MERRILLVILLE – Andrean High School is approximately .5 mile from the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa. Nestled east of Broadway, the church grounds may not have been visited, or even known, by many of the staff and students … until now.
The entire student body created a sea of red school uniforms on Aug. 15 as they walked from their high school, where they would normally host Mass in the school’s gym, to the home of the Salvatorian Fathers to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption.
Father Steven Caraher welcomed the Andrean family to the shrine for its first all-school Mass of the 2025-26 school year.
During the homily, Father Caraher spoke about the excitement that can come from a fresh start like a new school year. He stated that for freshmen, Andrean is a new place to find new friends, new places where they fit in and new activities. Even sophomores, juniors and seniors, he said, get to “wipe clean” everything that happened the previous year and start again.
Father Caraher continued, explaining that with a new beginning, people will often make goals. He recognized that it can be good practice to make goals and acknowledged that some students may have already made a goal for the year, such as passing all their classes or getting to the state championship with their high school team.
“We all have goals, but here's one goal that I want all of us to have today, and it's the goal that Mary has for you today,” he said. “The goal is that at the end of this school year, you are closer to Jesus than you are right now.”
Father Caraher reminded the students that the day’s Mass was taking place on “the day when Mary, Jesus's mother, was assumed into heaven, body and soul.”
“Andrean if you want to get closer to Jesus, you have to go through his mom,” he said. “If you want to get closer to Jesus, get to know his mother. Because the only thing that she wants, the one thing that she desires, her goal for the year, is that you meet her son.”
Father Caraher encouraged those in attendance to not only learn about Jesus in their classrooms, but get to know Jesus. That can only happen through prayer, he said while posing the questions, “Are you going to pray the same way that you are at the end of this year as you are right now?” “Are you going to grow in prayer?” and “Are you going to grow in relationship with Jesus this year?”
“It's good to have goals, to aim high,” he said. “Let's include in those goals, and perhaps make the most and first priority goal, getting to know Jesus. May Mary, Jesus's mother, help us find and know Jesus this day and all days the rest of the school year.”
At the end of Mass, Principal Jaycob Knazur took a moment to share his appreciation for those who helped organize the liturgy, including Father Caraher, Deacon Anthony Bondi and members of the music ministry. He also thanked the staff of the Office of Catholic Schools – Colleen Brewer, Ed.D., Jodi McLawhorn, Ed.D., Jorge Pina, Ed.D., and Ingrid Znika – for being in attendance.
“On the Feast of the Assumption, we're reminded of Mary's deep faith and her willingness to say yes to God,” he said. “May her example inspire us throughout this school year to be open to growth, to care for one another as we always do, and trust in God's plan even when we don't see the whole picture or have a different idea of the right.
He continued, “As we begin this new academic year, let this time set the tone. Let's commit to making it a productive year, one where we work hard, stay curious, and do our best in all that we do. But just as important, let's make it a positive year, one marked by our kindness and our compassion, our encouragement to one another, and a strong sense of community that is the Andrean and family.”
Upon leaving the church to begin the short walk back to school, Cadin Tokarski, a senior, said the Mass was very inviting. She enjoyed the music that accompanied the Mass.
“I liked when we were encouraged to join in singing,” she shared.
Andrean High School was founded in 1959 and named for St. Andrew, the patron saint of the first bishop of the diocese of the Diocese of Gary, Andrew Grutka. A Parent Walk About event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 26, and Senior Photos, Senior Panoramic Photo and ID Photo Retakes will be on Thursday, Sept. 4. For more information, visit andreanhs.org.
