Returning Thanks!

On Thursday, November 21, Wolfhound parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends of Saint Patrick Catholic School attended the Returning Thanks Breakfast. We were especially grateful to welcome so many members of our community back to campus in support of the School’s mission of educating and nurturing the whole child – mind, body, and spirit!

Guests were greeted by our always impressive student Legati and escorted to the gymnasium where they joined their table hosts for the official program. Father Jim Curran, Saint Patrick Catholic School Chaplain and Rector of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, opened the program by delivering the invocation. Fifth Grade student and grandson of Board President Dr. Pamela McKinney, DJ L., introduced his grandmother.

Eighth Grade student and Celtic Council President John-John W. introduced Head of School Lauren Mazzari. She stated that this year’s theme, “Enduring Legacy, Endless Possibilities, shines a spotlight on a special milestone: the 20th year of our school, dedicated to the total formation of its students. Saint Patrick “teaches our students to dream boldly and act with purpose, trusting that God has an important plan for them and will provide all they need along the way.” She closed by saying that “our goal is to ensure that Saint Patrick’s legacy of excellence - and the dream upon which it was founded - continues to inspire generations of Wolfhounds with endless possibilities and  that this unique educational experience remains accessible and affordable for all who seek it, so we can continue to graduate young men and women of character who dare not only to dream but to follow those dreams.” 

After a moving video presentation, Liam Combes, Class of 2013, reflected on his time at Saint Patrick. Now a Naval Aviator, flying the MH60 Sierra Knighthawk helicopter, Liam has had some time to look back and fully understand the positive impact his Wolfhound experience has had on his life. He reflected on each of the Life Ofs, but spoke to how the Life of Vocation helped him fulfill his calling to serve in the United States military, how his growth mindset and skills to persevere helped him achieve his goal of attending Boston University on an ROTC Scholarship, and how important the Life of Relationship has been to him in forging the lifelong bonds he developed with some of his Wolfhound classmates. Dubbed the “Bromigos,” Liam Combes, Alex Duvall, Ignatius Liberto, Sebastian Martinez, and Ethan Willingham have become an inseparable group of friends, despite going to different colleges and living in different areas of the country. They have traveled to Europe, hiked in Iceland, and continue to support each other as they continue to grow both personally and professionally. Liam closed by saying he is “grateful for the lessons he learned at Saint Patrick” and that this school “gave him his band of brothers.”  

Our final speaker was current and alumni parent Kieran Donohue. He spoke of the wonderful experience that his daughters, Molly and Nora, have had at Saint Patrick and that he and his wife, Erika, don’t merely see Saint Patrick as their daughters’ school, but they see it as “their school and community” as well. He then graciously asked parents to join him in “Returning Thanks” through their financial support. 

We truly appreciate all of the board members, parent ambassadors, table captains, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make the Returning Thanks Breakfast possible.