Baccalaureate Mass
The heavy rain from the afternoon had let up by the evening on Thursday, June 6, 2024, when the families of our graduating seniors gathered at St. Luke’s Church in Whitestone to celebrate the Class of 2024.
For many of our students, attending mass at St. Luke’s seemed fitting, as so many of them were former students at St. Luke’s Catholic Academy or it was their family’s local parish. It was another opportunity for all families to come together before the commencement ceremony was held that weekend.
Our celebrant was Father John Costello, Pastor of St. Luke Church, a member of the Class of 1981, and a former member of our Board of Directors. It is our tradition to bestow our highest honor, the Knight of the Year award, at the annual baccalaureate ceremony.
The Knight of the Year is an honor bestowed upon a graduating senior that embodies the characteristics of a Holy Cross student and is an individual of virtue and faith that embodies the Gospel values through prayer and experiences of their Christian faith. This individual is a thoughtful scholar, a leader and is committed to moral and ethical behavior while being committed to service.
This year’s Knight of the Year was accepted to Holy Cross from Bell Academy in Bayside and is from Holy Trinity parish.
This scholar athlete participated in JV Bowling and Handball as an underclassman before focusing his efforts in Volleyball. He was a key player on our boys volleyball team and was the team manager for our girls volleyball team. He peppers his off season with ping-pong club and engages in exploration with our outdoor adventure club.
He was also co-president for Campus Ministry and an ever-present volunteer at our school liturgies and community events. His ministry efforts expanded beyond our school community to his parish, Holy Trinity, where he participates as a counselor for their Module Youth Program (MYP). He is also an active member of their “Vision in Progress” (VIP) youth ministry where he has helped work to stock the St. Fidelis food pantry. He has also volunteered his time with the St. Mary’s Children Hospital.
This year’s Knight of the Year is Luke Hammond.
Upon receiving her award, Luke addressed his fellow graduates and spoke about their time together at Holy Cross.
He said:
“It seems like yesterday, when, as a child, I visited my grandmother… who lives down the block from Holy Cross. I saw the athletes in the yard practicing. I thought that would one day be me. A “big kid.” A high schooler. Maybe even attending Holy Cross…. When I took the TACHS exam, Holy Cross was the only school I put down. As early as Accepted Students Night, I knew that I had found a new home…. I was drawn to the green and gold, the cross and anchors.
I’ve been in pursuit of more than a diploma. I yearned for an environment where I could become closer to God, and I found it here, in a community guided by Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross….
This institution has laid the groundwork for each of us to flourish into our own unique person under God, sharing the same root. Thank you for educating my mind…. Thank you for cultivating my heart. I am grateful that I was guided to attend Holy Cross High School. In closing, as Basil Moreau reminds us,“It is God’s hand which has guided everything, and it is God whom we must thank above all.”
Luke Hammond ’24 being presented with the Knight of the Year award by Dr. Weedens Blanchard ’89 at our Baccalaureate Mass.
Luke Hammond ’24 addressing his classmates upon receiving our most prestigious honor at the Baccalaureate Mass on June 6, 2024.
Baccalaureate Mass Photo Gallery
