2021 Ends on a Spiritual and Aspirational High Note

December 12, 2021 — CLEARWATER, FLA.

Saturday, December 11, 2021, saw a historic occasion for Clearwater Central Catholic High School in the school’s physical as well as spiritual growth. Marking the conclusion of our three-year “Ignite Tomorrow, Today” capital campaign, CCC hosted a dedication ceremony for our newly constructed Chapel of Saint Julie Billiart and campus-wide blessing from Bishop Gregory Parkes. In attendance were clergy from across the Diocese of St. Petersburg, DOSP administrative and educational leadership, several Sisters of Notre Dame, CCC leadership, staff, students and faculty, as well as generous alumni and community members without whom we wouldn’t have our beautiful new campus.

One such attendee was current CCC senior Elle Boudreau, who provided the following student perspective on our campus transformation.

Elle Boudreau '22

Both my brother and father previously attended CCC and had fantastic experiences while they were students. But I strongly believe my experience tops theirs because of what I’ve seen and felt on campus in the last four years. I have watched this school transform into its full potential in front of my eyes. When I started at CCC in 2018, the campus was historic yet still full of life. I walked the same halls as my father and brother once did, but only for a short amount of time. Buildings were slowly being knocked down and new ones were being put up before my eyes. I can remember spacing out in math to look out the window and see the construction team hard at work building what CCC was soon to become. I could imagine future students getting opportunities that would be life-changing because of these new buildings. The sight of familiar buildings going down was bittersweet, but there was clearly something inspiring on the horizon.

I was fortunate enough to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and mass on December 11, 2021. This ceremony was the final celebration of all the people who cared enough to help us build CCC to a newer potential. I felt a sense of love around me while celebrating mass – a love I don’t often feel at a whole school mass. The people around me cared about their Catholic faith and cared about my future as a student at CCC. Being so close to the Bishop and watching him bring our whole school together as one after years of construction gave me chills. Graduation will be a sad day for me as I leave the home I’ve built at CCC, but I’ll forever be thankful for the people who helped shape my future because of this environment.

Photo by Elle Boudreau, ’22

How precious is the perspective of a student who has witnessed the transformation of our campus throughout her high school years! We felt blessed to host so many individuals who deeply value this school and its continued growth.

The solemn dedication ceremony included a prayer of dedication by the Bishop, as well as the anointing, incensation, covering and lighting of the altar. The spiritual center of our campus, the 142-seat Chapel of Saint Julie Billiart now provides our students and faculty with space for class retreats, athletic and small group prayer services, and individual reflection. A visual symbol of our Christ-centered teachings, the Chapel of Saint Julie Billiart gives our students, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, a profound experience of community.

After the chapel dedication, Bishop Parkes went on to anoint and bless the entirety of CCC’s campus, symbolically ending our three-year journey of “Igniting Tomorrow, Today.”

Please enjoy the below photos of the day, captured by Elle Boudreau ’22 and MrKamraMan.