When the freshmen of the Class of 2024 took their first steps at Prep, they did so separated by time into hybrid-learning cohorts on a staggered schedule, and separated by distance in seats six feet apart. Now, together, the graduates of the Prep Class of 2024 strode along the Keenan Field turf, welcomed by members of the faculty and staff at either side. It was the first procession to begin Prep’s commencement ceremony since 2019, and it was one last walk, together, for this remarkable class.
Having begun their Prep journey in such a splintered manner, perhaps the Class of 2024 was uniquely qualified to appreciate Prep as a place where everything converges, bringing together varied perspectives and backgrounds and interests to forge something greater, something whose first chapter ended on June 4, but whose next chapter will last a lifetime.
Student speaker (and student council president) Nicolai Mendoza captured this sentiment, shifting the focus from the usual nexus at Grand & Warren to the other end of the block, and what he called a “golden spot” near the Saint Peter statue: “[I]f you stand exactly on the coordinates 40.716° North, 74.039° West, and then look forward, you will be centered at three of America’s greatest sights: the Statue of Liberty to your right, the New York City skyline at your front, and—of course—Jersey City’s downtown to your left.”
It was here, at this place of convergence, that “our family – once differentiated by the distinct customs of 118 communities” became woven into the vibrant community of downtown Jersey City. It was here in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty that “has inspired generations to ascend beyond their limits and forge new paths,” that the Class of 2024 discovered the freedom and responsibility inherent in life at Prep and came to realize what is possible, “even in times of triumph, of loss, and of adversity.” And it was here, viewing “the wondrous spectacle of New York City’s skyline… the complex concrete jungle symbolizing our abundant opportunity,” that the class left their mark—in academics, in the arts, in athletics, in co-curriculars, and throughout the halls of the place they called home.
In short, it was here “that we reminded ourselves what AMDG can mean through the concerted efforts of 203 teenage boys… We are, after all, a brotherhood built on shared experiences, not just these physical landmarks.” But the stage where those experiences played out will always be there as a reminder of lessons learned, challenges met, lifelong friendships forged. “We should never forget that, if we simply look behind us, the distinctive red bricks of Warren Street still remain, reminding us that we have walked and will forever walk the road of Saint Peter’s Prep together.”
Offering the faculty address, Kitty McNally, completing her 17th year as a member of the English Department, recalled the way the late Tony Azzarto, S.J., celebrated “everyday saints… people who are good, kind, open, and loving because that is just who they are, who they want to be, not for recognition or glory…” As Ignatius put it, “to labor and not to ask for reward.” Or, as Kurt Vonnegut put it, “‘You meet saints everywhere. They can be anywhere. They are people behaving decently in an indecent society.’ Decency is something that people need and expect from each other… However, in the jumbled world we live in, it can seem easily forgotten, or not so very valued. It needs armies of kindness, dignity, and compassion. It needs people like you, and believe me, the world is waiting for you!”
She added, “You have the ability to bend this world to your will by insisting on practicing kindness and gratitude, and finding God everywhere and in everything, being funny, a little Jersey City-scrappy, and, of course, [borrwing a favorite phrase of former Prep President Bob Reiser, S.J.] aggressively friendly. Class of 2024, go forth and make this world a better place by being you!”
On a day that celebrated the value of being in good company, and the way those connections can grow from the unlikeliest of beginnings, a fitting highlight was the presentation of the Insignis Award to longtime faculty member John Mullin, S.J, who begins his retirement this summer. In presenting the award, Prep President Michael Gomez, Ed.D., ’91 recalled a story Fr. Mullin shared at his Legends of Prep induction, about a young Jesuit scholastic—the then-Mr. Mullin—getting lost in Jersey City on his first visit to Prep in 1970. “I repeat this story…because it tells us something about our potential to grow and overcome. Think of Fr. Mullin as we know him and love him. The nervous young man who was lost that evening has guided so many—along the road to Emmaus, and onward to great things beyond…And the place that seemed so alien to him in 1970 would become home, a place where he would spend 31 of the past 54 years, a place he would come back to again and again even after being called away to serve elsewhere. And he has done so much to help make it home for all of us as well.”
Building bridges, striving for more, acting with generosity, rebounding from adversity—these have always been the hallmarks of a Prep graduate, and the experience of the Class of 2024, with their halting, unusual introduction to life at Grand & Warren, has challenged them to work just a bit harder at each, even before striding beyond Grand & Warren. Despite spending much of their first year confined to the thumbnails of a Zoom meeting screen, they have transcended limitations and contributed unique gifts to the life of Saint Peter’s Prep, learning along the way the value of walking together. Wherever the go next, they will forever be connected by the experience of four years at Prep, and they will always walk in good company.
More from Graduation:
- 146th Commencement Photo Gallery by Mark Wyville, ’76, P’11,’18
- Awards Presented at Graduation
- Baccalaureate Mass video highlights
- Baccalaureate Mass photos
Video of the full ceremony | Open in YouTube for chapter index