During the last Mass of the school year on May 17th, one student and one teacher became Catholic, two students were confirmed, and two teachers announced they will be entering seminary this fall.

Akash Brown received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation; Luli Puchalski and William ‘Allen’ Reynolds received the sacrament of Confirmation; and Bryce Patenaude, a social studies teacher, received the sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation. In addition, Kevin Buete who teaches music spoke about his decision to discern the priesthood at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, joining Theology teacher Spencer Grant in following this call.

Another student, Alexander Vogelgsang, was unable to be present but will receive the Eucharist and Confirmation sometime this summer.

Hannah Wiand, campus minister, and Father Ralph D’Elia, chaplain, had the privilege of walking with these students and teachers during their faith journeys. They regularly meet with those who desire to come into the Church and discuss the Church’s teachings so they can confidently profess the faith.

At St. Petersburg Catholic High School, the days are filled with an abundance of prayer. With daily Mass, weekly confessions, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, faith sharing groups, active campus ministry, teachers living out their faith, and administrators committed to forming their students. On campus, the Lord has space to work in the lives of every person.

“It was a joy for me to both accompany our teacher and students receiving the sacraments and to be able to celebrate the sacraments with them in the presence of our school community. I am proud of the seriousness with which they took the process of making the decision to come into the Church, or in the case of those being confirmed, to take more seriously their faith in asking for the gifts of the Spirit,” said Father D’Elia.

Hannah Wiand also found that witnessing this desire and being present deeply impacted her.

“I am both humbled and honored that the Lord would allow me to be able to journey with these candidates and see them come into the fullness of the Catholic Church. It is indescribable!” said Wiand.

Celebrating these sacraments during the final school Mass was an opportunity to witness to the importance of the faith before summer begins. The students were moved by seeing fellow classmates and a teacher come into the Church. Their excitement for both Kevin Buete and Spencer Grant to follow God’s call to the seminary was also felt as Buete received a standing ovation when he announced that he would be joining Grant, who recently announced his decision.

“I am grateful for the example that they are setting for not only our students, but for our entire school community,” said Wiand.