BSM Community Welcomes Archbishop for Easter Mass

On Wednesday, April 27, the faculty, staff, and students of Benilde-St. Margaret’s School welcomed the Most Reverend Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to the BSM campus for a celebratory Easter Mass and visit with students.

The Archbishop’s visit is significant since it is the first Mass celebrated in person for the entire BSM community since the COVID-19 pandemic upended life in February 2020. 

“Any time the local leader of the Church interacts with our school, you feel a real sense of community found in Catholic schools,” said Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut, BSM President. In his remarks at the conclusion of the Mass, Dr. Ehrmantraut noted, “The presence of our shepherd affirms the mission and work of what we do here at BSM, we are grateful this reflects a return to normalcy and enjoy having the archbishop with us.”

While at BSM, Archbishop Hebda led the community in a special Mass for Easter during which the school choir sang hymns for the Easter season and from Psalm 25, and students participated in the processional, as eucharistic ministers, and read the lesson from the Acts of the Apostles 4:32-37. Father Tim Wozniak ‘66 read the gospel lesson, John 20:11-18.

"The last Mass we had together was for Catholic Schools Week in 2020, and the archbishop was also present for that service,” said Mike Jeremiah, BSM’s campus minister. “It’s fitting he was again with us today celebrating the joy of Easter. It is in a spirit of rebirth where our students are once again able to be actively involved in our worshipping together."

Over the last two years, bringing BSM's 1,200 students together was impossible due to COVID restrictions. Instead, students would attend virtually from their homerooms. "I feel privileged to have the archbishop with us," said Harper Stevenson-Shimek '26. "Today's experience helps me grow in my faith."

For Archbishop Hebda, the experience of visiting Benilde-St. Margaret’s provided him with an opportunity to connect with local faithful, “I’m very grateful to be here, in the midst of the challenges in our world, experiencing the joy of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter.” 

The archbishop added, “I am inspired and happy to be with students receiving a Catholic education, building upon their academic and intellectual potential. To have the opportunity to encounter Christ together in school, there’s a sense of unity and purpose which carries you to graduation and beyond.”

Following the conclusion of the Mass, the Archbishop spent time with members of the BSM student body, answering their questions and challenging them to think seriously about their faith as they approach graduation. “It’s awesome for us to meet the archbishop, and for me it affirms how BSM is faith-centered," said Jeff Raymond '22, "I like how this experience shows we really care about the faith and how the Eucharist is so important in our life.”

The celebration of Mass is a regular occurrence at BSM during each school year - for the beginning of the school year, before Christmas, on Ash Wednesday, for Easter, and at graduation. The faith experience is integral to the education of each student at BSM, a community-wide expression of learning, service, and social justice. 

“It is critically important for our students to have engaging conversations about their faith,” said Dr. Ehrmantraut, adding, “Being able to think about what the Archbishop said today, and how it applies to their life is something our students will remember for many years to come.”