News

Members of the Catholic school community in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, along with distinguished honorees and their guests, will celebrate National Catholic Schools Week with a liturgy on Friday, January 24, at 9 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 35 Adams Place, Delmar. The Very Rev. Robert Longobucco, diocesan Vicar General and Vicar for Faith Formation & Education, will be the principal celebrant of the liturgy.

“Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community” is the theme of this year’s National Catholic Schools Week, which will be celebrated through February 1. The annual observance highlights the rich Catholic school traditions of academic excellence, community spirit, and the foundation of faith that is at the heart of Catholic education.

The Mass, which is open to the public, will also be live streamed so all teachers, students, and families across the 14-county Diocese can participate virtually. At the conclusion of the liturgical celebration, the distinguished honorees and years-of-service award recipients will be recognized.

Among those being honored at the awards presentation is Anna Farone of St. Clement’s School, Saratoga, who will receive The Bishop of Albany Distinguished Administrator Award. This award recognizes administrators who promote a school’s Catholic education, seeking to foster a Christian community of love in which God’s truth and life are integrated into the entire curriculum and life of the school. 

Additional awards to be presented include the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Distinguished Teacher Awards. Kimberly Mattis of St. Thomas the Apostle School, Delmar, and Sue Silverstein of Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, Schenectady, will receive those honors. Awards for outstanding school staff and commitment to Catholic education will also be presented, and teachers with milestone years of service to Catholic education in the Diocese will be recognized.  

“Catholic Schools Week is a wonderful opportunity to give our broader community a chance to see up close the incredible work being done in our Catholic schools. While we celebrate those achievements every day of the year, Catholic Schools Week allows us to share that good news beyond the walls of our classrooms in an intentional way,” said Dr. Christopher Bott, Interim Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Albany. “In addition, this week is a time for us to thank our faculty and staff, as well as our parish communities, students, and families, all of whom choose and support Catholic schools because of academic excellence and a commitment to faith and service.”

The Annual Diocesan Art Show, featuring artwork by Catholic school students of all ages, will be held at the Empire State Plaza South Concourse Lobby, Friday, January 24, through Friday, January 31. A reception will be held on Tuesday, January 28, at 4 p.m. 

Each diocesan school has its own website that can be accessed through the Catholic School Office website:www.higherpoweredlearning.org. For more information, contact the Diocese of Albany, Catholic School Office, at (518) 453-6602.