Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Madison Mento and Ashton Morris, escorted by their teacher Carlene Russo during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell enters the newly-formed St. Francis-St. Hedwig School for a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
State Rep. Rosa Rebimbas speaks during a ceremony blessing the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig School in Naugatuck Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, center, blesses the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school during a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning.
Principal John Salatto, right, greets Archbishop Henry Mansell before a ceremony blessing the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, center, blesses the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school during a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, right, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School student Anna-Marie Allison during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Madison Mento and Ashton Morris, escorted by their teacher Carlene Russo during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell enters the newly-formed St. Francis-St. Hedwig School for a ceremony blessing the Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Angelina Pires and Jacob Almeida during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Caitlin Dud and Aidan Leahy during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
St. Francis-St. Hedwig students decorated a sign welcoming Archbishop Henry Mansell to their school for a blessing Wednesday morning.
Father Michael Slusz of St. Francis Church, left, speaks during a ceremony Wednesday morning blessing the newly-formed St. Francis-St. Hedwig School in Naugatuck. Beside him are Archbishop Henry Mansell, middle, and Father Kevin Forsyth, right, of St. Vincent Ferrer Church.
Principal John Salatto, right, greets Archbishop Henry Mansell before a ceremony blessing the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school Wednesday morning.
St. Francis-Hedwig School students cheer during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Taylor Wade and Nathan Shugdinis during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accept gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Angelina Olieveria and Alex Sousa during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, right, followed by his secretary, Father Jeffrey Romans, blesses the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school during a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Caitlin Dud and Aidan Leahy during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
St. Francis-Hedwig School students watch a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, center, flanked by, from left, Father Michael Slusz of St. Francis Church, Father Jeffrey Romans, secretary to the archbishop, and Father Kevin Forsyth, of St. Vincent Ferrer Church, speaks during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Mayor Robert Mezzo, left, greets Archbishop Henry Mansell before a ceremony blessing the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accepts gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Carina Cornacchia and Mike Marzano during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
St. Francis-Hedwig School students cheer during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, center, flanked by his secretary, Father Jeffrey Romans, left, and Father Kevin Forsyth of St. Vincent Ferrer Church, blesses the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school during a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, blesses the new St. Francis-St. Hedwig school during a ceremony in the school gym Wednesday morning.
Archbishop Henry Mansell, left, accept gifts from St. Francis-Hedwig School students Allison Murphy and Justin Wilton during a ceremony blessing the new Naugatuck school Wednesday morning.
NAUGATUCK – Students and faculty of St. Francis-St. Hedwig School are truly blessed. They gathered in the third floor gym Wednesday morning to receive a blessing of their new school from Archbishop Henry Mansell.
The borough’s catholic school opened this semester after low enrollment and financial difficulty forced the former St. Francis and St. Hedwig schools to merge.
During a short ceremony, the school’s principal, John Salatto and state Rep. Rosa Rebimbas also spoke to wish the new school an auspicious beginning. The ceremony followed a formal mass held at St. Francis Church next door attended by students and community members.
Controversy over the school’s name, originally set to be called St. Theresa, that marked the beginning of the summer disappeared as the school doors opened and students from both schools embarked on a new year together.
