“The church in your country seeks to bring not only material assistance but also the spiritual balm of healing, comfort and hope to new waves of migrants and refugees who come knocking on America’s door,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.

Well-wishers, volunteers and active military personnel cheered, waved flags and held thank-you signs. Many in a crowd that numbered hundreds deep reached out to shake the hands of beaming military veterans as they came off the airplane from Ohio.

Students from this Catholic School in Baltimore became an international sensation with their performance of “Rise Up.”

St. John the Evangelist School in Long Green Valley and St. Mary Catholic School in Hagerstown received the distinction for the first time. St. Louis School in Clarksville and St. John Regional Catholic School in Frederick were honored for a second time.

“It’s a game that’s special for me because my freshman and sophomore year (we) lost it,” said Dragisics, who scored out what turned out to be the winning goal in the 39th minute

A combined 65 years in the classroom. An endless supply of esteem for, and expertise in, Catholic schools. That’s what Antoinette “Toni” LaFlame and Barbara Ott bring to the 255 students at St. John School in Westminster.

“I found Christ in these men, and they shared it with me. It didn’t matter whether they were Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, there was a respect,” Father Canterna said. “The key is love. The key is your presence, your oneness with that person. You have to give of yourself, like Jesus did.”

“Give us the courage to excise from our midst anger, violence, hatred and bigotry, and the underlying sin of racism that is still so prevalent in our midst,” Archbishop Lori prayed.

Danielle Turner, 30, a parishioner of St. Philip Neri in Linthicum Heights, found an outlet for her sacrament-inspired art on Etsy.com, an e-commerce site specializing in handmade goods.

“It’s an opportunity for people with disabilities to be with each other for a week,” Deacon Fleming said. “It’s a respite for families and caregivers.”