BOCA RATON | The Catholic family of faith at Saint John Paul II Academy expanded April 13, 2026, with the reception of 33 students into the church during a Mass led by Bishop Emeritus Gerald M. Barbarito in the campus dining hall.
Seven students (Ryder Beaulac, Norah Cassata, Emma Garberg, Ryan Lagos, Olivia Lewis, Matthew Nino and Poppy Turner) were baptized. Three students (Matthew Maguire, Evan Herkenrath and Michael Uhrie), who were previously baptized in another Christian faith, publicly professed a conversion to Catholicism.
All of them received the sacrament of confirmation, along with Connor Ahlborg, Elle Calloway, Brodie Cerrato, Emilio Cordero, Victoria Damadian, Alexandra Galindo, Sebastian Jedovsky, Daniel Keohane, Nicholas Lattero, Gabriel “Hans” Loreto, Daniela Mejia-Lockett, Mariela Mejia-Lockett, Ciara Patten, Sadie Pellegrino, Kamryn Polimeni, Logan Prince, Isabella Ruiz Durand, Robert “Frank” Ruth, Santiago Sanabria, Taylor Sherman, Jack Whiteman, Hunter Wolf and Payton Wolf.
Before the start of the liturgy, Ed Bernot, academy president, welcomed everyone and thanked those responsible for preparing the students for this important moment in their lives.
“It is an extreme honor to welcome our families, parents, grandparents, sponsors and other honored guests with us today at Saint John Paul II Academy, and it is such a privilege for me to stand before you all to deliver that welcome,” he said. “I would be remiss if I did not thank in particular Mr. Colin Smith, our director of campus ministry, who has tirelessly worked through this program with Msgr. Tom Skindeleski, Mr. Christopher Berghout and Mr. Ryan Longton (theology faculty members), who have prepared these students for this OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process.
“There was an article about a week ago in The New York Times that talked about the number of conversions to Catholicism across our nation and even worldwide,” Bernot added. “And I am so inspired by our students, by our faculty, by our families to have a celebration like this in which 33 of our students are received into full communion with the church.”
After talking during his homily about the special elements employed in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation (water and holy chrism oil), Bishop Barbarito said, “As we celebrate these sacraments today, as we all receive the Eucharist, the body and the blood of Christ, we are reminded of who we are as members of the church. We are reminded that our faith makes a difference. That as we face difficult times, so difficult in our world today but also in our own lives as we face the difficulties that come to us, God is there with us. God does not abandon us. God reminds us of who we are, made in his image and likeness, made with a value, made with a dignity that nobody — nobody — can take away from us.”
At the conclusion of the Mass, Bernot thanked Bishop Barbarito, Carmelite Father John Horan and Father Brian King for their participation. The newly initiated were invited to have group photos taken with the bishop.
To learn more about Saint John Paul II Academy, visit www.sjpii.net or call 561-314-2100. Follow the school on Facebook, Instagram and X. Stay updated on the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools at www.diocesepbschools.org, or follow on Facebook at @diocesepbschools.
