The celebration of Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Dec. 8 ended with a surprise twist as everyone in McGarry Gym simultaneously blew up nearly 1,000 personalized balloons before singing "Happy Birthday" to celebrate the birthday of our beloved Chaplain Father Jim Caddy...
NDCL Celebrates Fr. Caddy’s Birthday
The celebration of Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Dec. 8 ended with a surprise twist as everyone in McGarry Gym simultaneously blew up nearly 1,000 personalized balloons before singing “Happy Birthday” to celebrate the birthday of our beloved Chaplain Father Jim Caddy.
The celebration of Fr. Caddy’s birthday also included a huge card and birthday cake – eight full sheet cakes, to be exact – for everyone at lunch. Fr. Caddy, NDCL’s chaplain since 2014, turned 85 on Dec. 11.
“Being here with all of you for the past nine years keeps me young,” Fr. Caddy told the cheering congregation.
Big-Hearted Lions Brighten Christmas
Thanks to the generosity and hard work of many in the NDCL community, Christmas will be brighter for more than 100 children at Cleveland’s Saint Francis School.
“Our students’ enthusiastic response to our Advent Giving Tree project enabled us to deliver dozens of beautifully wrapped gifts for the children of Saint Francis School,” explained Director of Campus Ministry Miss Halle McKeon.
NDCL’s Christmas delivery also included 55 fleece blankets to wrap the school’s little friends at Saint Francis with the love of the Lions at Christmastime and always.
Grand Opening for Class of ‘27
Nearly 150 eighth-graders from 31 elementary and middle schools enjoyed a sneak peak on Dec. 8 of the excitement that lies ahead for them as NDCL students for the next four years.
Dubbed the “Grand Opening for the Class of 2027,” the program began with students finding and opening their lockers, which contained their schedules for the evening as well as souvenir T-shirts and even Chipotle gift cards for some especially lucky participants. Current freshmen generously volunteered to vacate their lockers so the eighth-graders could borrow them for the night.
Students then created draft course schedules from NDCL’s nearly 120 courses and played charades with student ambassadors to explore activities available during daily Lion Time. They also worked in teams with their soon-to-be NDCL classmates to compete in a Christmas cup-stacking challenge.
The grand opening concluded with participants receiving personalized replicas of the high school diplomas that NDCL looks forward to awarding them in May 2027.
Director of Admissions Michael Suso ’03 and Assistant Director of Admissions Pete DeMichele planned and directed the popular event with the help of an enthusiastic team of faculty and student volunteers.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta
Students and staff celebrated in anticipation of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 by singing and dancing to the lively music of a professional mariachi band during all lunch blocks on Dec, 9.
Spanish teachers Leticia Echanove and Ofelia Puente coordinated the musicians and the colorful Mexican decorations throughout the Trela Dining Commons, which featured a beautiful shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe created by Spanish teacher Illiana Thomson.
Friday’s celebration also gave everyone the chance to sport their Christmas sweaters – ugly or otherwise – for a holiday-themed dress down day. To top off the fiesta of fun as students wrap up the first semester, Principal Joseph A. Waler treated everyone to special churro sundaes at lunch.
Arimathea Society Carries Departed to Their Final Rest
NDCL’s Saint Joseph of Arimathea Society provides pall bearers for the funerals of persons who have no immediate family or who have no relatives or friends capable of serving in this role. Local funeral directors reach out to NDCL on behalf of families in need.
Students usually do much more than carry the casket at the cemetery. Often, they participate in the funeral Mass and join in the graveside prayer service.
The society is named after Saint Joseph of Arimathea, who cared for the body of Jesus after the crucifixion and buried our Lord in his own tomb.
