David Haas receives national award

David Haas will receive the Emmaus Award for Excellence in Catechesis from the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors. He was recognized during the National Association of Parish Catechetical Directors convocation awards banquet April 23 in Pittsburgh, part of the annual convention of the National Catholic Educational Association.

Haas, a member of the campus ministry team at Cretin-Derham Hall high school in St. Paul, is a liturgical composer, cantor, workshop leader, conference speaker, author, concert performer and recording artist. Beginning in the 1980s, along with the creative contributions and collaborations of fellow Minnesotans Michael Joncas and Marty Haugen, he influenced the direction of new genres of liturgical music.

The award honors someone each year with a national or international reputation in the field of catechetics and religious education who has made a significant contribution to Catholic catechesis through writing, publishing or teaching over a period of at least 10 years.

St. Thomas Academy headmaster named

It was announced April 17 that Matthew Mohs will take over as headmaster at St. Thomas Academy effective July 1. He currently serves as chief academic officer of St. Paul Public Schools. Mohs, a 1990 alumnus of the Academy, is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, holds master’s degrees from the University of Portland (in teaching) and the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and is currently working on a doctorate in leadership at the University of St. Thomas. Mohs has dedicated his 20-year career to K-12 education, in Catholic and public education, in teaching and public service positions. He succeeds Thomas Mich, who will retire this summer after 10 years as headmaster.

67th annual rosary procession set for May 4

Clergy and faithful from across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and greater Minnesota will gather May 4 for the 67th annual Family Rosary Procession. Participants will gather at the State Capitol in St. Paul at 1:30 p.m. with the procession to the Cathedral of St. Paul beginning at 2 p.m.

Inside the Cathedral, the consecration of the archdiocese to Mary will be renewed and prayers will be offered for marriage and the family. The event will close with adoration and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The event is sponsored by the Office of Worship for the archdiocese in collaboration with the Family Rosary Processions Association. For more information, visit http://www.familyrosaryprocession.org.