The Brother Martin Class of 2023, their families, as well as our Partners in Mission, gathered one last time before graduation at St. Dominic Church in order to celebrate our annual Graduation Liturgy. 

After the liturgy, our President, Mr. Gregory Rando '77, spoke to our graduating seniors about what happiness might look like after they walk across the graduation stage:

"Is happiness a day that starts off sunny and cool? We love these days in New Orleans; they motivate us and encourage us to enjoy God’s creation. But we know that for every day that’s sunny and fair, there are dark clouds and storm winds that will come our way too.

Is having an important job title a reason for happiness? Certainly, if our position is the result of hard work and commitment to our profession. But we know that we are infinitely more than just the work we do and the title we have.

Is happiness having a lot of money? Money can buy us a lot of things, a lot of experiences, but ultimately these experiences end, these things fade. True happiness transcends our bank account amount.

We are here, after all, to celebrate an important milestone, your high school graduation, which is often a jumping-off spot for what many in our world consider the path to happiness. Some of you will be entering the military to serve our country or workforce to share your gifts and talents, and thus starting your financial-earning life… some of you will be attending college to learn a skill that leads to a career that is, hopefully, personally rewarding. However, whatever path you choose, don’t ever forget that the greatest examples of happiness we have in our lives are our relationships with family and friends and the memories these relationships create that help us when we are struggling.

Next Monday night, at the Lakefront Arena, you will literally sit between your parents and guardians, the people who provided you with the support you needed during your Brother Martin years, the people who made Brother Martin possible to you. All of your teachers will be present as well; they, too, walked alongside you during this part of your life’s journey.

When you look back on your time at Brother Martin, and we hope you will do this and do it often, with joy, it won’t be the math curriculum that you will remember or the plot points of a Shakespeare play. It will be your friends and classmates you laughed with in the (Tom and Gayle) Benson Mall, your teammates you cried with after your last varsity game, and the teacher who pushed you to do your best. These memories, these relationships, are the core of our happiness.

And the ultimate relationship that promises happiness is our relationship with God. God accepts us for who we are, challenges us to be who He intends us to be, and forgives us when we stray from what we know is right. God is the ultimate friend, the one whom we seek in all of our relationships. Enlighten our minds, sanctify our hearts, strengthen our wills, our school prayer implores of God. And He does!"

We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2023 once more as they take their final steps toward graduation!