At opening Mass, cardinal encourages St. Francis International students to stay close to Jesus
Celebrating an Opening School Mass on Sept. 7 for students from St. Francis International School at St. Camillus Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory encouraged students to stay close to Jesus and to be at peace with one another. Franciscan Father Larry Hayes, a parochial vicar at St. Camillus, concelebrated the Mass.
The school has more than 300 students ranging from pre-K to eighth grade and encourages its students to be “instruments of God’s peace, scholars, and global citizens,” according to the school’s mission.
The first Scripture reading at the Mass was from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, in which the apostle reassures the people of Corinth to keep their faith in Jesus. During his homily, Cardinal Gregory spoke about how St. Paul always encouraged and taught the Corinthians.