Eighth-grade students across the diocese gather for a graduation Mass on the feast of the Cristero martyrs
Bridgeport, May 21, 2026 – On the feast of Saint Christopher Magallanes and Companions, over 400 eighth-grade students from across the Diocese of Bridgeport gathered with Bishop Frank J. Caggiano for a special Mass marking the close of their elementary and middle school years and the beginning of their journey into high school.
Click here to see photos from the Mass.
In his homily, the Bishop drew a clear line from the courage of the early Church to the challenges awaiting today’s young people. Reflecting on Saint Paul, who endured shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment to proclaim the Gospel, and on the apostles who carried the faith to the four corners of the earth, he reminded the graduates that the Christian life has always been marked by steadfast faith in the face of difficulty.
“Eleven died as martyrs who gave their lives, persevering to the end,” he said of the apostles. “They remained steadfast because they had found the One who gave His life for us.”
The day’s liturgical commemoration carried particular weight. Saint Christopher Magallanes and his twenty-five companions were Mexican priests and laymen martyred during the Cristero Rebellion of the 1920s, when the Mexican government outlawed much of the Catholic faith. “Some beaten, some stabbed, some shot,” the Bishop said. “But they refused to give in. They believed in their heart that Jesus was worth it. And He is.”
The Bishop spoke plainly about the road ahead. High school, he acknowledged, will bring new pressures and new challenges, especially in a culture saturated by social media. “You will hear voices,” he said. “Voices that will tell you, ‘What’s the point? Just do what we do.’ It’s easy to fall into that, especially when you want to belong, when you want to fit in.”
His counsel was simple and direct: remember what you have learned, and remember that the Lord is alive in your heart. “Everywhere you go, in every moment of your life, the Lord Jesus is there, alive in His Holy Spirit,” he said, urging the graduates to allow Christ to mold their lives “like a beautiful piece of gold.” True success, he reminded them, is measured not by the world but by the Lord.
Speaking as the students’ self-described “spiritual grandfather,” the Bishop concluded by telling them they are not only the future of the Church but the Church here and now. “As you go to high school, persevere, and see the surprises the Lord has in store for you.”
Stacey Stueber, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Bridgeport, then addressed the graduates with words from the day’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, in which the Lord encourages a beleaguered Saint Paul to “take courage.” Each student received a blessed Saint Michael the Archangel medal and prayer card as a reminder of that message.
“This is more than a simple trinket,” Mrs. Stueber said. “It is a reminder of the courage and strength that you are called to carry into this next chapter of your lives. Saint Michael is the protector, the defender of truth, the one who stands firm against the darkness. Let it remind you that you are never alone.”
She encouraged the graduates to draw strength from the medal whenever doubt or pressure arose, reminding them they carry the prayers of their families and community. “Let your faith guide your choices, shape your path, and remind you that Christ is always with you,” she said.
The Diocese of Bridgeport offers its prayers and warmest congratulations to the Class of 2026 as they begin the next chapter of their journey, walking with confidence in the company of Christ and the saints.
