New St. James the Apostle Catholic Elementary School Blessing and Dedication
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board celebrated the Blessing and Official Dedication of the new St. James the Apostle Catholic Elementary School. The evening commenced with a blessing of the statue of St. James the Apostle and all of the classrooms and learning spaces by the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton.
Bishop Crosby led the gathering in an opening prayer and commented on the value of Catholic education. He emphasized that educating young people has been a longstanding priority for the Church since its earliest days. Following his remarks, Bishop Crosby blessed the crucifixes, which at the conclusion of the blessing were carried by students and teacher back to each of their classrooms.
Cutting a shiny blue ribbon, Bishop Crosby, Reverend Andrew Quarshie, Chairperson, Patrick Daly, Trustee, Councillor Brad Clark, Director of Education, David Hansen, Superintendent of Education, Morris Hucal, Principal, Elena Minicucci, parent and student representatives, and other special guests, declared the beautiful new facility officially open.
The St. James the Apostle Catholic Elementary School Choir, performing their theme song “We Are Made For Love” from Catholic Education Week, entertained a full gymnasium of guests.
In words of congratulations, Board Chairperson Patrick Daly reflected on this special occasion, sharing a quote that spoke to him of the places and spaces Catholic Schools are to students, their families, our Church and world: 'The purpose of Catholic Education is to provide a space for people to fall in love with God, who recklessly is in love with them.' Daly also noted that June 13th, the date of the Official Blessing of St. James the Apostle school, coincided with the blessing of the original school in 1976.
He expressed deep gratitude knowing how hard so many individuals worked to make the new school a reality. He offered special words of appreciation to His Excellency Bishop Crosby, Reverend Andrew Quarshie, Senior Manager of Facilities Paul Ferrie, Manager of Construction Roy Drysdale, and Associate Director of Corporate Services Paola Pace-Gubekjian for their vision and tireless work. He thanked in a special way Principal Minicucci, the teachers and staff of St. James the Apostle for their dedicated service and goodness.
In her remarks, Elena Minicucci shared, “It is with great excitement and honour that I stand before you today as the Principal of St. James the Apostle C.E.S. I began my education here as a student of St. James and years later began my Principalship here at St. James. There are a lot of memories invested here."
Reflecting on the past two years, she noted, "What a unique experience the St. James School Community has lived through. March 5, 2024, was the first day we welcomed St. James students and staff to our new school. The looks and expressions of the students as they walked in on the first day are unforgettable. Some of the children’s eyes were wide open, others' mouths were dropped, they were trying to take it all in."
"Our new school is a well-deserved blessing for our community," Minicucci continued. "We are grateful to God for keeping us safe throughout those two years and now enabling us to enjoy this wonderful school. Together at St. James, we will build on our past achievements and forge a new path for the future. We look forward to the many wonderful things that are yet to come for our school and community! Many Blessings!”