Dear Graduates,
I believe it is providence, not mere coincidence that on the weekend of your graduation the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord. We heard in the Gospel for this solemnity how Jesus, in his last words to his apostles before he returned to heaven, told them to go and teach the Gospel and to make disciples of all nations. What he was doing was sending them forth to be his witnesses in the world, to continue his saving mission, and to reveal God’s kingdom here on earth by their words, actions and example.
Jesus gives the same commission to you as you graduate and begin the next chapter in your life in college, the military or the work world. He tells you: “Go, be my witnesses in the world, make disciples, be a light in the world that so needs faith and hope.” It is for this reason that your parents, teachers and staff at your high schools have invested great effort, time and resources to give you the best Catholic education they could, to provide you the opportunity to maximize your God-given potential — spiritually, academically and personally — not just for success but for mission. You are to be Christ’s hands, heart and voice. This means using your gifts and talents to the best of your ability, to serve God, to help other people, to help transform our world into a place of goodness, peace and justice. You are to speak truth with courage in a secular culture of confusion.
You are sent forth with the grace and power of the Risen and Ascended Christ to share what you have learned and experienced of Him through your Catholic formation with others. Jesus promises you and all Christians that he will be with us and walk with us until the end of the world. He reveals his presence and power through the working of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit of Pentecost that was given to you at baptism and for many of you also in confirmation. You will encounter Christ when you join in Mass each Sunday and Holy Day and receive Him in Holy Communion, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in your personal daily prayer and the reading of Scripture, in the people God places in your lives as well as in your service to others, especially those in need.
As you graduate and begin a new chapter in your life, I pray that, through the intercession and example of our Diocesan Patroness, Mary, the Mother of God, you may open your hearts once again to be touched by the Holy Spirit, that your faith may be inflamed and reinvigorated to enable you to boldly share what you profess and invite others into a relationship with Jesus. May you always follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, and try to imitate his example of love, truth, compassion and servant leadership in your daily lives in whatever vocation, whatever profession the Lord has chosen for you. So go forth today, not just to make a living, but to make a real difference for good in the world around you.
Be witnesses! Be courageous! Be saints!
Congratulations, 2026 Graduates, and may God bless you always!
Sincerely,
Most Rev. Joseph M. Siegel