STATEN ISLAND — Notre Dame Academy (NDA) welcomed Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York to the Grymes Hill campus on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.

A Mass celebrated during the visit offered students, faculty, staff, and guests the opportunity to gather in prayer alongside Archbishop Hicks, strengthening the community’s shared commitment to faith and Catholic education.

“As a school rooted in the values of the Catholic faith, Notre Dame Academy recognizes the importance of coming together to celebrate the Eucharist and reflect on the spiritual foundation that guides its mission of liberating education,” said the school in a statement.

“The visit is especially meaningful to the Notre Dame Academy community because we share a special bond with Archbishop Ronald Hicks in that he attended a Catholic school led by the same religious community as ours. The archbishop attended St. Jude the Apostle Parish School in South Holland, Ill., an elementary school founded by the Congregation de Notre Dame,” said Kathryn Jaenicke, president of Notre Dame Academy.

Among those joining the NDA community for the Mass were Sr. Joan Curtin, CND, the Archdiocese of New York’s vicar religious; Sister Maryann Calabrese, province leader; and Sister Maria Cassano, associate province leader and former high school principal.

During the visit, Archbishop Hicks was reunited with his fifth-grade music teacher, Sr. Regina Devito, CND. The archbishop recalled to students a fond memory of his time at St. Jude, where he and his classmates gifted Sr. Regina a Barry Manilow record.

“Notre Dame Academy is grateful for the opportunity to welcome Archbishop Hicks to our Grymes Hill campus to celebrate our school’s Catholic identity, its founding heritage, and the enduring relationships that unite generations through faith and education,” the school said.