Bishop Oscar A. Solis' Message to the Class of 2020

Friday, Jun. 05, 2020

Dear Graduates of our Utah Catholic High Schools,

Congratulations to all of you as you complete your high school years. This acknowledges not only your academic achievement, but also the many activities and community service that have been a part of the past four years. 

I commend your parents for the sacrifices they have made to provide you with a Catholic education, and extend my gratitude to your teachers and administrators for all they have done on your behalf, as well as recognize the generosity of our pastors and benefactors for their part in making your Catholic education possible.

It disappoints me, not being able to join you in the Cathedral of the Madeleine to celebrate with you your Baccalaureate Mass. We are all aware that these wonderful traditions are not possible during this extraordinary year of the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, your achievements are real, and you take with you wonderful memories of your days in the school community wherever you go. You will no doubt always remember your graduation because of the traditions you were not able to celebrate. However, nothing in life can take away the lessons you have learnt while walking along the road to success during these trying times. Nothing, not even college, can prepare you for the real world like the adversities you have faced in finishing your high school studies. 

I wish to remind you, as you finish your senior year, of the very heart of Catholic education, which is our commitment to Jesus Christ and the importance of Christian values for a meaningful life. This is the mission of our schools:  to provide a Christ-centered environment dedicated to faith formation, as well as academic excellence and personal growth. 

That is why the halls you walked and the classrooms where you studied were marked with Christian symbols, and why you gathered as a community to celebrate the Holy Mass and studied religion. I hope that you carry this treasure with you and continue to be faithful members of your Church community.

Furthermore, I commend you for the considerable time you dedicated to community service, performing works of generosity and charity for the most vulnerable and tutoring children or raising funds for those impacted by natural disasters. Volunteering to benefit our common good and to help others is an integral part of your Catholic school experience, for each person is a child of God, has value and deserves care. May these noble practices remain part of your being and a way of life so you can continue to make a difference in the lives of other people and help make our society and the world a better place.  

The future will no doubt bring many challenges, as the present pandemic has done. There will be disappointments, as there are now, with the cancelation of some your graduation traditions. At the same time, there are opportunities to look to the future with hope, to overcome the inevitable setbacks in life with courage, and to move beyond them with enthusiasm. So, set your heart to the future with trust in God’s providence, confidence in the value of your Catholic education and with joyful hope of the opportunities that lie before you. 

May God accompany you, bless you and your families, and lead you in your life’s journey.