AHN Celebrates Easter Octave Mass and OCIA Sacraments

The Academy of the Holy Names marked the joy of the Easter season on April 8, 2026, with a special All-School Mass celebrating the Easter Octave and the continued growth of faith within the AHN community. Presided over by Father Len Plazewski, Pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church, the liturgy included several important milestones for students preparing to enter more fully into the Catholic Church.

During the Mass, students participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) either entered into Full Communion with the Catholic Church or continued their journey through the Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.

These moments followed months of preparation, prayer, and discernment as students chose to deepen their relationship with Christ and the Church. Earlier this Lent, members of the AHN community participated in Christ the King's Rite of Sending and the Diocese of St. Petersburg's Rite of Election, alongside more than 700 individuals responding to God’s call.

Students completed their OCIA preparation with support from both AHN and Christ the King Catholic Church, making it possible to do much of the formation on campus while staying connected to parish life.

Following the Mass, a reception was held in the courtyard for the newly initiated Catholics, along with their sponsors, godparents, families, and faculty who supported them throughout the process.

AHN celebrates these students and the commitment they made to a lifelong relationship with Christ as members of the Catholic Church.

Celebration of Baptism