Dear OLL Families,
This past Friday marked a significant milestone for our 8th-grade students as they celebrated their last day at Our Lady of the Lake School. It was a day filled with joy and camaraderie, featuring a lively kickball game, an exciting volleyball match against the 7th graders, and a heartwarming clap-out ceremony. The energy and spirit displayed by our students were truly inspiring and a testament to the strong sense of community we foster here.
Tomorrow, our 8th graders will embark on their much-anticipated annual field trip, a day of adventure and bonding that they have eagerly awaited. This week of celebrations will culminate on Thursday with their baccalaureate Mass in the morning, followed by a special luncheon, and finally, their graduation ceremony at 6:00 p.m.
We are incredibly proud of our 8th graders and their achievements, and we wish them all the best as they transition into high school. Their journey ahead is bright, and we are confident they will continue to thrive and excel.
Have a beautifully blessed week,
6/3: 8th Grade to Hershey Park
6/3: School Advisory Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
6/4: Strategic Planning Committee Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
6/4: Chess Club - 3:00 p.m. (LAST CLASS)
6/4: PreK 3 Graduation
6/5: PreK 4 Graduation
6/6: Grade 8 Baccalaureate Mass - 8:30 a.m.
6/6: Grade 8 Graduation - 6:00 p.m.
**6/7 - 6/13: Early Release Days - 12:10 p.m.**
6/7: Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony
6/7: Lake Madness! 4:00 - p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- 6/9: Lake Madness Rain Date
6/10: Field Day!
6/11: HSA General Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
6/13: Last Day for Students - 12:10 dismissal
6/14: Pool Party - 6:00 p.m.
The French Cardinal, Matthieu Cointerel, died on November 29, 1585, in Rome and was buried there in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. He left funds and specific instructions in his will that the chapel be decorated on themes related to his namesake, St. Matthew. Today, in the chapel where Cointerel is interred are three monumental paintings on the life of Matthew, his calling, his inspiration to write the Gospel and his martyrdom by the great baroque painter Caravaggio. The master depicts Matthew the tax collector sitting at a table with four other men. Jesus Christ and Saint Peter have entered the room, and Jesus is pointing at Matthew. A beam of light illuminates the faces of the men at the table who are looking at Jesus Christ. I’m sure that Matthew is thinking: “Are You really calling me?”
A little over 30 years ago, that would have been a great description of me. I graduated from college with a BA in German and an MBA in finance and information systems. My first job was as a consultant for a small firm in Switzerland. After leaving that I began working for Morgan Stanley in New York in their systems department. There was something missing. I realized that God was calling me to something different. I remember sitting at the Youth Center in Kearny, talking with Fr. Mike Hanly, the vocations director, toying with the idea of the priesthood. In the back of my mind was the thought: “Are You really calling me?” My first day at Immaculate Conception Seminary was my first day at Catholic school! I felt out of place. During that year the archbishop asked me if I would like to continue my studies in Rome. After thinking about it for a nanosecond, I accepted the challenge. I was ordained a transitional deacon at Ascension Church in New Milford on 5/9/98 and served for a year full-time at Holy Family in Nutley. Then on 5/29/99 I was ordained a priest in service to the people in the Archdiocese of Newark.
This past Wednesday was my 25th anniversary. I have to admit that there are still days when I look up at God and say: “Are You still calling me?” As I look back over my life, I realize that He always was calling me. He was calling me when I was a child growing up. He was calling me in my various educational endeavors and as I wandered through the beginning of my working life. I am happy that I finally decided to listen to Him. The journey has not always been easy, but He never promised it would be. My prayer is that everyone decides to listen to Christ as He calls us all to follow Him. May we always be willing and able to say: “Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your will!”
Pax et bonum
Fr. Peter
Our Lady of the Lake School
Email: tconroy@myoll.org
Website: https://myoll.org/
Location: 26 Lakeside Avenue, Verona, NJ, USA
Phone: 973-239-1160
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollverona