CORONA — Layla Vera, an eighth grader at St. Leo Catholic Academy, isn’t shy about public speaking and enjoys a good, lively debate. So, she wasn’t a bit nervous when she took part in a presentation about the holy rosary at her school on Jan. 27, even though there was a special guest in the audience.
Bishop Robert Brennan visited St. Leo’s to mark the start of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s celebration of National Catholic Schools Week. He paid rapt attention as Layla and eight of her classmates talked about the history of the rosary, the Blessed Mother’s importance in Catholicism, and the power of prayer.
“Bishop Brennan was actually really supportive during the debate,” Layla said, adding that he smiled and nodded his head several times during the presentation.
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It was Layla’s first time meeting him, which she said was an exciting moment.
“[Bishop Brennan] was really nice,” she said. “I thought he would be very serious, very strict, but he was someone you could actually talk to. He interacted with the class.”
Bishop Brennan said he was inspired by the depth of the students’ discussion.
“The young people were talking about the rosary, the history of the rosary, about the power of prayer and the connection to the Blessed Mother, and they talked about the impact of prayer on their lives,” he told The Tablet. “It was very impressive.”
Bishop Brennan was scheduled to visit diocesan schools for National Catholic Schools Week on Jan. 26. However, the snowstorm that hit New York City and dumped close to a foot of snow on Brooklyn and Queens forced him to reschedule.
As a result, St. Leo Catholic Academy wound up with the honor of being the first school Bishop Brennan visited this year for National Catholic Schools Week. To greet him, students gathered in the gym in the morning and sang songs for him, such as “This Little Light of Mine” and “God Bless America.”
Bishop Brennan led the students in morning prayers and then enjoyed the eighth-grade presentation. His visit to St. Leo’s also included a tour of the academy and stops in two classrooms — kindergarten and third grade — where he had fun talking to students and asked them what they were learning in class.
Bishop Brennan also joked with third graders about snow days.
“I liked it when he came into my classroom, and we were talking about the snow,” said third grader Carlos Antonio Paisano.
Organized by the National Catholic Educational Association, National Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 25-31) is designed to promote Catholic education nationwide and highlight the strengths of Catholic schools.
Bishop Brennan said that every time he walks into a Catholic school in the diocese, he is reminded of the mission of Catholic education.
“Catholic schools are so important. And you can see how the children here are educated — the whole person,” he said. “There’s a sense of moral character. There’s a sense of faith. There’s a sense of being loved.”
Layla said she hopes Bishop Brennan pays a return visit to St. Leo’s.
“It was really fun to see him,” she said, “and I hope he comes back.”
