SCHERERVILLE – More than 500 parishioners, alumni, staff and students filled St. Michael the Archangel on May 3 to honor the 125-year history of St. Michael School.
Ready to greet those arriving at the church to attend the “125th Anniversary Celebration” were current principal Michelle Biscan and two former principals who helped plan the anniversary festivities.
Colleen Kennedy, who had been part of the staff for 11 years, said it was a privilege to be involved in the celebration. She called St. Michael School the most faith-filled, spirited school. Due to the community, its families, and parish, “you can't help but feel such a belonging here.”
“I think the school just has this unbelievable, unbreakable mission to educate our students in the faith,” she said. “Everyone at the school understands what it means to lead, to serve, the importance of academics, and the importance of service and charity. Everyone there fights the good fight to educate students to live the Gospel.”
Peg Harangody, another former principal, was filled with pride and excitement. She expressed her joy that the school is “still going strong.” She gave credit to the late Father Patrick Connolly and the current pastor, Father Martin Dobrzynski, for their support of the school.
“They have been my priests, and it's just a lovely parish community,” she said. “My children went here, graduated. I was a teacher, and then I was the principal, so I've been involved in all aspects. I'm just so proud and happy.”
During the Mass, celebrant Bishop Robert J. McClory began his homily offering words of congratulations and encouraging a round of applause for the community marking 125 years. The bishop acknowledged that anniversary celebrations can bring to mind the specific dates and details of a physical structure. While it's a good thing to invest in maintaining the building, he said it is also important to remember the “underlying, organizing, beautiful, spiritual principle upon which it's built.”
“Everything that St. Michael is about is to serve the mission that Christ has given us,” Bishop McClory said.
The bishop reminded those gathered that they are called to share the faith, not just in the next generation, but beyond. He explained that “we do this infused with the wisdom that we have received from God,” adding Catholic schools can play a key role in the way people are shaped and formed in faith.
“We can look back and say thank you to all those people who have made it a priority to have a Catholic school here,” he said. “Thank you, Lord, for all those who worked hard, not just getting the building right, but were also part in building up the beautiful household of faith within the parish and school to serve all generations.”
After Mass, the crowd of alumni, teachers, staff and students headed to the school’s gym that was set up for an afternoon of food, music, balloon animals, face painting and fellowship.
Teacher Justine Klug noted it is the sense of family that makes St. Michael School special. The pre-kindergarten educator had the opportunity to speak with an alumnus who was 100 years old and attended the school from 1931 to 1939.
“She said she just loved it,” Klug shared. “She sent her kids, their kids came, and now I have one of their little ones in my class.”
Pat Reardon also used the word family when describing the atmosphere of the school. He and his wife enrolled all five of their children in St. Michael School as they were growing up. He reflected fondly on his time serving as a coach for several of the school's sports teams.
Reardon said there tends to be a special camaraderie among those who had the opportunity to attend a Catholic school like St. Michael, St. Thomas More or St. Mary.
He added, “And the kids, to varying degrees, carry that on through high school, college, and now in their present life. It’s very remarkable.”
For more information about St. Michael School, visit https://stmichaelparish.life/school/. For more details about the Catholic schools within the Diocese of Gary, visit https://dcgary.org/office-catholic-schools.
