Atlanta
Catholic high school commencements fill May calendar
Published May 1, 2014
ATLANTA—The seven Catholic high schools will hold commencement exercises in May and six have announced their 2014 valedictorians and salutatorians. The graduations are listed below.
Archdiocesan high schools
Blessed Trinity High School
Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell will have its graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 17, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the school, 11320 Woodstock Road. The guest speaker is Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.
The valedictorian is Alex Randall Moore Jr., the son of Elizabeth and Alex Moore. The Moores attend St. Vincent de Paul Church, Dallas.
The salutatorian is John Anthony D’Arienzo, the son of Lisa and Rick D’Arienzo. They worship at Transfiguration Church, Marietta.
The baccalaureate Mass will be Friday, May 16, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell, adjacent to the high school, with Bishop Luis R. Zarama as the principal celebrant. There will be 236 seniors earning diplomas.
Our Lady of Mercy High School
The 105 graduating seniors of Our Lady of Mercy High School, Fayetteville, will receive diplomas on Saturday, May 17, at 12:30 p.m. The commencement ceremony will be held at the school, 861 Highway 279.
Special guests at the graduation ceremony will be Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory and Superintendent of Catholic Schools Diane Starkovich.
A baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Thursday, May 15, at St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, at 6:30 p.m. Bishop Luis R. Zarama will be the principal celebrant.
The valedictorian is Rachel Jinks, the daughter of Stanley and Rebecca Jinks. They worship at St. John the Evangelist Church, Hapeville.
The salutatorian is Nastasia Buckley, the daughter of Hillary Lobban. They are parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Atlanta.
St. Pius X High School
On Saturday, May 17, at 9:30 a.m., St. Pius X High School’s class of 2014 will have its commencement ceremony.
Graduation will be at Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St., NE, in Atlanta. Special guests will be distinguished alumni Tom and May May Bickes. The graduating class numbers 283 seniors.
The baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Thursday, May 15, at St. Brigid Church, Johns Creek, at 7:30 p.m. Bishop David P. Talley is the principal celebrant.
The valedictorian is Margaret Crawford, the daughter of Stephen and Margaret Crawford. They are parishioners at St. Thomas More Church, Decatur.
The salutatorian is Isioma Obiofuma. She and her parents, Chukwudi and Maureen Obiofuma, worship at St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.
Independent Catholic schools
Holy Spirit Preparatory School
Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta will have its baccalaureate Mass and graduation on Tuesday, May 27,at Holy Spirit Church, 4465 Northside Drive, NW, Atlanta.
The Mass is at 10 a.m. with Bishop Luis R. Zarama as the principal celebrant.
The graduation will begin at 11:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be Dr. Mary McDonald, acclaimed educator, author, radio host, and education consultant with Notre Dame University’s Alliance for Catholic Education.
Fifty-three seniors will be receiving diplomas. The names of the school’s valedictorian and salutatorian, following the school’s tradition, have not yet been released.
Marist School
The seniors of Marist School in Atlanta will have their 2014 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 24, at 2 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the school’s Centennial Center, 3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road, NE.
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory will assist with conferral of diplomas. FOX News anchor Bret Baier, a Marist alumnus, will deliver the address.
The class of 2014 has 198 members.
The valedictorian is Richard Joseph Paris III, the son of Richard and Yvette Paris. They attend St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell.
The salutatorian is Erin Marie Connolly, the daughter of Timothy and Mary Connolly. They are parishioners at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta.
The baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Friday, May 23, at 8 p.m. in the school’s Centennial Center. Marist Father John H. Harhager is the principal celebrant for the Mass.
Monsignor Donovan High School
The 18 members of the class of 2014 of Monsignor Donovan High School in Athens will receive their diplomas during commencement on Saturday, May 17, at 11 a.m. The graduation will be at the high school, 590 Lavender Road.
A baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Friday, May 16, at 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, Athens, with Father Gaurav Shroff, parochial vicar, as celebrant.
The valedictorian is Fiona Puthenpura, the daughter of Thomas and Mercy Puthenpura.
The salutatorian is Katie Scherer, the daughter of Kerry and Ann Scherer.
Both families attend St. Joseph Church.
Pinecrest Academy
The commencement ceremony at Pinecrest Academy, Cumming, will be Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held in the academy’s upper school gymnasium with 55 seniors graduating.
The school’s baccalaureate Mass will be Friday, May 16, at 7 p.m., also in the upper school gym. Concelebrants of the Mass will be Legionary Fathers Robert Presutti, Pinecrest Academy head of school, Richard Sutter, head chaplain, and Matthew Kaderabek, chaplain.
Girls’ valedictorian is Maria Sophia Skokanic, the daughter of Paul and Laurie Skokanic. The family attends St. Francis de Sales Church, Mableton.
Boys’ valedictorian is Raymond Herbert, the son of Brad and RoseMary Herbert. They worship at St. Brendan the Navigator Church, Cumming.
Girls’ salutatorian is Elizabeth Stubbs, the daughter of Jay and Sharon Stubbs.
Boys’ salutatorian is John Meersman, the son of Mark and Christie Meersman. Both the Stubbs and Meersman families attend St. Benedict Church, Johns Creek.