Hundreds of parents, children, teachers, staff, board members, and friends prayed together at a Mass to mark the transition of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, South Ozone Park, to a Catholic academy. Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano celebrated the Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

“We gather here to celebrate a school community, an academy community that is more than just a public or charter school community,” Bishop Caggiano said. “We come here as a Catholic academy community of faith.”

The Lord is asking us “to form our children, the children you have entrusted to us so that they can develop the gifts and talents God has given them,” Bishop Caggiano said. “Every child who comes here will be challenged to develop their gifts and talents because every child is precious, every child is unique, every child is gifted, every child has been given talents, not by you and not by me, but by their heavenly Father. Together we will help them develop those talents and gifts and knowledge not simply for their own good but for the good of the community, the good of the family, the good of the world.”

Bishop Caggiano thanked the academy faculty, teachers, and staff for their leadership, sacrifice, and competency. He recognized the sacrifices and generosity of the parents, the academy board that has assumed administrative tasks for the academy, and the parish priests who will serve as spiritual leaders for the academy. Finally, he thanked Frances DeLuca, principal, for her competence and faith.

DeLuca praised all of the individuals who are working to make the academy a success. She, along with students, presented Bishop Caggiano, the pastor, Father Vincent M. Daly, board members and committee members with thank-you cards made by the students and other gifts.