The Dialog

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

After 19 years in Catholic education, Immaculate Conception’s Mary Kirkwood will retire in June

ELKTON, Md. — When Mary Kirkwood worked at St. Matthew’s School in Wilmington, she commuted each day from her home in Cecil County, Md., where she has lived since 1994. Her husband, Bill, asked her to find a job closer to home because she was wearing out his car.

Mary Kirkwood resisted because she loved St. Matthew’s, but in 2004, after Franciscan Sister Anna Mae McFeeley retired, she decided to apply for the principal’s position at Immaculate Conception School in Elkton, only 15 minutes from her home.

She has been there for nine years but recently decided it was time for another change. Kirkwood will retire at the end of June. Read more »

By Catholic News Service

METUCHEN, N.J. — Retired Bishop Edward T. Hughes of Metuchen, N.J., who was described as an untiring and outspoken defender of life, died Christmas Day. He was 92.

A funeral Mass was scheduled for Jan. 4 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, will celebrate the liturgy.

Retired Bishop Edward T. Hughes of Metuchen, N.J., who was described as an untiring and outspoken defender of life, died Christmas Day. He was 92.
(CNS photo/courtesy Diocese of Metuchen)

Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski of Metuchen mourned the bishop’s death in a Dec. 26 statement, describing him as a “faithful and humble servant” of God.

“Bishop Hughes was an untiring and outspoken defender of all human life and an implacable foe or racism and bigotry. His legacy to the people of Metuchen will be his uncompromising witness, given with gentleness but never wavering,” Bishop Bootkoski said.

Known as a strong advocate for Catholic education, Bishop Hughes also was a much-sought retreat leader, Bishop Bootkoski added.

The spiritual leader of the Metuchen Diocese noted that, despite serious illness during the last year, Bishop Hughes participated in the diocese’s annual Respect Life Mass and the ordination of three priests and continued to administer the rite of confirmation.

“The whole thrust of Bishop Hughes’ ministry was building up the faith in the people of God. He felt driven to preach the word of God and, like Blessed John Paul II, he showed us all how to endure suffering. He always appreciated and cherished the gift of life, given to him by God,” Bishop Bootkoski added.

Cardinal McCarrick described his late friend as someone who gave the people of the diocese a “real sense of holiness and an ideal to strive for, the ideal of service and the ideal of living in the presence of God.”

“Perhaps Bishop Hughes’ greatest gift was the gift of himself,” Cardinal McCarrick said in a statement released by the Metuchen Diocese. “He gave himself totally and absolutely. There was nothing more important in his life than to serve the people of Metuchen.”

Born Nov. 13, 1920 in Lansdowne, Pa., Bishop Hughes was named the second bishop of Metuchen in December 1986 after serving for 10 years as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1947 in Philadelphia.

By TheDialog

ASTON, Pa. – Sister Ann Michele Zwosta, who was a teacher and principal for 34 years at Padua Academy in Wilmington, died Nov. 1. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 46 years.

Sister Ann Michele, born Marian Eileen Zwosta in Philadelphia, arrived at Padua in 1975 as an economics teacher. In 1985 she became director of studies, and three years later was named vice principal. She became principal in 1990 and remained in that position until 2009. Padua was designated a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education during her tenure. Read more »

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

CHILDS, Md. – A STEM grant has changed the look and feel of science education at Mount Aviat Academy.

According to the school, Mount Aviat received a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) grant last spring to implement changes to its classrooms. The school’s science lab now includes an ActivSound enhancement system, ready access to iPads and a set of MacBook laptops, and learner-response devices that allow the students to be connected to the room’s Promethean board – an apple version of a SMART Board.

Read more »

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

ELKTON, Md. — The summer checklist for some high school students might look something like this: roll out of bed around 11, check Facebook, go to work, hit the pool, catch a movie.

For most, it does not include raising money for backpacks and school supplies for more than 500 children, unless you are part of the Kemp family of Immaculate Conception Parish in Elkton, Md. Beginning with Erica 10 years ago, then Laura Jeanne, Caroline and now Bryson, the drive now provides new school supplies to more than 500 children each year.

“We consider this serving the Lord,” said their mother, Mary.
Read more »

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

CLAYMONT — When Archmere Academy administrators informed students last year that each of them would be receiving a laptop from the school beginning this year, Kelsey Kushner was not impressed.

“I thought it was the worst idea ever,” the senior said last week. “I was so used to taking notes, that was the way I studied, and I didn’t want to change anything, especially not for senior year.”

Kushner said she had found the requirement to have a laptop a distraction at her previous school, but her outlook is changing as the program evolves at Archmere. “It’s just easier to have everything in one spot.”
Read more »