Mass of Remembrance

This past Saturday, St. Thomas Aquinas High School gathered as One Trojan Family to honor our departed alumni, faculty, staff, and benefactors of BGA/STA at our annual Mass of Remembrance. Surrounded by prayer, community, and the light of faith, we remembered those whose lives shaped our school and whose legacy continues to guide us.

As Rev. David E. Keyes shared in his homily:

"We remember those who have gone before us —
classmates, teachers, friends —
whose lives began here and are now complete in God.
Their faces may not be among us,
but their example still speaks.

It speaks in how we treat one another,
in how we pray,
and in the hope that ties the living and the dead together in Christ.

When we talk about being One Trojan Family,
this is what we mean.
It’s more than a motto —
it’s a bond that crosses years and generations.

We belong to something larger than ourselves —
not just a school,
but a communion of faith and love.
Those who came before us are not gone;
they remain part of us —
praying for us, waiting for us, cheering us on toward heaven."

On Saturday, we felt the depth of those words.
We prayed for those who have gone before us, entrusted them to God’s eternal care, and gave thanks for the ways their love, service, and faith continue to shape our community.

May their memory be a blessing,
and may we honor them by living with the same spirit of compassion, hope, and unity that defines the One Trojan Family.

A special thank you to Julie DeFilippo, Class of 2001, for serving as Cantor for this Mass.

To stay connected with STA, submit the names of loved ones for future In Memoriam recognition, or reconnect with our Alumni community, please visit: www.stahs.net/alumni