177 Helias Catholic graduates urged to keep becoming everything God created them to be
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Catie Meystrik’s dad’s observation struck a chord:
“It must have been great for it to make saying goodbye so hard.”
“Some parts of graduating are really exciting and some are really sad,” said Catie, a member of Helias Catholic High School’s Class of 2025.
“My dad told me, ‘It’s so good that you’re having a hard time saying goodbye to it, because it means it really has been a wonderful experience,’” she said.
“It HAS been wonderful!” stated fellow graduating senior Iris Morrissey. “Every time I cry about it, it’s definitely a happy cry. And like a friend once told me, tears are the Holy Spirit working through you.”
They and 175 classmates graduated from Helias Catholic on May 8.
“There’s really too much to praise God for,” graduating senior Richard Mosha Jr. stated. “It’s like, ‘God, there’s so much I can thank you for, but it’s too much now. It’s literally everything. I can’t be grateful enough.’”
“Life in general is such a gift,” said Catie.
Matthew Liebsch said he’s especially thankful for having been known and appreciated at Helias Catholic.
“You don’t always know the potential you have until someone sees it in you and tells you about it and helps you understand it,” he said.
To the core
A clear sky and steady breeze greeted the Class of 2025 at their Commencement in the Helias Athletic Complex.
Helias Catholic President Ronald Vossen urged the seniors to carry their shared ideals out with them.
“The core values that guide everything we do at Helias Catholic are faith, community and excellence,” he said. “We hope that you will continue to be guided by these values throughout your lives, that you continue developing into the people God has called you to be, and that you will remain close with your Crusader family as you march onward together.”
Together, this year’s 177 graduates have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to continue their post-secondary education.
Eighty-one percent plan to attend college or technical school, 14% will enter the workforce. Seven are committed to service in the U.S. Armed Forces,
Richard, one of two Father Helias Award recipients, led the assembly in prayer, asking God to pour his blessing out on the celebration and the graduates.
“Help all of the Class of 2025 to remember that we are created in your image and likeness and called to be saints who serve you and our neighbor,” he prayed.
Fellow Father Helias Award recipient Kenadi Harrison proclaimed a reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes.
“God has made everything beautiful in its time,” she proclaimed. “He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ... God has done this, so that all may stand in awe of him.”
Richard, in his role as student council president, addressed his classmates about what it means to be graduating.
He contrasted how safe and easy it felt to be a child versus the reality of becoming an adult.
“Everyone always says that being a kid was the best, and that they wish they could go back,” he stated. “But I beg to differ.
“Growing up doesn’t mean you leave your past behind, or that you sacrifice your fun for money and responsibilities,” he said.
“No, growing up is so great because of the memories you take with you and because you get to make memories that will last with you forever.”
It told his fellow seniors to bask in the greatness that comes from their uniqueness and from being a Helias Catholic Crusader.
“When you leave here today, do not be afraid to grow up, but instead be excited that you will get to make lasting memories,” he said.
Erin Vader Ed.D, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, led the graduating seniors in prayer.
She asked God to help them remain vigilant and uncomfortable enough to act whenever they see injustice and any affront to human dignity.
Dr. Vader and Principal Spencer Allen distributed the diplomas as Assistant Principal Emma Williams announced the names.
Mr. Vossen congratulated each graduate amid waves of cheers and applause.
Ten graduating seniors were honored as valedictorians: Callie Bellsmith, Claire Cassmeyer, Claire Huntley, Alana Hynes, Catherine Meystrik, Lydia Moellers, Macy Morris, Richard Mosha, Margaret Stonner and Cambri VanLoo.
Other honors included:
- the John Baptist De La Salle Service Award for contributing 500 or more hours of service over their high school years: Claire Cassmeyer, Caroline Hayes, Claire Huntley, Lauren Mathews, Alaina Meyer, Crosby Pierce, and Julian Schmidt.
- the Father Helias Award, recognizing outstanding contribution to Helias Catholic: Richard Mosha and Kenadi Harrison;
- the American Legion Citation, recognizing leadership, scholarship and service: Sam Lopez and Catherine Meystrik;
- the Veterans of Foreign Wars Award, recognizing citizenship, scholarship and good attendance: Matthew Liebsch and Mary Iris Morrisey.
Positive identification
The morning of graduation, the seniors, their families and the whole student body gathered in the Rackers Fieldhouse for this year’s Baccalaureate Mass.
Father Paul Clark, the school chaplain, cautioned the soon-to-be graduates against seeing their gowns and mortarboards as a trophy for something that’s been completed.
“They’re actually a statement of your identity, of who you now are,” he said. “The goal of Catholic education isn’t to finish something but to become something.”
Namely, being transformed, like the Apostles, into a source of light in darkness, into an answer to what is needed, into something that makes the world better.
Their graduation is a milestone toward becoming more fully what God created each of them to be: a beloved son or daughter of God.
“You’re getting ready to take that identity to the next level,” said Fr. Clark. “Becoming saints and scholars in a world that needs those saints, that needs truth, beauty and goodness to be proclaimed.”
Faith in action
In interviews, four members of the Class of 2025 talked about what they’ll remember and what comes next.
“One of the biggest things I would ever want to do is get somebody into heaven,” said Richard. “I think that should be the goal of anyone who’s part of the faith — to bring the most people to heaven.”
“Yes! We want to get those people to heaven, and to be a small Coach Rockers in everybody’s life,” stated Iris, referring to the school’s campus minister and the rest of the Campus Ministry team. “That’s my goal! That’s who I strive to be.”
Iris, Richard and Catie were involved in Campus Ministry. Matthew was involved in Peer Ministry and the Discipleship Group.
“Because of Campus Ministry, I feel like I was really able to bring my faith into my school life,” said Catie.
Matthew said Helias Catholic does a wonderful job of reminding students that God is present, and giving them opportunities to pursue a relationship with him.
“I’m a firm believer that God should be at the center of everything in your life, including at school,” he said. “I hope every graduating senior takes that with them and remembers it.”
Catie plans to study secondary education and English-language arts and play tennis at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, in the fall.
Richard plans to study computer science at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Iris plans to study social work at the University of Missouri.
Matthew plans to use the state’s A-Plus program to begin his business studies at the State Technical College of Missouri in Linn.
They said they’ll miss their friends and the tight sense of community they experienced at Helias Catholic.
“The connections here were one of the greatest strengths I ever found,” said Richard. “I was able to make a lot of new friends and meet a lot of new people.”
“I miss the way you feel known, the way you feel seen,” said Matthew. “People know you and you know them and you matter to them, and they know they matter to you, and we all want the best for each other to succeed.”
“And then all the retreats and mission trips, the faith formation that’s presented to you,” said Iris. “Within all of that, I formed my best friendships ever.”
All four are convinced that they can carry that experience into the next phase of their lives.
“Something I will definitely take with me is building relationships based on God, his love, our faith, our love for him,” said Iris. “And then, it’s stronger than any other relationship, any other friendship you’ll ever have.”
“Helias showed me the rewards that come with putting yourself out there and entering into friendships,” she stated. “Being brave and being smart and doing the right thing — just having that confidence and knowing good things will come from it.”
“At Helias,” said Richard, “my faith grew immensely, through Peer Ministry and also through Mass and through all the celebrations that we go through and everything we learn.”
“Overflow”
All four said they had learned important lessons at Helias, beyond the classroom.
“I’ve learned to stay really, really close to the people who I can be myself around,” said Catie.
Many of those happen to be people she’s known the longest.
“A lot of the friendships that I already put energy into developing and growing, those were the relationships I valued the most,” she stated.
Iris said she discovered the tremendous power of kindness.
“Kindness takes you so far!” she said. “A smile takes you sooooo far. If you just smile at someone in the hallway, it’s like the best thing ever.”
Matthew learned the value of being kind to everyone in word and deed, and of minding his own business.
Richard learned the importance of being consistently authentic.
“Because every connection you’ve made without being yourself is not a real connection,” he stated.
He also learned the importance of staying true to his values.
“I don’t think the phrase ‘selling your soul’ necessarily means making a deal with the devil,” he said. “I think it means going against your morals for some sort of perceived gain, be it social or monetary or anything else. Because if you’re not yourself, then you can’t really live.”
He said an important concept he earned from the Campus Ministry team is “overflow.”
“The only way you can share God’s love is if you overflow with God’s love first,” he said.
Iris also learned the value of giving thanks for things that are not always perfect.
“For me, competing in athletics and academics, things don’t always go your way, but you give God thanks for the things you get to do,” she stated.
“Anything is possible”
The four interviewees are convinced that people will be able to recognize them as Helias Catholic graduates.
“Without a doubt! Just by our determination and leadership,” said Iris. “Also, my faith is going to be very important to me as I go into the next step, new people, new friends.”
“One of my biggest goals is to stay immensely committee to my faith,” said Richard. “See that and the values we learned here at Helias, I think they’ll be able to see that I’m a Helias alum.”
Matthew believes people will see his Crusader roots in his solid and patient work ethic.
“Helias really makes you work for it,” he said.
“I think we all had good values instilled in us, with our faith and academics and everything combined,” said Catie. “So, I hope to be recognized as a good student and a good person.”
All four said they want to be Catholic for the rest of their lives.
“The tradition, the sacraments, everything is just so beautiful,” said Catie. “And there is nothing else that has given me so much life as being in the Church.”
“Because, with the right people around you and the faith, I think anything is possible,” said Matthew.
They mentioned seminarian Graden Schmitz, Fathers Paul Clark and Gregory Clever, Campus Minister Zachary Rockers and the entire Campus Ministry Department as people who had led them closer to Christ.
Matthew pointed to faculty members such as Mrs. Sue Bruemmer and Mrs. Amanda Wehrle, Dr. Mary Miranda, and Coach Margaret Shimkus, who patiently gave of their time to help students understand what they were learning.
“The example they gave of not putting yourself first, and of helping others,” he said. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I think they have equipped me to understand when someone might be struggling, and how to help.
“What we’re made for”
Catie asked for prayers for young people to remain Catholic and stay active in their faith, and for each graduate to continue to seek Jesus in every encounter and in every person.
“I think we all just need to pray to the Holy Spirit to just be with us and keep us on the right track,” she said.
Richard requested prayers for consistency in the faith, in academic pursuits and in life.
“So that we’re always going to church on Sundays, always praying to God, also always going to classes and keeping up with our friends,” he said.
Iris asked for prayers for the graduates to continue desiring to continue in the faith, enter into it more fully and follow whatever vocation God has in mind for each of them.
“That we don’t get too fixed on our earthly desires. And remember what we’re made for — a life with God in heaven,” she said.
