilities of parents and teachers in handing on the faith to children.

“Obviously the rich soil is ideal ... and that's what we hope our Catholic schools will be: rich and fertile soil where our daughters and sons will hear God's Word, will embrace it with God and generous hearts, and will bear fruit through perseverance ... ‘everything prompted by love’."

"Parents are the first sowers.  Teachers join them in their task.  And children grow.  For 90 years, the Diocese of Trenton has written parents, teachers and children into this parable of the Lord Jesus.  We lift those years up today in a fervent prayer of thanksgiving.  And we join hands in prayer, no less fervent, that we may continue that task long into the future, we who are here and those who come after us, always and in all things, ‘prompted by love’."

During the Mass, JoAnn Tier, diocesan moderator of the Office of Catholic Education and superintendent of schools, installed the newest members of the diocesan regional PTA, including new president, Linda Anzano.

Bishop O’Connell, too, expressed his gratitude to Anzano for assuming the responsibility of her new role and thanked Katherine Soss Prihoda for serving as president of the regional board for the past four years.

Following the Mass, a meeting followed in the Trenton War Memorial where Michelle Williams, principal of St. Joseph School, Toms River, welcomed the men and women of the local PTA boards. Noting the day’s theme and the importance of keys, Williams said, “Keys open doors and the PTA opened doors for our schools.  Keys also lock and keep things we hold precious, safe.  Thank you for keeping what we hold precious, our Catholic schools, safe.”

Terry Zimecki, past diocesan PTA president from 1995-1997 and a member of the committee who planned the historically significant day, shared the rich history of the diocesan PTA.

"I want to share how our PTA came to be,” Zimecki said proudly.

Over the past 90 years, the regional Parent-Teacher Association grew from a grass roots organization, to the “white glove ladies,” who dressed to the nines for the annual day-long conference, to a nationally recognized group, who recently received the “Distinguished Home and School Award” in 2014 by the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA).

Sarah Blue, who served as PTA president from 1957-1959 in Our Lady of Lourdes School, Milltown, received the annual “Yearbook Dedication.” At the time, Our Lady of Lourdes School, which is currently in the Metuchen Diocese, was part of the Trenton Diocese.

“There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for her school,” Zimecki said, then shared how Blue, now 97 and residing in New Hampshire, once even cleaned the school bathrooms when there were no janitorial services available.

“Our children will get the best education ever” Zimecki spoke. “It is a privilege to be with you beautiful PTA members.”

A video tribute highlighting the past nine decades of the diocesan PTA, was shown to the gathering. The video was dedicated to Mercy Sister Peter Damian Mitchell and Msgr. Thomas A. Luebking.

Sister Peter Damian, prior to her retirement, had served in St. Paul School, Burlington, for some 35 years, including more than 20 years as principal. Sister Peter Damian died April 22.

Msgr. Luebking, who died July 6, 2014, had been named diocesan superintendent of schools in 1973 and served in that capacity for more than a decade. At the time of his death, Msgr. Luebking had just recently retired from his longtime post as pastor of St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake.

“The future is yours to write,” Tier offered, acknowledging how the local PTA boards are “rich in resolve, persistence and dedication,” and lauded past members for their “grit, determination and generous spirit.”

“It’s been an exciting adventure,” Zimecki said of the three years in planning of the celebration. “It’s good to celebrate and acknowledge the successes of our PTA,” the St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson, parishioner offered.

Fellow committee member and past diocesan PTA president, Gwendolyn Woraman, concurred.

“It’s been a very exciting and fulfilling adventure,” Woraman, a member of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, said of the past three years spent helping to plan for the 2015 conference and archive memorabilia of the Diocesan PTA’s 90 years of history.