Incarnate Word Academy commemorated the anniversary of the death of Venerable Jeanne Chézard de Matel, the foundress of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament (IWBS), during a campus-wide Mass on Sept. 12.

Incarnate Word Academy held its 15th Annual Angel Mile on Aug.t 12 at the school’s training site located at Our Lady of Corpus Christi, 1200 Lantana St.

Some 400 exiting students from 13 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi participated in the “Liturgy to Begin the School Year” on Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, with Bishop Michael Mulvey presiding. Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody, pastors of parochial schools and other diocesan priests, concelebrated. It was the first time since 2019 that Catholic schools gathered for this celebration due to the pandemic.

St. John Paul II High School Junior Armando Rivera was selected and invited to compete in Ames, Iowa, for nationals to represent the State of Texas this summer.

The Office of Catholic Schools hosted a Professional Development Day for teachers in the Diocese of Corpus Christi on Aug. 9 at St. John Paul High School. Guest speaker Dr. Richard Grant, a licensed psychologist who specializes in Myers-Briggs consulting and training, challenged Catholic school teachers to learn about themselves and each other’s personality types. 

The excitement was palatable for students and teachers as they eased into their first day of the 2022-2023 school year in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Most schools started their first day of school on Aug. 11, except for Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) elementary, middle and high school levels, which began on Aug. 8. 

Incarnate Word Academy welcomed students and families to the campus for their annual Angel Check-In Registration on Aug. 4. New and returning students and families met with friends and teachers, collected spirit clothing, and completed forms for the registration process. 

The Office of Catholic Schools begins the school year with a Spiritual Day for diocesan and parochial teachers in the Diocese of Corpus Christi on Aug. 8. The event was held in the Cafetorium at St. John Paul High School. The event began with the celebration of Mass by newly ordained Father Charles Silvas, who happens to be an alumnus of St. John Paul High School.

Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School Cheerleaders (Crusaders) hosted a successful Kiddie Cheer Camp on July 26 in the school’s gymnasium. Over 40 girls practiced kicks, chants, dances and cheers under the supervision of the Crusaders’ cheerleaders and their sponsor and math teacher, Lisa Hernandez.

Salutatorian Ella T. Garcia graduated from Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School on May 26. Her spectacular middle school career started three years ago as a sixth grader, obtaining straight A’s while playing three sports. As a seventh grader, she continued her success as a student-athlete maintaining her “A” average while playing sports year-round. She was also selected to the National Junior Honor Society.

Salutatorian Briannah Mejias from St. John Paul High School plans to major in secondary education with a minor in kinesiology at Sul Ross State University. She will also be playing collegiate softball.

From her time at Incarnate Word Academy, Salutatorian Grace Eleanor Leeson has learned the value of determination, grit, and hard work. She plans to incorporate these skills into her college life and beyond. She will be studying English and Pre-Med at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and intends on attending medical school following her college graduation in 2026. 

A world of dynamic and diverse cultures was creatively showcased by second graders at St. Pius X Catholic School recently, during the school’s first annual Culture Fair. School Principal Beth Hinojosa said the event was a great success and allowed the students to gain hands-on knowledge about a specific country they chose to feature.

Second grade students from St. Anthony Catholic School in Robstown recently participated in a field trip with their teacher, Blanca Konitzer, along with a small group of parents. Konitzer said the trip to the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens coincided with some classroom work revolving around planting a garden.

Valedictorian John Carlo Dimla has ended his high school journey with distinction and will pursue a career in mechanical engineering. Looking back over his high school journey at St. John Paul II High School (St. JPII), he feels prepared for the next phase of his life. “JPII has taught me how to strengthen my faith through the tough times and work with others,” he said. He learned that you shouldn’t fear new challenges. “Many things will change, but you will only get stronger moving ahead.”

Incarnate Word Academy Valedictorian Joaquin Dionio feels that all the hard work, effort, and dedication he put into his studies over four years have paid off. “I feel that IWA has prepared me for life after graduation by teaching me that success is earned, not given. If one wants to accomplish something and be great at something, they must put in hard work, dedication, and time in whatever they want to achieve,” he said.

Two representatives from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented St. John Paul II (St. JPII) High School with the Above and Beyond Award for their extraordinary support of their teachers, Mr. Benjamin Nye and Mr. John McFarland. Second Class Petty Officers Nye and McFarland are Marine Science Technicians (MST2) in the United States Coast Guard Reserves. 

Students from Sacred Heart School donate Accelerated Reader points for pizzas to clients of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Rockport.

St. John Paul II High School seniors will celebrate their graduations by attending a Baccalaureate Mass at Corpus Christi Cathedral on Saturday, May 28 at 10 a.m. Sixty-four seniors from St. John Paul II will complete their high school journey at the altar of Corpus Christi Cathedral. 

​​​​​​​Incarnate Word Academy High School seniors and class of 2022 will celebrate their graduations by attending a Baccalaureate Mass at Corpus Christi Cathedral on May 27 at 2 p.m. Fifty-five seniors from IWA will complete their high school journey at the altar of Corpus Christi Cathedral.