The Saint Patrick High School community gathered for their first liturgy of the 2007-08 school year when they celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Thursday, September 6.  The Mass of the Holy Spirit is part of a long educational tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.  Schools would celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit at the start of a new school year.   This festive event gathers the entire community together to rededicate themselves to Saint Patrick’s mission, to renew friendships, and to welcome new members.

Father Paul Seaman of St. Pascal Parish was the guest celebrant for the mass.  Father Paul delivered an impassioned homily, focusing on individuality and having high expectations.  Father Paul implored the Saint Patrick students to find who they were as individuals; celebrate the uniqueness of the individuals around them; and “wear their Catholicism as a badge of honor.”

In the spirit of welcoming new members, Saint Patrick Principal, Dr. Joseph Schmidt, took the time to recognize, when he addressed the students, the seven young men that that transferred to Saint Patrick after Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary closed last spring.
 
The mass of the Holy Spirit is the first of 11 events on the liturgical schedule at Saint Patrick this year.  Below is a complete listing of the school’s liturgical schedule: Freshman Parent/ Grandparent Mass - Sunday, September 9, All Saints Day Mass - Thursday, November 1, Thanksgiving Liturgy - Wednesday, November 21, Advent Reconciliation - December 3-4, Catholic Schools Week Liturgy - Monday, January 28, Ash Wednesday Liturgy - Wednesday, February 6, Lenten Reconciliation – February 11-12, Junior Ring Mass - Tuesday, May 13, Founder's Day Liturgy - Tuesday, May 15, Baccalaureate Liturgy - Tuesday, May 27.

Saint Patrick High School is Chicago’s oldest Catholic high school for boys.  Founded in 1861 by the Christian Brothers, Saint Patrick has remained at the forefront of education, administering to the needs of young men in the Chicagoland area for nearly 150 years.