Graduation 2017

Published: May 26, 2017

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor delivered the following commencement speech at the Catholic High School graduation ceremony on Friday, May 26, 2017.

Bishop Taylor

The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes ends as follows: “Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh” — you graduates can agree with that, at least those of you who have done much study.

“The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this concerns all humankind; because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12b-14)

You graduates are about to embark on the most exciting and most dangerous chapter of your life. Soon you will be out from under the direct control of your parents and you will have to learn how to use this new freedom responsibly.

Some graduates do well with this because they “fear God” — they want to please God in all they do, “keeping his commandments” — always asking themselves, “what would Jesus do?”

Other graduates, frankly, crash and burn because they make choices they know are wrong and reap the unfortunate consequences.

Catholic High has done its best to provide you with a solid foundation for your future. Not only for future learning and eventually a future career, but for your future life in general. And it’s all rooted in a living relationship with Jesus whereby you seek to do God’s will in all things: in your personal morality, in the way you treat others, in your ongoing participation in the life of the Church and in your eventual choice of a career. Seeking to know God’s will and then to do it.

“Of the making of many books there is no end, and in much study there is weariness for the flesh. The last word, when all is heard: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this concerns all humankind; because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12b-14)

May God bless every one of you as you embark on this next chapter of your life.