Graduation is a ceremony, a special occasion performed for a purpose. Ceremonies celebrate milestones, achievements and, in a very special way, life itself.

All graduations are similar, and all graduations are unique. The recent graduation ceremony at Lancaster Catholic High School (LCHS) celebrated the completion of goals and new beginnings, scholastic success and, of course, God.

"At Catholic, we get in and get out," said LCHS principal Terry Klugh. "Everybody should know their roles and it moves, there's a rhythm to it and the focus is on the students. You look up and it's over. We have it down to an hour, and it's a solemn hour."

"I think people truly understand what we're trying to do, which is honor our seniors," Klugh continued. "The celebration happens at the end of our ceremony. The focus is on the student and what he or she achieved. That doesn't happen too many times in a person's life."

On the picturesque Thursday evening of May 30, LCHS conducted its 96th graduation ceremony at the school's Crusader Stadium. Surrounded by family, friends, teachers, administrators, underclassmen, community members and officials of the Diocese of Harrisburg, 118 members of the Class of 2024 bade farewell to Lancaster Catholic High School together.

The day prior, LCHS had conducted its senior awards celebration and baccalaureate ceremony.

"When members of this class were freshmen, they were still dealing with COVID," said Klugh. "They may have been the first class to understand the need to overcome. They'll almost be known as the persevering class. It wasn't a smooth process. It was a struggle, but they did it. As they went through their four years at Catholic, they became more and more evolved. Then they took leadership roles as juniors and seniors."

On their big day, those seniors began showing up outside Crusader Stadium around 6:30 p.m. After Klugh gathered them together and reminded them that they are loved, members of the Class of 2024 processed boys and girls, side by side, across the stadium turf to their seats.

The ceremony opened with a prayer from Fr. Stephan Logue, the singing of the national anthem by Sydney Diane Dissinger and the reciting of the class poem "Cap and Gown, Reflections on Graduation" by Gemma Elizabeth Nazickas. Dan Breen, the Diocese of Harrisburg's secretary of education; Lyla Grace Maurer, class salutatorian; and Julia Elizabeth Smith, class valedictorian, addressed the seniors and Klugh presented diplomas to each member. Included in the ceremony's conclusion were a closing prayer, the singing of the LCHS alma mater by Collin James Stritch and, of course, the traditional flinging of caps into the air.

"I think most Catholic principals would see themselves as the conductor of an orchestra, kind of a collaboration conductor," said Klugh, who's retiring after 10 years as LCHS' principal. "The students look to you to give the credence of the music. Once all the players have all the instruments and music, you just need to let them play. Commencement was like watching the symphony. It's very rewarding to see it happen. Everyone is playing their roles, and all the players are interacting."

For additional information about Lancaster Catholic High School, go to http://www.lchsyes.org.