Crisis has sparked an intense call to service

June 17, 2020

Soaring above a global crisis

The world changed in March – and one group uniquely affected was the high school graduating Class of 2020. In a moment’s notice, it seemed, Catholic high schools closed their physical campuses as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus, sending thousands of students home to begin online classes.

For the seniors of the 22 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the final two months of their high school lives were turned upside down. But the amazing thing is how God worked quietly through this crisis. Over the next several pages, see how the Quarantine Class of 2020 used the support of their parents, teachers and faith to shine despite difficult circumstances. The Clarion Herald asked seniors to reflect on how they used their time of quarantine and handled the challenges of a global pandemic during one of the milestone moments of their lives.

Get ready to be inspired!

Connor Quaglino, Jesuit High

By uniting our suffering to the passion of Christ, we can witness the graces that God is giving us in a difficult time and understand his unconditional love.

Many positives have emerged from the coronavirus time away from school that have strengthened the bonds between the seniors and the faculty at Jesuit High School, but more importantly, among the members of the senior class itself.

In some of my online classes, I have developed more intense relationships with my teachers as we would continue chatting past the designated class time because we sorely missed the in-class experiences. These conversations allowed me to more fully appreciate my teachers acting as empathetic mentors.

Additionally, the closure experience has united the senior class in a profound manner. We have kept in constant contact with one another to ensure the safety of all our families, including sending out prayer requests for relatives of students infected by the virus.

Our disciplinarian’s departing words of compassion for the senior class struck deep into our hearts and reflected the love that Jesuit has shown toward us. His speech moved me to tears but, more importantly, offered warmth and closure to my transformative years at Jesuit.

While the school has provided so much to help me to endure this difficult time, my faith has truly kept me steadfast and allowed me to power through. The daily Masses live-streamed from the second-floor chapel have illuminated God’s love. With these videos, I have also felt as if I were still at Carrollton and Banks preparing for a day of school and praying for the graces to endure the school day.

Fortunately, I have not been alone in this determination to focus on God’s love and comfort in this time of turmoil. By attending weekly Zoom calls for the senior Bible study, I have been blessed to hear from like-minded classmates who are striving to find God in their lives. A discussion upon the works and mystery of the Holy Spirit shifted my current perspective substantially. One of my classmates urged me to discover the Holy Spirit actively working to enhance my spirituality and to inspire all the faithful, instead of fixating on all the chaos.

Furthermore, calls for the senior chapter of the Sodality of the Immaculate Conception have brought me closer to my fellow Sodalists than ever before and have provided us a chance to speak with our beloved chaplain, Jesuit Father Kevin Dyer, who has temporarily filled the role of chaplain at University Medical Center. His descriptions of the strong faith lives of the coronavirus patients inspired me to remain hopeful for God’s blessings and kindled my heart in seeking out service opportunities for families affected by the virus.

The resources of the faculty and my fellow seniors have alleviated the difficulties of the coronavirus regarding my senior year. These efforts exemplify the love I must exhibit toward everyone and reminded me to constantly be grateful for everything God has given me.