From All Saints Mass to expanded activities, students enjoy being part of St. Matthias ‘family’

In observance of All Saints Day, students at St. Matthias School, Somerset, participated in a quarter-century old tradition of delving into the lives of saints.

Starting in September, students in the fifth grade begin to prepare for the school’s annual All Saints Mass by selecting a saint and researching their background. They create a visual presentation like a poster or slide that highlights important life events, pen a two-three page report and even prepare a costume representing their selected saint – which they don at the Mass and also while delivering an oral presentation about what they learned.

“At Saint Matthias School, it is a rite of passage that each student brings to life a chosen Saint at the All Saints Day Mass,” said fifth grade teacher Adele Szczenia. “It helps students gain a deeper understanding of the lives and virtues of the saints. By researching, presenting, and dressing as their chosen saint, they develop a personal connection to these figures. This experience helps them reflect on how they can live out virtues like kindness, courage, and faith in their own lives.”

During the Mass, students participate as readers, cantors and altar servers, while a few recite their oral presentations and others present gifts. Following the Mass, the fifth-grade students who hosted the service are joined by their grandparents for a special celebration in the cafeteria.

“The best part of the year so far was doing the All Saints project and Mass,” said fifth grader Jacob P. “I learned a lot from the All Saints Mass. I learned that Saint Bridget of Sweden was the mother of Saint Claire of Sweden, and that is really cool that a mother and daughter are both saints.”

Eighth grade student Aaliyah L. enjoys the annual tradition, as well.

“The All Saints Mass is important because it brings the saints to life,” she said. “It connects us to our Church.”

The November 1 tradition is just one way that the school community embraces its Catholic morals and values.

“We have students of varying faiths and beliefs attending St. Matthias. However, the morals, values and life skills that are integrated into our academics are invaluable to our students, no matter what faith they practice at home,” said Christopher Igneri, who teaches in the third, fourth and fifth grades. “Our students are engaged spiritually, morally and academically. Lastly, our families, faculty and administrators reinforce the mission of St. Matthias, extending our practices into every aspect of our students’ lives.”

Igneri shared that teachers and administrators also work to engage students in new and exciting ways throughout each school year. 

This includes an expansion of extra-curricular clubs, to include Szczenia’s cooking club and Igneri’s flag football club, not to mention dozens of other clubs and after-school activities for students. The school also spotlights a classroom and teacher each week on social media to help spread the word about what’s going on around the school. 

Igneri said they are also bringing back hands-on learning opportunities through field trips, including a middle-school trip to Washington, D.C. to learn about civic duty and the structure of government.

Aaliyah shared how much she enjoys the activities offered to her and her classmates.

“Being in the eighth grade, there are a ton of special activities,” she said. “I appreciate everything the teachers, principal and our families do to make our last year at school special. The teachers are pretty great and it’s always very welcoming.”

Igneri said that students develop special bonds with their teachers, and genuinely enjoy being at school.

“We also do our best to try to make the school day as exciting as possible,” he said. “Of course, we work on our essentials in a faith-based environment, but everyone from our administrators to Father Abraham and Father Lance, to each and every faculty member, are excited and happy to be a part of the family at SMS.”

He added, “I have worked in both the public school system and a few different private schools, and I can honestly say that St. Matthias truly is family in every sense of the word.”