Sacraments of Initiation

Jesuit High School president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. celebrated a special Mass at Jesuit on Thursday (May 16), during which six students were baptized – Alex Thompson '21, Anthony Tom '21, Cameron Alvarez '20, Riley Buchanan '20, Trevor Mayberry '20, and Spencer Williams '20 – and two others were received into full communion with the Catholic Church, Alexander Skantze '20 and Nicholas Wolf '22.

Each student was accompanied by his sponsor: Skantze by theology teacher Brian Greenfield, Wolf by Matthew Boerger, Thompson by theology teacher Matthew Kuizon '11, Tom by Joseph A. Molloy, Alvarez by Keith Caranante '89, Buchanan by Lela Teneyck, Mayberry by Greenfield and theology teacher David Mammola, and Williams by Greenfield.

Jesuit received special permission to celebrate these sacraments from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, and from the pastor of the parish in which Jesuit is located, Fr. Michael Muhr of St. Lawrence Catholic Church.

Numerous family and friends were there to support the eight students receiving sacraments, and there was a long line of well-wishers to congratulate them. Mass was followed by a reception brunch in the cafeteria, where the students receiving sacraments were presented with gifts from the campus ministry department.   

Since 2010, a total of 40 students have received sacraments at Jesuit, including ten who will be students at the school in 2019-20: Skantze, Wolf, Thompson, Tom, Alvarez, Buchanan, Mayberry, and Williams, plus Camden Minacci '20 and Jack Price '20.

Thursday marked the final all-school Mass of the 2018-19 school year. Please view a photo slideshow below: