New Rochelle: Mass of the Holy Spirit at Salesian High

By Julia St. Clair, SUE Province’s Communications Director

(New Rochelle, N.Y. – September 23) – On Friday, September 18, Salesian High School held its first full school Mass of the academic year. The Salesian High family celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit at Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Rochelle at 10:00 a.m.

New Rochelle and Salesian Missions’ Director Fr. Mike Conway presided at the Mass, which was concelebrated by Provincial Fr. Dominic Tran and other members of the Salesian community.

During his homily, Fr. Mike Conway spoke of Christ’s early disciples and how they always went where Jesus went and felt calmness and reassurance till His Passion. “They were terrified and ran away,” Fr. Mike explained. “Only one disciple, His Mother, and a couple of others stood at the foot of the cross. The disciples were confused and couldn’t make sense of what happened.” That was until Christ’s resurrection. “They were overjoyed and felt the comfort and peace they longed for,” Fr. Mike continued.

Christ stayed with them for 40 days. “He had to complete the Paschal Mystery, yet knew the disciples’ feelings,” Fr. Mike detailed. “Christ reassured them, ‘Don’t worry. I’m gonna send you an advocate to guide you and lead you on your way.’”

That advocate would be the Holy Spirit, who came down at Pentecost. “They felt God’s presence through that Spirit,” Fr. Mike beamed. “They were moved and went preaching. God’s Spirit was with them.”

Fr. Mike encouraged everyone to remember that God’s Spirit is within us all. “You and I have God’s Spirit within us to guide us and lead us to the truth to fulfill what God wants us to do,” he imparted. “Today we ask Him to inflame us with His presence and do what we gotta do, to welcome Him and appreciate His presence to do what God wants us to do. ‘Come, Holy Spirit.’ We ask the Holy Spirit to come.”

At the end of the homily, Fr. Mike offered these words: “Always remember that no matter where you go, God is with you and will fill you with His loving presence.”

At the end of Mass, Salesian High’s Principal Cynthia Chambers announced the names of three students from the Class of 2027 who won the Angeles T. Arrendondo Foundation (ATA) STEM Scholarship Prizes. Congratulations to Ryan Weber (third place; received $20,000), Derrick Franco (second place; $30,000), and Kenechukwu Nebolisa (first place; $50,000). These scholarships will be applied to the students’ university tuition upon their graduation in 2027.

Finally, Salesian High’s Student Body President Jordan Cruz ’27 presented Fr. Tom Brennan, SDB, who has stepped away from Salesian High School after seven years as a school counselor, with a plaque expressing gratitude for his service and closeness to the young in so many ways over the years.