Bishop visits school
MASONTOWN – A year after the facility faced closure, Bishop Lawrence Brandt visited All Saints School in Masontown Friday to show his support for Catholic education and complement the community for keeping the school in operation. “It takes a lot of work to make a school a success like All Saints,’ said Brandt, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, which includes Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties.
With warm smiles, the bishop thanked everyone from acting principal Lori Sagosky to new principal Bernard G. Kubitza (who starts Monday) to the Rev. John M. Butler, pastor of All Saints, to the staff, faculty, members, parents, students and the community.
Speaking directly to the students during a 10 a.m. Mass in the church, Brandt said of the hard work, “It reflects how much they love you and how much confidence they have in you. They’re all working for you and making sacrifices for you because they love you and feel you’re worth that effort. That’s a terrific compliment to you.’
Members of the school expressed their happiness in seeing the bishop.
“I’m just so thrilled to be at this point, to have the support of the bishop and the families,’ Sagosky said as the bishop enjoyed a lunch of chicken, green beans and macaroni and cheese with the students in the school cafeteria. “From where we were a year ago to come to this point. It’s such an honor to have the bishop visit us today. We’ve come a long way. It’s been a lot of hard work for everybody.’
In April 2005, a recommendation had been made by the parish pastoral and finance councils to close the school. The Rev. James F. Bump, then pastor, accepted the recommendation and forwarded it to the bishop.
That’s when the parents rallied and met with the bishop in an effort to save the school. He asked them to raise money and enrollment. They did. Sagosky noted that in the past year, the school has raised more than $100,000. And All Saints’ enrollment for grades kindergarten through sixth is almost 90, compared to 75 a year ago. There are an additional 30 students in preschool classes, bringing the total to 120 students.
In addition, All Saints created an advisory council, composed of parents and community members, further emphasizing the diocese’s idea that schools are community assets.
All Saints’ achievements cannot be underestimated in this difficult time for Catholic schools when many have closed their doors. Most recently, Holy Rosary School in Republic closed at the end of the 2004-2005 school year. Some former members of Holy Rosary now attend All Saints. The school also attracts students from Greene County, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, who have no Catholic schools in their area.
Roman Catholic parishes that send students to All Saints include All Saints in Masontown, St. Hubert in Point Marion, St. Hugh in Carmichaels, St. Ignatius in Bobtown, St. Mary in Nemacolin, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Mary in Leckrone, St. Thomas in Footedale, Holy Rosary in Republic, St. Therese in Uniontown and St. Mary in Uniontown.
The Diocese of Greensburg currently operates 16 elementary schools, including four in Fayette County: All Saints, Conn-Area Catholic in Connellsville and St. John and St. Mary in Uniontown. There also are three private Catholic schools in the diocese, including the Montessori school in Bullskin Township. The diocese operates two high schools, including Geibel Catholic High School in Connellsville, and Geibel Catholic Middle School will open in Connellsville this fall.
Several All Saints students participated in Friday’s Mass with the bishop, including readers Chris Caldwell and Kristi Guritza, singers Megan Coll and Katie Catanzarite, intercessors Benjamin Rozzi and Elizabeth Fotta, gift bearers Alexandria Siba and Andrew Buchtan, instrumentalists Nicholas Gresh and Nicholas Oppman and altar servers Martin Berish, Doug King, Tara Elias and Amanda Hanabeck. Caldwell also assisted the bishop in showing off his cross during Mass and Gresh presented the bishop during the lunch with a gift by the school of a spiritual bouquet and a Mass to be said in his honor. Butler and the Rev. John Bauer, pastor of St. Hugh in Carmichaels, assisted the bishop in celebrating the Mass.
The bishop’s visit brought smiles to everyone.
Fifth-grader Zachary Fowler, 11, said, “It was fun to have him here.’
Martin Berish, 11, and also in fifth grade, commented, “It’s pretty cool.’
Church organist Elaine Kovak noted, “When kindergarten was going out of the church, a little boy said, ‘This was fun’ and I thought what a nice complement that was.’
Butler remarked, “We’re happy to have the bishop here. He’s interested in Catholic schools and makes a point of visiting them and giving his support in different ways.’
Kubitza said, “We’re very excited about his visit because it shows the diocese’s support to Catholic education in general and All Saints in particular. I’m sure the bishop recognizes the work the parents and teachers and community has done to keep the school open. We appreciate his commitment to the school.’
After passing out ice cream to the children, the bishop graciously accepted the gift from Gresh and before taking a tour of the school, told the students, “I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to be with you. It’s great and I know we’ll see one another in the future. Thank you, have a beautiful day and good luck.’