Nearly a year ago, Angelica Almanza, a senior at Maria Regina High School, had what she described as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to meet Pope Francis virtually when she participated in His Holiness’ Scholas Occurrentes Global Conference, in Miami.
As a devoted Catholic who has always “admired the Pope’s humility, compassion, and dedication to social justice,’” it was unimaginable that the experience of encountering Pope Francis could be topped. But in just a few short weeks, it will be – Angelica will be among a select group of students from around the world— and one of only TWO students from the Archdiocese of New York — who will get the chance to meet Pope Francis in person when she partakes in the Inaugural Scholas Summit of Meaning to be held at the Vatican, May 21-23.
Angelica was invited to the summit in a letter she received recently from Maria Martha Barreneche, Executive Director of Scholas US. Barreneche wrote Angelica that the “summit represents a monumental stride in the pursuit of fostering greater understanding and enlightenment. It serves as the grand inauguration of the University of Meaning, a visionary initiative crafted by His Holiness through Scholas Occurrentes, his esteemed foundation.”
Barreneche added: ”Your unwavering dedication to the principles espoused by Scholas USA and your exemplary contributions to its noble cause have not gone unnoticed. Therefore, it is with utmost reverence that we cordially invite you to apply for this esteemed opportunity to represent Scholas USA on the international stage.”
Since her junior year, Angelica has been actively involved with Scholas, an organization founded by Pope Francis that encourages students from all backgrounds to come together and discuss meaningful topics and service projects. In addition, the renowned all-girls Catholic Maria Regina has been one of Scholas’s New York pilot schools.
The experience has made a profound impact on Angelica. She noted: “Scholas not only taught me about changing the world, but they also empowered me to become an agent of change. Their commitment to education, empathy, and action inspires me today. I am grateful for the invaluable lessons and opportunities they provided, and I am determined to use my knowledge and skills to contribute to a better, more compassionate world.”
Recently, Angelica had the honor of serving as a “Words of Gratitude” speaker at the Archdiocese of New York’s Class of 2024 Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral which highlighted the importance of Catholic education. She addressed an audience of over one thousand of her peers who will be graduating this spring from Archdiocese of New York high schools. The mass was celebrated by Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York.
Maria Carozza-McCaffrey (Class of ’99), Principal, affirmed: “It is an immense honor for Angelica to represent Maria Regina and we are unbelievably proud of all her amazing accomplishments in the areas of academics, service, and leadership. You continue to make us proud!”
When Angelica returns from the historic Scholas session, she will graduate with honors on May 31 during Maria Regina’s annual Commencement exercises. She will continue her education at University of Connecticut studying Animal Science on a Pre-Veterinary Track. She lives in Yonkers.
To learn more about Maria Regina High School, visit www.MariaRegina.org.
