Catholic Education lunch celebrates teachers, students and supporters of our schools

The Foundation for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo sponsored the 25th annual Catholic Education fundraising event. This year’s luncheon saw the Powerhouse of Buffalo Color Park packed with guests celebrating Catholic education and honoring those who have given their support for the students.

Father Daniel Ulmer, parochial vicar for Family #19, emceed the Feb. 6 event that saw schools, principals, teachers, students and supporters gathered. Father Ulmer welcomed Bishop Michael W. Fisher to offer a blessing and comments.

“It is my pleasure to be with you and celebrate this wonderful annual event celebrating Catholic education,” he said. “Today, you will learn the difference a Catholic education can make and all the amazing things that are happening in our diocese.” 

During Catholic Schools Week, held the previous week, the bishop visited several schools in the diocese.

“I got to hold a bearded lizard,” he said proudly. “Every time I go to a school I end up holding a corn snake or a guinea pig or a bearded lizard. It’s always an adventure and a wonderful experience with the children.”

Guests heard real life stories from students and parents about their experience with Catholic schools.

Event chairs Evan and Trish Evans spoke about choosing Catholic schooling for their three kids. 

“Can you imagine a world without Catholic schools?” asked Evan Lewis. “Look at the messages on the tables. Jesus is at the center – kindness, hope, faith, love – Amen to that. Where else can we go to start our day with prayer, pray before meals, attend Mass, and have a kindergartener be buddies with an eighth grader, and they’re taught that God is at the center of every aspect of our lives?”

He considers his best times as a parent to be when he drove his kids to school, praying the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be and St. Michael the Archangel prayer to start off the day.

“I wanted them to know God was always with them, and I was confident that they were in good hands,” he said.

The Lewis’ started a scholarship to honor their daughter Natalie, who died at age 24.

“When bad things happen, you will find so much goodness and so many graces if you simply love and trust God,” Trish Lewis said. 

She mentioned that when athletes play against better athletes, they improve; when people speak with more intelligent people, they become smarter.

“What about hanging out with people holier than you? … Isn’t that our wish for our children?” she asked. “Don’t we want our children surrounded by holier people, with friends who know right from wrong, with friends who live a less indulgent life? Friends who will pray for you? Friends who will sacrifice for you? Friends who will show you the way?”

The Champions of Catholic Education Award is presented to individuals, businesses and organizations, which have been premier examples of faith, compassion and mercy in support of Catholic education. This year’s recipients are Amy J. Habib and Msgr. David LiPuma.

Habib credits her parents for setting the example of charitable giving that carries on with her children.

She shared a story of David, who came from Rwanda. He attended public school and received failing grades. He was accepted into NativityMiguel School. Although he did not score well on the Catholic high school entrance exam, he was accepted into Canisius High School where he received first honors all four years. David went on to Cornell University and later Brown. Currently he is a resident in neurology doing research on a cure for brain cancer.

“Just think for a moment,” Habib said. “A student with failing grades, David has turned into a productive citizen whose main focus is finding a cure for brain cancer.”

Msgr. LiPuma, pastor/rector of OLV National Shrine & Basilica, said he was “truly humbled and exceedingly grateful,” for receiving the award.

He recalled walking with his mother and grandmother for five blocks for his first day at Our Lady of Pompeii School in Lancaster.

“As I look back now, over the years of my experience with Catholic education, I realize I was able to leave the comfort of my own home and family and find an additional family in my days and my years of Catholic education,” he said, adding he went on to attend St. Mary’s High School, also in Lancaster.

“I stand here today first and foremost because my parents choose Catholic education for me and my two older brothers. I stand here today, because I had the best of the best in my formative years. I stand here today because of wonderful women religious, priests and lay teachers who believed in me and encouraged me at an early age to consider a vocation to the priesthood.”

He told the teachers present, “Never underestimate the positive difference you made in the lives of young people entrusted to your care. They may not thank you today, but someday they will.”

Terri Strassel, second grade teacher, from St. Gregory the Great School in Williamsville, received the Sr. Lucille Soccarelli-Fr. John Sturm Making a Difference Award established by Tim Russert.

“I love working with the kids,” she said. We do a lot of fun activities. We do a lot of praying and worshiping. I love to instill my faith into them. I also like to encourage them to explore their world. We go outside to explore our community and learn from our environment. I love to bring that to our children. I also love to develop an intrinsic love for God, but also to be kind and empathetic. We’ve been learning a lot lately about how to be empathetic that way everybody is showing kindness. Our social growth is just as important as our academic growth. I like to instill that in children as well.” 

Also receiving awards were: 

Father Daniel Serbicki, St. John the Baptist, Alden – Distinguished Pastor

Mary Damico, Queen of Heaven School, West Seneca – Distinguished Principal

Southern Tier Catholic School – Christopher Mazurkewicz Award

Students being honored include:

Clark Garvey, St. Joseph University, Buffalo – The Natalie Mattimore Lewis Kindness Counts Character Award

Olivia Sara Falvo, St. Gregory the Great School in Williamsville – The Tim Russert Creative Writing Scholarship

Carmelina Falzone, St. Amelia, Tonawanda – The Joseph S. Fanara Scholarship for Music Enrichment

Too busy to read? then have a listen.