Congratulations to The Madeleine Choir School Class of 2016 in celebration of their commencement ceremonies last weekend.
Twenty years ago on May 26 -- the feast of St. Philip Neri (known as the Apostle of Joy and patron of laughter and humor) -- Archbishop Niederauer formally and officially approved the opening of a new school at the Cathedral of the Madeleine to be known as The Madeleine Choir School. In what was certainly humorous, there were no teachers or staff, no books, desks, computers or anything remotely resembling the infrastructure of a school, yet in just three months on 26 August, the new school was slated to open with a full student body. We give thanks to God today for his many blessings and graces, and for all of the past and present teachers, parents and staff who have made the Choir School a reality in our community. We also ask St. Philip’s prayers for our future, that through days of challenge and adversity we may ultimately find joy in the many lives enriched and the many souls ennobled through our work together.
We now commend our twentieth class of graduates, and we are fortunate to celebrate their accomplishments and have many reasons to make this a time marked by joy.