Teachers, students hold covenant Mass

By Jessica Able, Record Staff Writer

Father Wayne Jenkins, pastor of St. Albert the Great Church, left, and Father Chris Lubecke, associate pastor of St. Albert, signed a covenant at a school Mass Aug. 27 pledging their commitment to students and faculty during the current academic year. (Record Photo by Jessica Able)
Father Wayne Jenkins, pastor of St. Albert the Great Church, left, and Father Chris Lubecke, associate pastor of St. Albert, signed a covenant at a school Mass Aug. 27 pledging their commitment to students and faculty during the current academic year. (Record Photo by Jessica Able)

Students and teachers at St. Albert the Great School began their new academic year by pledging to do their best at the school’s first covenant Mass, Aug. 27

Prior to the Mass students and teachers signed a covenant book which had a verse from the 62nd chapter of the Book of Ezekiel which read “For I will re-establish my covenant with you, that you may know that I am the Lord.”

By signing the covenant book each child promised to try to do his or her best while each teacher committed to do everything in their ability to instruct the students. The book was presented at the school Mass.

The idea of the covenant Mass originated with Father Chris Lubecke, associate pastor of St. Albert the Great Church.

When Father Lubecke was in seminary — at St. Mary Seminary and University in Baltimore — every new school year there would be a covenant Mass.

“Any new students would sign a book saying ‘I want to be a part of this community, to focus on learning’.”

At St. Albert the covenant exercise is also about building a community at the parish school, Father Lubecke noted.

“When you sign something there is a little more accountability,” he said.

At the Mass Father Wayne Jenkins, St. Albert pastor, told the student body the covenant Mass was an opportunity for them to come together to ask God to help them in their journey.

“What we are doing today is saying ‘God, we want to love you, to do our best so we can go to heaven’,” he said.

Fathers Lubecke and Jenkins also signed the covenant book at the opening Mass where they pledged their commitment to the students and teachers. The covenant book was brought forth during the Procession of Gifts. It will be placed in a prominent place in the school to remind students of the agreement, Father Jenkins said.

Father Lubecke said he hopes the covenant brings a level of enthusiasm to the school community.

“I know everybody is fired up right now. I hope they say ‘Wow, we’re all pulling this cart in the same direction.’ I think this is a great way to start off the school year on the right foot,” he said.

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