f Spring - Chaminade High School

Class of 2005
A Challenge to Follow in Faith
At Baccalaureate Mass, Class of 2005 Ponders Spiritual Choices
by Nicholas Kantor ‘06
Follow the leader. It’s a simple game;
someone is designated leader, and
whatever he does, you follow.” Although
this game is often associated with
childhood memories, the concept of following
the leader is by no means limited
to child’s play. In fact, “follow the leader”
was the theme of CHS president Fr. James
Williams’ homily at this year’s Baccalaureate
Mass, held on Sunday, June 5, at C.W.
Post’s Tilles Center in nearby Brookville,
Long Island. “After you graduate today,”
Fr James asked the Class of 2005, “which
leader will you follow?”
In a world of leaders, both good and
bad, would the Class of 2005 live up to the
Altar server Rick Ward, recipient of the
Fr. Philip Eichner, S.M. Award, holds the
incense before the Gospel reading.
The Tansey family joins the Chaminade Family
for the Baccalaureate Mass. Trevor (center)
was one of 403 members of the Class of 2005.
Tarmac • July 2005
values instilled in them at
Chaminade and follow the
leadership of Jesus Christ,
Fr James wondered aloud,
or would they follow the
empty promises and false
leadership of an often immoral
culture?
The Baccalaureate Mass,
Fr James noted, was the
culmination of four years of
spiritual formation, including
retreats, evenings of
recollection, prayer services,
and student-body
Masses. A culmination,
however, is not necessarily
an ending, since
“no one leaves
Chaminade; you
take a part of us
with you.”
According to Fr. James, the Class
of 2005 “will encounter many false
leaders.” Starting in college, false
leaders will tempt them to sin, to
“take the easy way out,” to forswear
the Christian values in
which they have been formed during
their high-school years.
Yet, “you know better,” said Fr.
James. “You have witnessed the
dangers of following the wrong
leader better than any class at
Chaminade. In the first days of
your freshman year, on 9/11 we
witnessed what happens when
people follow the wrong leader.”
By contrast, Fr. James explained,
Christians are called to “follow
the real leader; follow the Lord.”
If the Baccalaureate Mass represented
the culmination of four
years of spiritual growth, it also
represented the culmination of
preparation and practice by
many members of the
Chaminade Family. Faculty
members and members of the
National Honor Society set up
for the Mass the day before,
transforming a barren stage into
a fitting space for worship. Another
group of National Honor
Society members ushered at the
Mass. Concelebrating the Mass
were Fr. Garrett Long and Fr.
“Follow the Lord!” In his homily, Fr. James
Williams, CHS president and principal
celebrant of the Baccalaureate Mass,
emphasizes the need to follow good leaders.
Ernest Lorfanfant. Graduation award winners
Graham Otton and Rick Ward were
the servers for the Mass; Joe Kaplan, also
a graduation award winner, was the lector.
The Chaminade Glee Club, some
eighty strong, provided the liturgical music,
culminating in a Communion solo by
Alexander Ott Glee Club Award winner
Eric Shannon.
Lector Joe Kaplan leads the
congregation in the Prayer of the
Faithful.
GRADUATION PULLOUT
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