Article by Christina Benintendi & Mary Cannatella, Class of 2018:
Last Sunday, March 22, Kellenberg Memorial High School held its 28th annual Communion Breakfast for freshman and Latin School students. This event started with Mass in which the freshman class and Latin School students participated with a banner and cross precession.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M, who had a wonderful homily. He started off by talking about a mustard seed and how a mustard seeds have to die to grow. He then compared this to our faith. He also compared us to the seed, saying that in order to be a good Catholic, all of the anger, pride, selfishness needs to die, to go away. When this happens we can accept Jesus’ way and become a better Catholic.
The Gregorian Consortium and Jubilee Choir lead the students in songs throughout the Mass, along with some additional freshman students. After the Mass everybody proceeded through the lobby to the cafeteria for breakfast. The Lobby was decorated with all of the freshman scripture projects that the students had completed over the course of several weeks. These projects displayed the entirety of the old testament in a creative way. The morning was concluded with a speech from Sister Ann Thomas, O.P.
Sister Ann Thomas graduated from Kellenberg in 2009. She was involved in many activities, which Bro. Kenneth listed in his kind introduction. Sister Ann Thomas spoke about how she was called to her vocation of being a Dominican sister. Since it is the Year of Consecrated Life, her main focus of the speech was to encourage people to think about the religious life and discern it. She started off by asking us what do we want to do most in life? She said how living by the gospel makes us happy, in living by the gospel on earth we each have a specific vocation. Then she focused on religious life, the vocation she pursued.
Religious life, as Sister Ann Thomas explained, is when you carry out the mission that you receive at Baptism. She then went through the three vows, poverty, chastity, and obedience. Poverty is essential so that in a religious life you depend on God. This makes your relationship with him stronger, for material things distract us. Especially in a religious life you need to love God with an undivided heart. This means our heart is all for him, and with the vow of poverty it is easier to do so. She said to run towards Christ, not away from him, for he is loved above all. Chastity will help us to love God with an undivided heart, and obedience is love of God the Father. In a religious life, there is a distinctive way of dressing. When we see people in this way of dress, it’s true, we think of God.
Sister Ann Thomas then talked about their goal, heaven. People of religious life follow the law in a special way, to essentially reach that goal. She then told us a quote she loves by Pope Francis, “Where there is religious life, there is joy.” Sister Ann Thomas then said how not everyone is called to religious life, many people are called to marriage. God calls who he desires; it’s a mystery but a gift. She told us that if you are called to religious life, it doesn’t mean you are perfect. It is God working in you. Religious life is a school of love: you learn to love as God loved. God calls you to one vocation, and you can only hear if he is calling you to a vocation of religious life if you are turned into God speaking.
Sister Ann Thomas then told her vocation story. For many years she dismissed the idea of religious life. She had spoken to a sister and she seemed joyful, but she still dismissed the idea. After many years she realized God had been calling her to this vocation the whole time, she was just blind, and didn’t recognize his call. She finally ran to the Lord, and entered into her vocation in 2011.
The Communion Breakfast is a great experience for the whole family to deepen your faith and come together as a Kellenberg family. Thanks to all the families who were able to join us this year.