Bishop Zarama Presides at Pinecrest Academy's 20th Anniversary Mass

Pinecrest Academy celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a special Mass on Friday, May 2, 2014, attended by the entire student body of the PreK3-12 Catholic School in Cumming, past and present Pinecrest families, members of the local community and members of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.  

The Mass, which had been postponed from its original date of January 31, due to weather, was presided by The Most Reverend Luis Rafael Zarama, Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta, and concelebrated by Fr. Robert Presutti LC, Pinecrest Head of School, Fr. Richard Sutter LC, Pinecrest Head Chaplain, Fr. Matthew Kaderabek LC, Pinecrest Chaplain, Fr. Matthew VanSmoorenburg LC, pastor of St. Brendan Catholic Church, Fr. Juan Gabriel Guerra LC, priest at St. Brendan, Fr. Timothy Moran LC, Fr. Javier Fayos LC , Fr. John Gannon, LC and Fr. Eamonn Shelley, LC.  

The Class of 2014 was recognized during the Mass, with Bishop Zarama’s homily touching on the richness of the school’s history and words of advice to the 55 students preparing to graduate.  Members of the senior class offered the Mass readings, brought up offertory gifts, and recited the Prayers of the Faithful.  

The Mass coincided with Pinecrest’s May Crownings, a special day set aside each May to honor the Blessed Mother, and the high school choir sang a hymn dedicated to her.  May 2 was also the seniors’ last day of high school. 

At the close of Mass, attendees sang Pinecrest Academy’s anthem and fight song, “Arise, O Paladins,” which was written by former Pinecrest teacher, Dr. Edward Mulholland, and dedicated to Christ’s Sacred Heart and to the memory of Dr. Brian Tierney, Pinecrest’s first headmaster.  A 20th Anniversary slide show presentation was shown, introduced by Pinecrest junior Hannah Kelley, daughter of one of Pinecrest’s founding families, followed by a brief address by Arlene Gannon, one of the school’s original founders. 

The morning culminated with the showing of a video set to the pop song, Happy by Pharrell Williams, created by Pinecrest’s 7th grade girls as part of a project. “Pinecrest Academy and all of its families, present and past, are truly blessed with so many beautiful memories of our 20 years as a school,” commented Anne Hamilton, Pinecrest Academy Development Coordinator and 20th Anniversary Event Coordinator.

After Mass, Middle and High School students proceeded to various Mary statues on campus to participate in May Crownings, and visiting priests were treated to a breakfast reception.  “Along with our special visitors, we were able to exhibit some of our school’s memories through Mass and two video presentations that received a thundering roar of acceptance from all! I believe I can speak for everyone in attendance -- our hearts were moved.  And to follow it up with our annual May Crowning of all of our Mary statues on campus, made it the perfect day,” Hamilton said.

Pinecrest Academy is a college preparatory PreK3-12 Catholic School located at 955 Peachtree Pkwy., Cumming, GA 30040, just east of Exit 13 off of GA 400. www.pinecrestacademy.org.