November 29, 2021

Dan Dougherty, President, Cristo Rey New York High School

Cristo Rey New York High School is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of Holy Child Jesus.

Returning to Cristo Rey New York this fall has allowed our students and faculty to reconnect with a fundamental Cristo Rey experience. “Community” has been at the forefront of many of our activities as we welcomed all of our students, including 87 freshmen, back into our building. His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit to ask God’s blessing on our community. In October, our freshmen traveled with their teachers to Mariandale Retreat Center for their first Cristo Rey retreat.

This year’s theme was “Community Is Covenant.” Freshmen embraced their roles as new 9th graders, confident in the knowledge that each student is an essential part of the Cristo Rey family. They learned that community is more than just togetherness. Our students know that serving others strengthens their community, building a better world for themselves and others.

After a day of prayer, group activities, bonding, and spiritual growth, each student received a stone and verse from 1 Peter 2:5, “Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house.” By communicating to each of our students their importance in our community, they take pride in this chapter of their lives. We are eager for our students to grow in their faith and become young men and women who use their gifts to serve others.