All Saints Celebrates 50 Years!

Posted Monday, September 10, 2007

More than five hundred people gathered at the parish on Saturday, September 8 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of All Saints Catholic School. A joyful spirit filled the air as graduates became reacquainted with friends from the past, former principals and teachers witnessed firsthand the growth and success of the school, and families past and present shared their stories.

The highlight of the day was a beautiful Mass celebrated by Bishop Loverde. His presence and his message regarding the effectiveness of Catholic education in forming minds and souls was a source of affirmation for our community. The celebration was made even more poignant by the support of many of our students who served as greeters, ushers, altar servers, readers, and even singers who participated with a mixed choir under the direction of Mr. Bill Atwood, Director of Music and Liturgy.

Following the Mass, students from the middle school lined the pathway from the church to the lawn surrounding the statue of the Blessed Mother in front of the school. With members of the Knights of Columbus serving as an honor guard, two students and one graduate ceremoniously raised the flag on the new flagpole for the first time.

To mark the occasion, several local officials and dignitaries were invited to participate in the special ceremony. Sr. Glenna Smith, O.S.B. spoke on the behalf of the Benedictine Sisters who originally staffed the school beginning in 1957. A former student of the Benedictines, Mayor Douglas Waldron, shared memories of his days at All Saints and conveyed a word of congratulations on behalf of the City of Manassas. Our Pastor, Fr. Bob, shared his appreciation for the goodness of the school and invoked his privilege as pastor to declare, in honor of the 50th Anniversary, a “pastor’s holiday”! (The date, although not yet determined, will be announced via the Sentinel.)

Following a final prayer, middle school students holding 50 blue & white balloons encircled the crowd, symbolizing the fifty year tradition and the strong bonds of our community. As Mrs. Amy Godeaux led the crowd in singing God Bless America, the students released the balloons into a cloudless blue sky. It was an inspiring moment that will long be remembered!

After the conclusion of the ceremony, families gathered in the gym for a beautiful reception and fellowship. There, students past and present, enjoyed the many displays of photographs and yearbooks that traced the history of All Saints through the years. Additionally, an inspiring video that truly captures the spirit and essence of All Saints Catholic School (produced by Mr. Matt Moore) was shown throughout the afternoon.

From start to finish, the celebration was a showcase of All Saints at its very best! I am grateful for the many volunteers who worked so diligently behind the scenes to organize such a complex event, most especially the members of the anniversary planning committee who began their work during the fall of 2006. I want to also recognize and thank the members of the maintenance staff for their tremendous support, arriving as early as 6:00 a.m. to set up hundreds of chairs on the front lawn and assisting with the set-up process. Most importantly, I wish to congratulate and thank Mrs. Janis DeVore, Development Coordinator, for her outstanding work in orchestrating all of the details for the multi-faceted event. It was truly a first-class celebration of which we can all be very proud!

Click here for pictures from the event.