12 Baccalaureate and Commencement For the first time in Guerin Catholic history, Baccalaureate and Commencement were celebrated outside on the lacrosse/soccer field due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Although their time at Guerin Catholic was cut short, the Class of 2020 persevered and celebrated together almost two months after their originally scheduled graduation. The 176-member class and their families gathered on two beautiful July evenings to celebrate a final Mass together as a class and receive their well-deserved diplomas. Each member of the Class of 2020 also received Guerin Catholic Legacy rings depicting the official crest of Guerin Catholic (see page 14). Valedictorians for the Class of 2020 were Alexandra Alva , Nico Dinglasa, Katherine Elsten , Faith Goodin, Margaret McGuire , Ashley Utnage and Grace Vlasak. Salutatorian was Audrey Darland . On behalf of the valedictorians, Grace Vlasak and Maggie McGuire addressed the class during Commencement. “Ironically, our class with all of its supposed 20/20 vision didn’t see any of the last few weeks coming,” said McGuire. “But, just like any other obstacle, we took a pandemic in stride. We reconnected with our families and found creative ways to stay in touch with our friends. And so, throughout quarantine, we made new memories, maybe not to replace the ones we missed out on but memories we will cherish forever, nonetheless.” “At Guerin Catholic, we came to know ourselves. It was a place to grow and the mark of this place on our character will remain with us wherever we go. Our time together may have been cut short, but we grew up together and therefore, will always be bonded,” continued McGuire. “Now, even as we enter the world in the wake of turmoil, we can do so with the confidence that we can persevere with the grace of God,” said Vlasak. “At this point, it would be customary to remind you all that the world is yours for the taking. But I won’t. The world is not yours for the taking. Instead, I will tell you that the world is yours for the stewarding. I’ll admit the phrase doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but I ask you to consider why that might be. Maybe it’s because this phrase doesn’t indulge the desire for power, control, and perceived superiority that we carry into this new, uncertain, and somewhat daunting chapter of our lives. We are called to be stewards, not conquerors. As we leave the shelter of Guerin Catholic, we must remember the stewardship we learned here: to lead with humility, to serve with love, and to trust in providence.” n CLASS OF 2020 IMPACT MAGAZINE • FALL 2020
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