PROVIDENCE — Bishop Hendricken High School’s 54th commencement celebrated the graduation of 243 seniors in a June 5 ceremony at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul that called on them to bring the school’s emphasis on virtue, love, and faith in God with them as they embark upon the next chapter of their lives.
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Salutatorian Tyler Williams recalled his classmates’ many achievements in the classroom, on stage, and on the athletic field, but said it was their service — out in the mission field around their world and even in their ordinary daily lives — that was most important.
“At Hendricken we have learned how to love God and love our neighbors. Next year, we will venture into an unfamiliar world. Wherever we go, let us not forget the power of love. It is through love that we look forward to a brighter and better tomorrow,” Williams said.
“Hendricken has become part of our identity, part of our name. Hendricken represents who we are, what we stand for, and what we want to become,” he added.
In his address, Principal Joseph Brennan counseled the graduates on how to balance work, health, friends, family, and their spiritual life. As important as work is, health and relationships with others are more important, he said.
“Be committed to being a peacemaker and a person who fixes damaged relationships. Be committed to being the person who actively keeps ties with your friends. It’s so easy to let old friendships fade away and replace them with new friendships,” Brennan said. “It takes an effort to maintain these friendships but you will see this juggling is well worth the effort.”
Brennan likewise urged graduates to recognize how precious their relationship with God is and to treat it accordingly. “Unlike your relationship with your friends and your family, only you can turn away from this relationship. Our loving God will never turn away from you, no matter what you do,” Brennan said.
Valedictorian Kevin Madoian devoted his speech to his memories at Hendricken — everything from the smells of sweaty gym socks to the many quirks of their caring teachers. In reflecting on what makes Hendricken a truly remarkable place, Madoian pointed to the students’ many athletic, artistic, and academic achievements.
The achievements of the Class of 2015 are indeed many and include a role in 20 state athletic championships and acceptance into some of the finest schools in the country, such as Brown University, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown.
But the real explanation lies deeper, Madoian added. “What makes Bishop Hendricken High School the truly amazing place that it is lies in its Roman Catholic identity. I cannot speak for all of my classmates but for me personally over these past four years of high school I have felt this kind of overpowering positivity circulating through the hallways of our school. And up until senior year I could not quite put my finger on it. Now I can. It’s faith,” Madoian said.
In addition to the valedictorian and salutatorian awards, the school honored Patrick Flanagan with the 2015 Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a student for his overall academic and extracurricular achievement and good character.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the memory of Ronald Mosca, a beloved and decades-long teacher and coach at the school who passed away in December. In honor of Mosca, school faculty wore commemorative ribbons with their academic gowns. “We all suffered a great loss this past year, with the passing of our friend, coach and teacher, Mr. Ron Mosca,” Brennan said.
In his remarks, President John Jackson urged students to continue to resist a secular culture that has embraced moral relativism.
“We often refer to Bishop Hendricken as a place which is often countercultural, out of step with what is modern trends and what is happening in the world today and to that I say — thank God. In today’s society, it seems that common manners have been pushed aside, moral relativism has taken over, where each person decides on his or her own what is right and often times nothing is wrong, where an individual’s happiness and freedom triumphs over the common good,” Jackson said.
“I hope you have found that at Bishop Hendricken just the opposite is true,” Jackson added.
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Evans delivered the final blessing for the ceremony. Afterwards, students warmly reflected on their four years at Hendricken.
“It was a great … four years here,” said Nicholas Feola, of North Providence. “You make friends, you leave as brothers. The memories here are going to be unforgettable.”
“It has just been one heck of an experience. Definitely was all worth it,” said his friend, Patrick Polce, of Johnston.
One parent also told the Rhode Island Catholic how proud she was of her son. “I’m really excited — very proud of him,” said Kelly Villanueva, of North Providence, whose son Michael was among the graduates. “Hendricken has been a tremendous setting for him.”
