St. Mary’s School Dedicates a Beautiful Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe

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St. Mary’s Church and School in Oak Ridge celebrated Mass on Sunday, September 13th with a special blessing and dedication of a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The statue from Mexico was donated by Tomás and Bertalilia Léon of St. Mary’s Church in Jackson Tennessee. Sister Mary Rebekah, O.P., middle school religion and history teacher, maintains a relationship with the Léon family from her previous teaching role at St. Mary’s School in Jackson. She commented, “The Léon Family has always graciously supported the efforts of the Dominican Sisters.”
In preparation for the special day, members of the Knights of Columbus made an “Ark of the Covenant” to carry the statue from the church to the school. After Mass, the statue was mounted by the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard as the entire congregation processed through the school to the main entry foyer for a special dedication and placing of flowers at Our Lady’s feet. Over 250 parishioners and guests continued the celebration in the gym with live music and delicious food. Sister Marie Blanchette, O.P. Principal of St. Mary’s School described the moment, “It was a day rich in God’s blessings. It was beautiful to see the whole parish come together to honor the Mother of God. The devotion and love for Our Lady were tangible. From now on when someone walks in the doors of St. Mary’s School, the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe will serve as a reminder of the love Mary and her Son has for each of us. What a blessing to our school and parish community!”
St. Mary’s Catholic School is located in Oak Ridge and was established in 1950 to provide a Christ-centered education to students in Pre-K through the 8th grade. For more information about St. Mary’s School, please call (865) 483-9700 or visit www.stmarysoakridge.org.

St. Mary’s Brings Home the Gold for the Second Consecutive Year

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Several area middle schools were invited to Knoxville Catholic High School (KCHS) on Aug. 15 to participate in the 2015 KCHS Volleyball Feeder Fest Tournament.
The tournament lasted more than eight hours, with some teams playing up to six games each. The Varsity volleyball team from St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge took first place in the overall pool and continued its winning streak through the finals, securing its second consecutive Feeder Fest championship.
The St. Mary’s Junior Varsity team also did very well, as they took first place in their pool and second overall in the finals. Both teams are coached by Laura McKenna and Rob Halcrow.
Coach McKenna said, “Both the JV and Varsity teams have exceeded expectations in play, team bonding and sportsmanship. The girls have laid a strong foundation for another spectacular season. As a coach, I could not be more proud of the hard work and dedication the team has shown and I look forward to helping the girls gain confidence in their volleyball skills and grow on and off the court.”
Coach Halcrow said, “They did GREAT! This says a lot about our training program. We are the second smallest school in the Knoxville Independent School League, so we rarely make cuts. Pretty much if you show up to tryouts you’re in. I’m very proud of every player.”
St. Mary’s Catholic School is located in Oak Ridge and was established in 1950 to provide a Christ-centered education to students in Pre-K through the 8th grade. For more information about St. Mary’s School, please call (865) 483-9700 or visit www.stmarysoakridge.org.