The Brother Martin Class of 2023 received their senior rings on Thursday, August 25th, at St. Dominic Catholic Church in New Orleans. This liturgy celebrates the kick-off to our Crusaders’ senior year and represents the rich tradition of Brother Martin High School.
The Senior Ring Mass reminds our students that they are integral to carrying on the rich tradition passed on by the many men who have ventured forth from the halls of St. Aloysius, Cor Jesu, and Brother Martin High School.
After an inspiring homily by our Mass Officiant, Fr. David Ducote '04, our Principal Ryan Gallagher ‘00 offered a moving reflection before the seniors received their rings:
”Tonight, we gather as a community of Crusaders – as fellow brothers and partners. To our Senior Class of 2023, it is my hope that in your time thus far at Brother Martin, the value of the gift of servant leadership has been ingrained in you on some level.
Along with the charism of our founder Father Andre’ Coindre and the Brothers’ devotion to the pierced heart of Christ, it is servant leadership that binds each one of us through the hallways of our school. Whether we are a student, faculty, or staff member, we are all called by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and by our namesake, Brother Martin Hernandez, to endeavor towards this unique form of Leadership in order to carry the torch of the legacy we’ve inherited.
Seniors, tonight you’ll have bestowed upon you your Senior Class ring – the physical symbol of the responsibility that comes with this call toward a leadership embedded in the example you set for others. The ring you’ll receive is your official entrance ticket to his unique form of leadership. Rather than having reached the end, you now begin in earnest as the servant leaders of our school community.
When you receive your ring tonight, grab hold of the opportunity. Embrace the call to leadership. Place that ring on your finger every day, and let it serve as your reminder to answer the call, the challenge, and the opportunity every day to lead our school community regardless of the obstacles you’ll face...
We now rely on you.”
The ring itself symbolizes the school’s history, connecting past and future generations, and is a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans.
The crimson stone is encircled by a chain which represents the consolidation in 1969 of St. Aloysius and Cor Jesu High Schools into Brother Martin High School.
Brother Martin crest: Incorporated into the crest are five symbols that reflect the rich tradition of Catholic education that shapes the mission of Brother Martin High School.
The cross, at the center of the shield, represents the central place that Jesus holds in the school and our students’ lives.
The arms of this cross embrace four icons which serve to identify Brother Martin. The upper left quadrant contains the image of a heart, recalling both the love of Christ and the 150-year ministry of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and their partners in mission in New Orleans. Below this, the fleur-de-lis is reminiscent of New Orleans and its French cultural heritage. A book, representing learning, occupies the upper right of the field. A torch, symbolizing the light of Christ and a striving for excellence, completes the crest.
Surmounting the crest is the engraved representation of a pelican. The state bird of Louisiana, the pelican, represents steadfastness and a commitment to the future.
To the right of the crown is the engraved image of a Crusader. The ideal of the Crusader - the ideal that challenges all students at Brother Martin - is to put Christ before all else and to respond to His challenge to spread the gospel to all nations.
