For the first time the Diocese of Covington will be celebrating a baccalaureate Mass for public and homeschool high school seniors.
“It is a way to celebrate them and their achievements,” said Angie Poat, diocesan youth minister.
As the graduation season draws nearer with each passing day, Poat said she realized, “Public and homeschool seniors don’t have the opportunity to experience the capstone moment that a baccalaureate Mass is.”
She said that such a Mass is a moment of entrustment and praise, “Giving thanks for what God has done, is doing, and entrusting what he will do in the future.”
The tradition of the baccalaureate Mass dates to Oxford in 1432, where as part of the ceremony each graduate had to recite a sermon in Latin as a display of academic excellence.
Though the modern baccalaureate Mass requires no mastery of Latin or any other display of academic excellence, it is an opportunity to have the last thing done in a student’s high school tenure be a Mass meant to specifically “an opportunity to bring them into the presence of God,” said Poat, it’s a “beautiful experience.”
The inaugural public and homeschool baccalaureate Mass will be held at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, May 1, 5:30 p.m. You do not have to be Catholic to attend, everyone is welcome along with their families and friends.
There will be a reception afterward with, “light dinner and heavy desserts,” said Poat. If you would like to attend the reception it is requested that you RSVP before April 26 using the link on the diocesan website. No RSVP required to attend the Mass.