Commencement Invocation and Greeting
Sr. Therese Leckert, O.P.
Corporation Member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace

Sr. Therese Leckert, O.P., Corporation Member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, delivers the invocation and greeting at the May 20th commencement for St. Mary’s Dominican High School.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving and Gracious God, please bless the St. Mary’s Dominican High School Class of 2017 on this joyful day of graduation. As our graduates leave Dominican, help them to hold fast to Veritas and continue to live out the Dominican values of prayer, study, community and service. May they have the courage to stand up for what is what is right and just as they meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. May the bonds of friendship they have formed here at Dominican be a strong support in the years to come.  And may your peace fill their hearts as they seek to bring peace to whomever they meet on their life’s journey.

Now, Graduates, I invite you to close your eyes and open your hearts as you pray these words: Thank you, Loving God, for the gift of a Dominican education and for all who have provided and supported that education. Thank you for my parents and other family members and for the school leadership, faculty, staff, Board and alumnae.

Dear God, please continue to mold my mind and my heart according to your Word. Give me wisdom to know your will and courage to make good choices that respect the precious gifts of life and all creation. May I always know that you are with me and that your Spirit is leading and guiding me every day.

I ask all this in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dr. Thomas, members of the School Leadership, faculty, Board of Directors, staff, alumnae, family and friends of graduates, and of course, the Class of 2017, I bring greetings to all of you from the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Congratulations to you, Graduates! The Dominican Sisters of Peace are proud of you. We know that you have worked hard to achieve this milestone and we want you to know that you are in our prayers as you begin a new chapter of your lives.

Dominicans have been involved in Catholic education for hundreds of years. Here in N.O. Dominican Sisters have been involved in Catholic education for 157 years. With Veritas as their motto and their love of study, Dominicans seem to have a special attraction to the ministry of education.

Dominican Sisters of Peace are no exception to this tradition.  Our congregation sponsors two colleges and four high schools. In partnership with the Boards of Directors and the schools’ leaders, we have the responsibility of ensuring that Catholic and Dominican values are integrated into the life of the school. We are very proud of St. Mary’s Dominican High School students, alumnae, parents, faculty, staff and leadership. You have been outstanding in making the Catholic faith and Dominican pillars the foundation of the school’s spirit and life. You extend our mission of preaching the Gospel, seeking truth and building peace in a world that desperately needs it. We have watched with joy as you have creatively responded to new needs of the world today with the STREAM™ initiative, integrating faith and reason in all the academic disciplines.

Graduates, we know that all you have learned at Dominican will provide a solid educational and faith foundation, on which you can build the rest of your life. We are confident that the Catholic and Dominican values of prayer, study, community and service will always be part of your lives. As Alumnae of St. Mary’s Dominican High School, you will continue to be part of our Dominican Family and we, your Dominican Sisters of Peace pray that Veritas will always be your motto, engraved not only in your Senior ring but also in your heart. Congratulations, Graduates and God bless you all!