CSJ-Sponsored Schools Come Together for Biennial Gathering
Mar 12, 2025
By Samantha Miller
Every other year, faculty and administrators from four schools — three on Long Island and one in Puerto Rico — gather with a shared goal: discussing value-based education and faith formation for their students.
The network of four all-girls Catholic college preparatory schools, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph, came together on Friday, March 7, for their 2025 Convocation at the Sisters’ Brentwood Campus. The day was filled with opportunities to connect and grow as educators while delving deeper into their roots with the Sisters through tours and exploration of the property.
Present were faculty and administrators from Academia Maria Reina, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Fontbonne Hall Academy, in Brooklyn, New York; Sacred Heart Academy, located in Hempstead, New York; and The Mary Louis Academy, based in Jamaica Estates, New York.
“The CSJ Convocation at Brentwood provided a unique opportunity for faculty and staff from all CSJ-sponsored schools to reflect on our shared mission,” said Rocco Gentile, principal of Fontbonne Hall Academy.
Marcus Mescher, Ph.D., associate professor of Christian Ethics at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, led the presentation portion of the day. He discussed dealing with difficult and divisive topics in the classroom, providing participants with crucial skills and tools to continue being the best educators they can.
“The keynote address, delivered by the author of “The Ethics of Encounter: Christian Neighbor Love as a Practice of Solidarity,” inspired attendees to embody compassion and serve as models of love for the students we guide,” added Mr. Gentile. “We left reinvigorated in mind, body, and spirit.”
The day closed with a liturgy in the Sacred Heart Chapel.
“We experienced the positive energy of the Convocation participants throughout the day,” shared S. Mary Ann Cashin, director of Educational Ministries with the Sisters of St. Joseph, who led the event. “They found Dr. Mescher’s presentation to be accessible and relevant, and one which supported the mission we all share. The closing liturgy in Sacred Heart Chapel was especially joyful and inspiring.”
Participants left the Brentwood Campus feeling energized and excited, having spent the day thriving in each other’s company and imparting wisdom to one another.
