OLM Opens School Year with Mass of The Holy Spirit;
Unveils Statue of Saint Carlo Acutis
Our Lady of Mercy School held its first school-wide First Friday Mass of the new school year on Friday, September 5 at 9:00 am in the OLM Church. Joining Pastor Father Healey in concelebrating the Mass was OLM’s new Associate Pastor, Father Joseph Brodeur, who will also serve as the school’s Spiritual Director. With 8th graders serving as lectors, altar servers and hosts, the Mass of the Holy Spirit also included a special blessing for new and returning teachers and staff. New OLM faculty include Mrs. Melinda Almonte (PK3), Mrs. Kerri Vocchio (PreK3 Assistant Teacher), Mrs. Sara Aldridge (Grade 3), Ms. Trinity Reilly (Grade 4) and Sister Flora Tanarte, FAS, who assists with the Extended Day and Lunch Programs. After Father Healey’s homily, which was centered on the newly canonized St. Carlo Acutis, “The Millennial Saint”, he blessed and dedicated a statue of St. Carlo which will be placed in the school, serving as an inspiration for students, faculty and staff on their journey to become saints and scholars.
Following the Mass, 8th graders and school families gathered in the school gym for a collation as they celebrated their final “First First Friday” as OLM students. OLM students and staff gather for Mass weekly, as well as the First Friday of each month.
The school year began on Thursday, August 28, with 271 students enrolled. With the re-introduction of the PreK3 program and dozens of new students in several other grades, OLM welcomed 61 new students this school year. “The response to our PreK3 program was robust,” said Principal Patrick McNabb, “and we are at or near capacity with waiting lists for most grades. We are heartened that families are choosing to entrust their children to our care as we work together to form future saints and scholars in our community and our world.”
With a tradition of excellence in Catholic education since 1951, Our Lady of Mercy School supports its students as they strive to be the saints and scholars that God is calling them to be. Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Pre-K through Grade 8, co-educational Catholic school located in East Greenwich, RI offers its students the opportunity to pursue excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts in a nurturing environment built upon the teachings of the Catholic Church.
