Cardinal Gregory Visits San Miguel School
His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory, speaks to students during Mass at San Miguel School on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021.
His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory, 7th Archbishop of Washington, visited San Miguel School the morning of Thursday, Sept. 2 and celebrated Mass with students, faculty and staff.
The occasion marked Cardinal Gregory’s first visit to San Miguel — and also helped celebrate the institution’s 20th anniversary year.
San Miguel School Board of Trustees Chairman Edward J. Quinn, President Maureen Appel and Principal David Palank welcomed Cardinal Gregory on a beautiful, crisp September morning as the Cardinal arrived at the school’s front entrance on Georgia Avenue NW.
In his welcoming remarks, Palank explained that this was the first Mass at San Miguel School in more than 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was only fitting that the first Mass celebrated at the school since the start of the global pandemic would be marked by the visit of Cardinal Gregory. His Eminence presided over Mass and was assisted by Fr. Charles Cortinovis, Priest Secretary to Cardinal Gregory, and Msgr. John Enzler. Msgr. Enzler, the CEO/President of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington, is also a member of the San Miguel School Board of Trustees.
Cardinal Gregory shared with students a message of hope, potential and triumph. He urged them to take advantage of the life-changing experience of attending San Miguel School and told them that if they follow Jesus, they, too would find much success in their lives.
“With Jesus, we are going to be successful. We are going to be successful in ways that we probably never even imagined that we would be successful,” Cardinal Gregory said, later adding: “Right here in this school there are the wonderful possibilities and the opportunities to be successful, to be real winners, to be young men with great futures and with great possibilities.”
Along with Quinn, Appel and Palank, the Mass at San Miguel was also attended by students, faculty and staff. Due to COVID-19 precautions in place, the visit was not open to the public.
Members of the San Miguel School community can watch the recording of the Mass via Facebook and on YouTube.
After Mass, Cardinal Gregory toured San Miguel School and also greeted students and faculty who watched the ceremony from their classrooms. Students who received communion celebrated Mass in person.
For more glimpses of this historic visit, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/SanMiguelDC.