Archbishop Wilton Gregory Celebrated First Mass of the 2019-20 School Year and Installed Dr. Rick Wood

On Thursday, September 5, the St. Mary's Ryken community celebrated Mass to honor the installation of Dr. Rick Wood as President of St. Mary’s Ryken and the opening of the Donnie Williams Center - the school's new health and wellness facility that opened in August. 

Archbishop Gregory presided over the rite installing of Dr. Wood as president and blessed the new building as a holy gathering place. 

On behalf of the Xaverian Brothers, Brother Ed Driscoll, Dr. Patrick Slattery, Mr. Ben Horgan and Brother Larry Harvey attended the mass. Others in attendance included members of the St. Mary's Ryken board of directors, Mrs. Mary Joy Hurlburt (former school president who retired in June 2019) and members of Dr. Wood's family. 

The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Wilson D. Gregory and co-celebrated with our local parish priests and St. Mary's Ryken alumni seminarians.

After the installation rite, Dr. Wood spoke to the faculty, staff, students and special guests. "This vocation, which our devoted faculty and staff are called to everyday, is important because of the future leaders that we serve, and I thank each one of you, faculty, staff and most importantly students, for inspiring me and being the living mission of St. Mary’s Ryken."

Dr. Wood thanked the SMR board of directors for their strategic vision that consistently strengthens the mission of the school, Scheibel Construction who shared in completing the vision of the miraculous Donnie Williams Center, and especially Mrs. Mary Joy Hurlburt for her 23 years of mentorship and friendship.