At graduation Mass, Bishop Brennan tells students to never ‘forget who you are’

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — With graduation around the corner, the Diocese of Brooklyn’s high school seniors will soon embark on a new chapter of their lives. And, as they prepare for their next journey, Bishop Robert Brennan reminded them to never forget that, first and foremost, they are children of God. 

“God loved you into being, knows you better than you know yourselves, and believes in you,” he said. “Please don’t forget who you are, and remember that your Catholic community supports you, and make sure to stay connected to God’s Church.”

On March 21, Bishop Brennan celebrated the second annual Graduation Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, congratulating seniors from 15 different high schools within the diocese and encouraging them to take pride in their achievements. 

He also acknowledged that they deserve “a lot of credit” for how far they have come.

Many seniors at the Mass said they wish to continue their Catholic education and build on the strong foundation they have received in the diocese throughout high school.

Emma Polanco, a Christ the King High School senior, said she will “need God now more than ever” as she continues her Catholic education at St. John’s University to pursue a nursing degree. 

“I know that I have struggled so much with not just academics but the social aspects of high school,” Polanco said. “And to know that I’m going into college where it’s going to be very competitive … I know I am going to need to talk to him more [and] come to church more.”

Polanco said that when growing up, although her parents raised her Catholic and gave her the free will to decide if she wished to continue practicing the faith, she never felt the need to look anywhere else. 

In fact, she said her faith has only gotten stronger in high school. 

“I’ve gotten so much closer with God and built such a great relationship with him,” she said. “To know that I have him with me every single second of every single day makes me happy, and to have him with me throughout college, I know that I will be able to stay motivated throughout my nursing career.”

Tatiana Elias, a Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School senior, said choosing to continue her Catholic education was an easy decision. She said she looks forward to attending St. John’s University to pursue a degree in biomedical sciences. 

“I feel like being in an area where I can express my faith but also expand my education is a way to make sure that I’m heading in the right direction,” Elias said. 

She noted that it also created a sense of community. 

“In my high school, I feel like everyone knows my name and cares about you differently,” she said. “The way the school runs as a whole helps you expand your faith but also enriches your knowledge.” 

Christopher Goldman, a St. Edmund Preparatory High School senior, said he looks forward to expressing his faith at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Goldman, who is an altar server and Eucharistic minister at his home parish, St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Bergen Beach said he wants “to carry my faith with me as much as I can.”

Goldman said he plans to continue his Eucharistic ministry on his school campus and looks forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the faith at a Catholic school. 

“I’ll learn more about kindness and following in Jesus’ footsteps,” he said. 

After Mass, Bishop Brennan said that a graduation Mass had been an idea of his since his time as auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2012. 

When he became bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, in 2019, he scheduled one for 2020, only for the COVID-19 pandemic to halt in-person Masses and graduations.

“When I finally came [to the Diocese of Brooklyn], we were able to pull it together, and it means a lot,” Bishop Brennan said. “I wish I could be at all the graduations, but I can’t, so it’s a chance for me to encourage the seniors to be together at one time, and I also think it’s good for them to see each other.”

Bishop Brennan said the diocese is “proud of them all.” 

“This was a chance for me to say, ‘thank you for being the great people that you are,’ and to remind them that God believes in them, I believe in them, the Church believes in them, their families believe in them, and to never give up,” he said. 

Father James Kuroly, pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Rockaway and director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the diocese, said it is a special year for the seniors because of the Jubilee Year. 

He said the Mass was an opportunity for them to “celebrate together as a family.”

“I think when young people come together, and they recognize that they’re not alone in this journey of faith, that they have each other as support and, most importantly, to pray for each other,” Father Kuroly said.