SPRINGFIELD – There were songs and speeches and a mixing of colored sand – green for Holyoke Catholic and purple for Cathedral. When the sand was spread on the banked earth before a line of spades, the melded green and purple gave way to red, the signature color of the new Pope Francis High School.

Ceremony and symbolism were a big part of the official Sept 18 groundbreaking for the long awaited return of Catholic higher education to Surrey Road. A number of invited dignitaries, including Congressman Richard Neal, Mayor Dominic Sarno, state Sen. Eric Lesser, Michael Knapik, representing Gov. Charlie Baker and City Councilors Tim Allen and Bud Williams took part in the event.     They were joined by chair of the Pope Francis Board of Directors Michele D'Amour, Head of School Dr. Thomas McDowell, Superintendent of Schools for the diocese Sr. Andrea Ciszewski , Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, Executive Director of the Pope Francis project Dr. Paul Gagliarducci, four Pope Francis students and the school’s a cappella chorus.

“Many of us in this audience, I know, doubted that this day would ever come about, “ Neal told the gathering of several hundred neighbors, teachers, students, parents and clergy. “I want to say this with great enthusiasm, that in meetings with Bishop McDonald, Bishop Rosanski, it was really never in doubt [and] they assured Mayor Sarno, who was unyielding that the school should be rebuilt on this site.”

Joking that people are always concerned about government spending, Neal noted nearly $39 million in FEMA monies had been secured for the project so “those students”  – pointing to a contingent from St. Michael’s Academy bearing a banner emblazoned with the words “We Support Pope Francis High School” and “those students” – pointing to members of the Pope Francis a capella chorus – “would have a proper address.”

Sarno thanked parents and members of the neighborhood for their continued faith in the city’s rebuilding projects, especially that a new school would rise on the site of the former Cathedral High School, which was damaged beyond repair  by the June I, 2011 tornado that devastated the neighborhood .

“I know for a fact that Pope Francis High School will continue to respect and cherish the traditions of Holyoke Catholic High School and Cathedral High School moving forward,” Sarno, whose oldest daughter graduated from Cathedral and youngest is a student at Pope Francis, said. “We look forward to the building rising and continuing to build leaders not only in the city of Springfield but in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States of America, [and] in the world, too.”

He added Pope Francis would not only offer students a state of the art Catholic education, its presence would also serve to strengthen both the city and the East Forest Park neighborhood.

Gagliarducci noted that construction of the state-of-the-art high school was “just the beginning” of the rebirth of secondary Catholic education in the city, and that with growing competition from magnet, charter, private and school choice at brand new suburban high schools in the region, Pope Francis still has much work ahead of it.

“We need to work very hard to fill that school with future leaders who will have a solid education based upon knowledge and built upon faith,” he said, “We will need the support of everyone in the diocese and everyone in Western Massachusetts. We will need financial support so those kids who otherwise could not come here will be able to attend.

“Without a vibrant alternative Catholic high school to join others in the area, we would be in trouble … Just simply building it means nothing, our work has just begun,” he said.

D’Amour referenced the long path to the construction of Pope Francis as one that has required both patience, and perseverance.

“I believe that God has given us this test to see what we are made of, and I don’t know about you, but I think we passed the test,” D’Amour said.

She also announced that the Pope Francis endowment fund established by Bishop Emeritus Timothy McDowell had reached it initial goal of raising $10 million to help insure all who wish to attend the school could afford to, presenting a symbolic check to student representatives with the words “This money is their school.”

She then announced plans for a new effort to raise an additional $5 million by 2020.

Acknowledging that Catholic education has always been different in its mission of not only preparing students intellectually for college and career, but also to take their place in society as adults “exercising their liberties and able to embrace becoming citizen leaders,” D’Amour stated Pope Francis will plan to welcome students of all faiths to pursue their education at Surrey Road.

“We live in a very different world today, but what has not changed is the need to educate children in what it takes to be strong, honest, hardworking, faith-filled young men and women of character, they are our future.

“Change is always difficult, but when God close one door, he opens another,” she said. “And Pope Francis High School is an example of this.”