By TARA CONNOLLY Staff writer
St. Jane Frances de Chantal School, Easton honored the Blessed Mother and officially dedicated the newly remodeled middle school May 3 with family, friends, faithful, student body and school staff.
Bishop of Allentown Alfred Schlert was the principal celebrant for the Mass and presided at the special Marian devotion that paid tribute to the Blessed Mother as the “Queen of May.”
Bishop Schlert, who attended St. Jane School, reflected on receiving the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation in the former church in the basement of the school.
“I have a lot of memories of this church. Aside from Holy Communion and Confirmation, I was here every week for Friday Mass. I was ordained a deacon here and I celebrated my first Mass here. This is a great homecoming for me,” he said.
Bishop Schlert also told the students that their school is among the things that the Diocese does best and encouraged them to receive Jesus as much as they can through the sacrament.
“We educate about who Jesus is and how he defines himself. He is the way, the truth and the light,” he said.
“That’s how we get through living here on earth and how we get to heaven – to believe in him and to do whatever his will is for us.”
Bishop Schlert reminded the students that the Blessed Mother was the first one to follow Jesus and the first one to recognize that he was the way, the truth and the light.
“Your job is to get to know Jesus the best way you can,” said Bishop Schlert.
After Mass, the student body, staff and faithful processed to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima outside the Bennett Building and crowned the Blessed Mother with flowers while singing Marian hymns.
Bishop Schlert then blessed the $1.3 million renovations to the Bennett Building, named after Father Michael Bennett, who established the parish in 1920 with 200 families.
Marybeth Okula, principal of St. Jane School, said the building houses the middle school grades, the gymnasium, the cafeteria and the art room. The building is also the site of Father Farrell Social Hall, named after a former pastor.
“The upper floor is where our seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms are located. In 2016 we remodeled one classroom to a science lab complete with lab tables. We are increasing our STEM program and compete yearly at the STEM Design Challenge with Thermo Fisher Scientific and Colonial IU 20,” she said.
In addition, the building’s exterior bricks were repointed, new windows were installed and the roof was replaced.
Concelebrants at the Mass were Monsignor Stephen Radocha, pastor, and Father David Anthony, assistant pastor. Master of ceremonies was Father Kevin Longeran, assistant pastor of the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown.
