ORLANDO  |  More than 1,200 educators from the Diocese of Orlando Catholic schools gathered Aug. 6, 2025, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe to celebrate Mass and pray for a blessed school year.

Superintendent Erika Wikstrom thanked those present for accepting what she described as their “sacred mission of Catholic education, not just as a job, but as a vocation.”

In her second year as superintendent, Wikstrom laid out five pillars to better support and encourage staff and students with the understanding, “We are rooted in the reality that we are forming children for both Harvard and heaven.”

The pillars are wisdom through the “thoughtful use of information, insight and reflection to guide our decisions”; leadership by “investing in growing leaders” who witness and influence; accountability — “called to holiness and excellence pursued with joy and humility”; service by providing school leadership that “walks with you, not ahead of you”; and unity — promising “a network of collaboration across regions,” harmonizing ministries, rooted in mission.

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, administrators and teachers shared how they will communicate that hope to their faculty and students. Anthony Gutierrez, principal of Holy Redeemer School in Kissimmee, said he is “coming at it from a servant’s heart.”

“We see in Mark 10, the Lord served, and He did that first before He served himself. At our school, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the light of Christ to our students and putting our families and their students first,” he said.

Jeanne Morgan has been a teacher for more than 40 years. At Holy Redeemer for more than a decade, she feels “hope and joy knowing that Jesus is our Lord, knowing that the Holy Family is with us, and that the Holy Trinity and the faith are going to be so important in their lives.” Her second-graders will be receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion this year. She said bringing hope infused into preparing for these Sacraments and “into every single part of the day” is what sets Catholic schools apart.

Kaitlyn Loso teaches at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Winter Park. She is focusing on hope at a time when the world really needs it.

“Just reminding them that even if the world may feel like it’s full of chaos or even maybe little scary at times, we can always count on our Catholic faith to be reminded of the beautiful virtues God has given us,” she said. “We are journeying through this life together as a community, with our heavenly friends, our saints who are going to guide us to hopefully reach heaven and become saints ourselves.”

Meaghan VandenBosch, principal of St. Joseph School in Palm Bay, said Catholic schools are different because “it’s more than just your mind and your body. It’s also about your soul.”

“We are forming disciples, and it is more than just educating. We get to instill Catholic education into everything that we do,” she added.

Michelle Watkins, a teacher at Lourdes Academy in Daytona Beach, said, “We are reminded that we are on a journey with our students and we are walking that journey with them towards faith and hope and heaven.”

Nick Pavgouzas, principal of Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando, recognizes high school is an impressionable period in the lives of students. He said forming young people “in a time of their lives that’s really transformational” is significant.

“They’re really learning how to be independent in their spiritual life, so it’s up to us to show them that their spiritual walk is something of hope that they can carry throughout their lives, not something that’s burdensome, or intimidating,” he said. “This relationship they’re building with Christ is something that is hope. It’s love. It’s joy.”

During the Mass, the diocesan superintendent awarded teacher of the year awards for each grade and congratulated school winners for their service projects — Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Ocala and Father Lopez Catholic High School in Daytona Beach.

Assuring them of her support, Wikstrom said, “As your superintendent, I am not here to add to your workload. I am here to walk with you, support you, and build with you a system worthy of the beautiful mission we share.”

Alicia Abbey received the Jenni Heneghan Catholic School Leadership Award in recognition for her exceptional leadership in providing specialized education to the children at Morning Star Catholic School.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, August 14, 2025