St. John's Honors Four Local Students

This press release was submitted by St. John's High School.

Four seniors were cited for faith and service, and dedicated both its new administration wing and a new scholastic year at the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Thursday.

Against the backdrop of the new Xaverian Brothers Hall, the Rev. José A. Rodríguez celebrated the annual Catholic service to mark the start of the 114^th year of St. John’s High School. Founded in Worcester in 1898, the school is celebrating its 50^th anniversary in Shrewsbury, a theme that Headmaster Michael Welch ’78 touched several times in his remarks before the dedication.

“Fifty-six years ago, Brother Vincent, then headmaster, dared to dream of a new St. John’s, one on a more spacious campus so the Xaverians could educate more boys from Central Massachusetts,” said Welch. “We have grown from very humble and austere conditions on Temple Street to a state-of-the-art campus here today on Main Street.”

Xaverian Brothers Hall is a complete renovation of the former brothers’ residence wing, with expanded space for the school’s admissions, advancement, business, counseling and technology offices. The project was funded by donors to Transforming Lives: The Campaign for Saint John’s and undertaken by John Lauring ’72 and Lauring Construction Co. over the past year.

The three-story structure is attached to the main academic building, Conal Hall, and served as the residence of the Xaverian Brothers for nearly 50 years. Parts of it had been converted into school offices in 1989. In March 2011, the Xaverian community at St. John’s moved to the Manor House, the brothers’ original home on campus.

Mr. Welch characterized Xaverian Brothers Hall as yet another gift by the brothers to St. John’s—the gift of their own home to advance the school’s mission.

“We forever owe them a debt of gratitude,” Mr. Welch said. “They are the giants on whose shoulders we stand. It is only fitting that we dedicate this newly renovated wing to the Xaverian Brothers who have done so much, for all of us.”

O’Malley Gives Four Thomas Merton Awards

Saint John’s seniors Michael Badjo, Connor Casey, John Thrun and Jose Yarzebski were presented with Thomas Merton Awards in recognition of their “faith, service and commitment to improving the overall quality of student life at St. John’s.”

The awards were given by Jan O’Malley, who with her late husband, Peter O’Malley ’56, established the Thomas Merton Award last year. The award is named for Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk whose writings examine the relationship between contemplative spirituality and the active outside world.

In his homily, Rev. Rodríguez, pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Worcester, encouraged students to let their faith consume and transform them like a fire, but also spur them into action.

“Why do we need a good man that does not share his goodness?” he asked. “Why do I need a wise man who does not share his wisdom?”

Welch said what makes a Thomas Merton Award winner is “coming to an awareness that what one does must be a means of both self-fulfillment and service to others. And through this, St. John’s is a better place and a better community....This is one of the most prestigious awards offered to a present student at St. John’s.”