Notre Dame Green Pond’s Class of 2019 graduated on June 6 in an outdoor ceremony at the school’s football stadium. They were graced by sunny skies, a hovering drone and the occasional firecracker.There were 121 graduates, accompanied by at least 500 friends and family, celebrating the end of one journey and the beginning of another.

The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown always attends every Catholic high school graduation in this area, and this year was no exception. But Bishop Alfred A Schlert had a very good reason for making sure he was at Notre Dame. That’s because he’s a Notre Dame Crusader himself. He graduated in 1979 and groaned that his commencement took place inside a sweltering gym.

Bishop Schlert told graduates they each have been created for a great purpose, even though it may still be unknown to them. He said each of them, as products of Notre Dame, has a “well-found” conscience.

“Be courageous enough to follow your conscience, and follow where it leads,” he said. “Our nation and our Church need people with well found consciences who are not afraid.”’

He also exhorted these graduating seniors to keep their human dignity. “Never allow anyone to rob you of your dignity, which was given to you by God,” he pleaded.

“We are honored to call you a Crusader,” Principal Andrew D’Angelo said to Bishop Schlert.

Though 121 is a small number of graduates, compared to larger schools, these are students who have been accepted by 154 colleges and universities. This includes two students who will be reporting later this month to US military academies.

John Frederick Koons is one of 10,000 applicants to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. He plans to become a pilot. His father is an Air Force Academy graduate, and his brother Tom is a student there.

“I can’t wait to make him stand at attention and give me a salute,” Tom said.

Valedictorian Benjamin Errol Gormley will be reporting to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He wants to be a Marine. He sounded a bit tired during his remarks, but there’s a good reason. Earlier in the day, he was part of a Crusader baseball team that pounded Wyoming Seminary, 8-0, in the PIAA3 quarterfinals. One more win and the team plays for the state championship.

Salutatorian Isabella Guet-Cruza said she arrived at Notre Dame as an introvert, but has learned to “be courageous,” just as Bishop Schlert recommended.

Notre Dame High School is a private, co-ed Roman Catholic high school in Bethlehem Township with an enrollment of about 570, taught by a 40-person faculty. It includes 9th through 12 grades.