It is a tradition here at IHM School that our graduation ceremonies are not very long and drawn out. Being a traditionalist and loath ever to change things — especially good things — I shall do my part to retain our customary brevity. The fourth-century Bishop of Barcelona and Father of the Church, Saint Pacian, famously wrote these words in his first Epistle to Sympronian: Christianus mihi nomen est, catholicus vero cognomen — “Christian is my name; Catholic is my surname.”

Good morning, Father Philipson, Father Smith, Sister Marie Therese, Sister Mary Perpetua, Mom, Dad, faculty, family, friends, and all of you who will be here for this lengthy ceremony, trapped in formal decorum, and no doubt contemplating the quickest escape routes and nearest exits. I promise I will keep this brief. When I sat down to write this speech, I sat there staring at the words “when I sat down to write this speech” for about twenty minutes before I actually wrote an

These years of high school have been a challenge, but I was able to persevere, and now here I am graduating from Immaculate Heart of Mary School. I would like to thank all of my teachers who spent hours teaching me to help me become a better person and to help increase my knowledge in life. First of all, I would like to thank my parents for bring me up properly […] in the Catholic Faith and always being there for me—to help me with my homework, to provide food, clothing, and