Congratulations to the graduates!

Greenville, Rhode Island, July 5, 2011 – “Bring all you have received to your new mission in the Church.”

These are the words of Bishop Emeritus Louis Gelineau of the Diocese of Providence during the June 18, 2011, graduation ceremony of the students of Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, Rhode Island.

On the beautiful sunny morning, nineteen seniors received their B.A. in Religious and Pastoral studies. Family, friends, benefactors, faculty, staff and students gathered in the college chapel as Bishop Gelineau reflected the “giving and receiving” of encouragement while pursuing one’s life goals.  

Following the Mass, those in attendance moved to the outdoor Grotto of Our Lady. Bishop Gelineau lead the procession to open the commencement ceremony, followed by Mater Ecclesiae President Luly Fernández, Ph.D.; Dean of Academic Affairs Patricia Camarero Ph.D.: Commencement Speaker Dermott Mullan, Ph.D.; and the graduating class.

Mater Ecclesiae President Fernandez welcomed all those present and thanked the organizers.  She then announced the board’s recent election of a new Mater Ecclesiae College president, Dr. Deb Bauer, and presented the new Director of Student Affairs, Cecilia Azcunaga. 

Commencement speaker Dr. Mullan, a professor and researcher in the area of astrophysics with the Bartol Research Institute at the University of Delaware, encouraged the audience to learn from the natural sciences.  He said that, just as classical physics required the knowledge of quantum physics to explain the brilliant energy of the sun, the contemporary world requires a new approach to catechetics. 

He said the “sacred space” created by consecrated persons, so

	Patricia Camarero, Bishop Gelineau, and Luly Fernández.

evident to him when he hears the Mater Ecclesiae students singing at Mass, reaches out in a new and non-confrontational way to others, drawing them into contact with God.  He concluded by thanking the students for responding “Yes” to God’s call.

Then the long-awaited moment had arrived.  President Fernández formally pronounced the words of conferral and the students came forward to receive their diplomas and a hug of congratulations.  The graduates then stood to a warm round of applause and shifted their tassels.
At the end of the program, President Fernández was presented with a bouquet of flowers as the consecrated women of Regnum Christi expressed their gratitude to the women who had dedicated herself to the Mater Ecclesiae mission for 15 years. 

The ceremony came to an end as graduates sang hymns of thanksgiving to God before processing out to the next phase of their vocation.  Congratulations Graduates!