Top Students are Honored at Awards Dinner

"We have been truly blessed by your presence," said new vice rector Fr. Michael Byrnes to honor students at the Awards and Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, April 23. "Thank you for your contributions to the Sacred Heart community."

On the eve of Commencement, the seminary has had a long tradition of sponsoring a dinner and awards ceremony to recognize graduates for their high academic achievement. This year, thirty-one students in the college and graduate schools received honor cords for earning grade point averages between 3.50 and 3.64 (cum laude), 3.65 and 3.79 (magna cum laude) and 3.80 and 4.0 (summa cum laude). The seminary also conferred its Bovich Award for homiletic excellence to seminarian Rev. Mr. James Smalarz, and its Brownson Award for catechetical excellence to MA Pastoral Studies graduate Ms. Margaret Casing. Both awards provide funding to attend a convention or workshop.

The evening was also a time to recognize the contributions of departing administration and faculty members. Former vice rector and dean of over six years Fr. Patrick Halfpenny, Fr. Gerard Bolduc, who had been director of graduate pastoral formation since 1998, and Mrs. Karen Rae Mahaffey, who is retiring in June as director of the Cardinal Szoka Library since 1989, received gifts and appreciative applause for their years of exceptional service. Fr. Piotr Andryszcak, a visiting professor of philosophy for the past year from Cracow, Poland, was also celebrated, including for his expertise in coaching the seminary soccer team to an improved record. There was a time of silence and prayer for Fr. Paul Kreimes, a long-time assistant professor who passed away on January 30.

At the ceremony's conclusion, the crowd enjoyed an unexpected gesture of recognition. Rector Fr. Steven Boguslawski, whose birthday it was that day, received a scrumptious cake presented by members of Ovations, the seminary's catering service.