Helias Catholic High School celebrated the recent completion of its newly renovated Crucifix Entrance with a blessing and rededication ceremony Thursday, Sept. 7.

The ceremony offered a moment for the Helias Catholic community to express gratitude together for the great gift of our school and to ask God in prayer to continue to open the hearts and minds of those who enter Helias Catholic High School to greater knowledge and love of Him.

“Today we ask God’s blessing on this entrance to this center of seeking, learning and teaching what is true,” Helias Catholic Chaplain Father Paul Clark told students and visitors. “We ask that those entrusted with the education of young people in this institution may teach their students how to join the discoveries of human wisdom with the truth of the Gospel so that they will be able to keep the true faith and live up to it in their lives.”

Fr. Clark, along with student leaders in Helias Catholic’s campus ministry program, led Thursday’s rededication ceremony.

“Asking God to bless a new or updated space in our school is a beautiful tradition that reminds all of us in the Helias Catholic community why we’re here,” said Ron Vossen, interim president of Helias Catholic High School. “Our school’s mission is to support students as they strengthen their faith, build community, and seek excellence in all they do. Events like this are great opportunities to ask for God’s guidance as we continue this work.”

Among those present during the rededication ceremony were Jim Wisch and grandson Max Borgmeyer, a sophomore at Helias Catholic, who together built the pedestal holding a statue depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the entrance, acknowledging the Mother of Jesus as the patroness of the Diocese of Jefferson City.

The original entrance to the 1956 school building, before a 2017 expansion added the current main office, the Crucifix Entrance was updated in late 2022 to make it more functional and inviting. Still a primary student entrance, it is recognizable by the statue depicting Jesus on the cross behind the front windows facing Swifts Highway. The renovation extended the entrance outward, adding an atrium area as well as roofed coverings as students and visitors approach doors on either side. The original crucifix statue was brought forward with the expanded entryway, with new lighting installed to keep the image of Jesus on the cross visible at the heart of our community at all times.

View a video of the full rededication and blessing ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vtPpl8yEjA.

View additional photos from the ceremony at https://heliascatholic.zenfolio.com/p153781900.