Remember the First Commandment, Cardinal Tells High School Seniors

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During the annual Mass for high school seniors, Cardinal Dolan looked out into the packed cathedral and asked, “Is there anyone here named Shadrach, Meshach or Abednego?”

Not one hand went up in the air.

The cardinal was referring to the three men in the book of Daniel who were thrown into a fire for their beliefs, but ultimately saved because of their faith. It was the first reading at the Mass he celebrated April 9.

The cardinal said each of the students sitting in St. Patrick’s Cathedral that day had the same spirit as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The three Old Testament figures were committed Jewish young people who were away from home and in captivity. They were promised a great future if they would only denounce their faith, which they would not do.

In the same manner, the cardinal said, the world will ask young people to put their faith aside and follow false gods such as money, ego, lust and power. He gave them practical advice and told them to follow the First Commandment, which says, “I am the Lord your God, you will have no other gods besides me.”

With great conviction, the cardinal said, “Following Him is more important than anything (the world) can give.” He praised the students for their talents and hard work over the past four years and told them they have a promising future.

He said they should not forget that God is “walking with you for life.”

The Mass was the second of two Cardinal Dolan celebrated for seniors graduating from high schools in the archdiocese; the first was offered April 7. At both Masses students served as altar servers, lectors and gift bearers. Each Mass ended with a student speaker who thanked the cardinal for his dedication and praised the class of 2014.

The speaker at the first Mass was Sabrina Balducci of Preston High School, the Bronx; Jozefina Preci of Dominican Academy, Manhattan, spoke at the second liturgy.

Before Mass began, Father Enrique Salvo, director of vocations in the archdiocese, told the students, “God has a huge plan for your life. Everything flows from our relationship with Him.” He urged the students to continue to develop their prayer life and to listen for God’s plan for their lives.

“Through that plan you will be the light of Christ in the world,” he said.

Among the concelebrants were Msgr. Robert Ritchie, the cathedral’s rector, as well as priests who serve as presidents, principals and teachers at the schools represented.

Outside the cathedral on the beautiful spring day, seniors from St. Vincent Ferrer stopped to talk with CNY. Anna Kamuda said that the annual Mass is “all about uniting with other seniors.”

“It’s a big reminder of our faith right before we leave for college,” she said.

Her classmate, Anna Goman, said, “It brings the whole class of New York City together and shows that as Catholics we are one family.” She noted that her faith and those of her classmates “Gives you an outlook on life, and guidance and morals to do what is right.”

In the front section of the cathedral sat students from Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie. “This Mass means a lot to me,” Mary Riley told CNY. “I’ve gotten more into my faith and it’s nice, especially sitting in the front.”

Her classmate, Cameron Clarke, noted that “there aren’t too many Catholic high schools” near Lourdes’ Dutchess County campus.

“This is the most Catholics students I’ve seen in one place,” he said.

Nicholas D’Addesa of St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, Staten Island, said, “It’s a great experience to see Catholic schools come together as one for Mass.”

Nicholas, the president of Sea’s student body, noted that his education has given him a foundation for life. “I feel I’m definitely prepared for my future,” he said.