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Passing of Pope Francis

We invite you to read the letter on the Passing of Pope Francis from the Administration of the Schools of Saint Mary.


Dear St. Mary’s Community,

On Monday, we learned of the passing of Pope Francis. We join with the global community of Catholics in mourning and prayer for the leader of our Church.

As a Catholic school, we especially appreciate Pope Francis’ commitment to the value of education. At the Dicastery for Culture and Education last November, Pope Francis stated:

“There is no need for educational models that are mere ‘achievement factories’ without a cultural plan that enables the formation of people capable of helping the world turn over a new leaf by eradicating inequality, endemic poverty, and exclusion.”

Pope Francis deeply understood the value Catholic schools provide not only to our students, but to the world. He saw our schools as change agents, helping to shape a better future where academics are just one piece of the larger formation we seek for our students — to be good and faithful Christians in our world.

We would like to invite our families to two services in our Diocese:
  • Bishop Barres will celebrate a Memorial Mass for Pope Francis at St. Agnes Cathedral on Monday, April 28, at 7:00 PM.
  • St. Mary’s will offer a Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of His Holiness at St. Mary’s Church on Thursday, May 1, at 7:00 PM.
Pope Francis broke centuries of tradition by choosing to be buried in a simple tomb at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. He felt a particular connection to the Marian shrine and had a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother. It was a church he often visited after hospital stays, feeling an obligation to thank Our Lady for her maternal care.

As a school community that carries the motto Omnia ad Jesum per Mariam — Everything to Jesus through Mary — we cannot imagine a stronger message of support for Our Lady and our mission as a Catholic school.

Let us pray to our Blessed Mother for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis and that he may find his final resting place with Our Lord:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Omnia ad Jesum per Mariam.

Prayerfully,

Rev. Anthony Saliba
Administrator of St. Mary’s Parish
Very Rev. Dom Daniel Nash, Can. Reg.
President
Gerard J. Buckley
High School Principal
Theresa Kemp
Elementary & Middle School Principal
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St. Mary's High School

Located in Manhasset, NY,  St. Mary's College Preparatory High School is a private Catholic school for grades 9th-12th. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, Catholic intellectual tradition, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.