ELLICOTT CITY – With Dr. Donna Hargen’s strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it seemed appropriate for a farewell Mass and dinner for the retiring schools superintendent to be held May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
In his homily for the Mass at Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City, Archbishop William E. Lori noted that when Mary appeared to three shepherd children in the Portuguese town in 1917, she encouraged them to become messengers to a world on the brink of a World War and a pandemic.
“Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Hargens) knows and loves the students entrusted to her by their parents,” he said. “She expends her waking hours, her energy, her best thinking, her prayer, figuring out how best to instruct these young people, how to change their lives for the better by a Christ-centered education, and how best to send them forth as messengers of truth and love.”
He said he was grateful for the lasting impact Hargens had on the students and families and the ways she has strengthened Catholic education in the archdiocese since she joined the Department of Catholic Schools seven years ago.
The archbishop noted that Hargens selected themes for each academic year. “Inevitably, they were themes of joy, thanksgiving and celebrations of God’s love. You have helped us all to rejoice heartily in the Lord and to find the joy of God.”
Other members of the Department of Schools staff, as well as leaders of Catholic schools in the archdiocese, attended the Mass and a dinner in Hargen’s honor following it, with the chance to express their thanks.
Gregory A. Farno, chancellor of Catholic Education for the archdiocese, recalled how he joined the effort in early 2024 just after Hargens had broken her ankle and was out of the office for an extended time.
He said Hargens, “like all great leaders, shuns the spotlight. She would much rather talk about the accomplishments of others rather than herself. She doesn’t like the attention being shined on her, and deflects credit whenever possible.”
He noted that is a hallmark of a great leader and that it matters to those she served. He cited accomplishments achieved during her tenure, including successfully navigating education during the pandemic, which “positioned our schools not just to weather the storm but emerge stronger,” Farno said.
He also noted the designation last fall of five schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools, high scores in national standardized math and reading tests and the inclusion of new teaching methodologies and technology.
“This has led to an enriched learning environment where creativity, critical thinking and faith in God flourish. Your unwavering support initiatives have equipped our educators with the tools they need to effectively guide their students, achieving their academic goals and furthering their spiritual development,” he said.
Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, who served as state superintendent of schools for 20 years, serves on the archdiocesan school board and was on the search committee when Hargens was hired. She said there were some impressive candidates in that process, but none as impressive as Hargens, who came from the Jefferson County Board of Education in Louisville, Ky., where she had been superintendent.
It was hard to choose a replacement for Hargens after she announced her retirement because “she accelerated the vision for Catholic schools, totally faith-based and academically excellent,” Grasmick said.
“She understands what I call leadership. Leadership is not a position. … Leadership is doing the right thing, the right way, every single day, and that’s Donna Hargens.”
Grasmick said Hargens’ impact will live on in the whole archdiocese, touching “many more people than you’ll ever know.”
Archbishop Lori reminded the crowd that he had enlisted the help of Pope Francis before his death to bestow on Hargens the Cross Pro Eccelsia et Pontifice (“For the Church and for the Pontiff”), awarded only by the pope. The award was presented at the archdiocesan education gala in early May, where the archbishop said it was “the highest award the church bestows on dedicated women and men who serve the church with extraordinary effectiveness, devotion and love.”
Representing principals and school presidents, Jeremy Joseph, principal of Archbishop Curley High School, gently “roasted” Hargens. On a serious note, he said, “In celebrating Dr. Hargens’ accomplishments, we could certainly discuss her commitment to Catholic identity within our schools. We can talk about her vision during reaccreditation or her leadership during COVID or the implementation of a new principal evaluation tool.”
He recounted a list of comments from other principals to help measure her legacy from developing a new curriculum platform, a deeper partnership with school leaders and leadership in the opening of Mother Mary Lange Catholic School on Baltimore’s west side.
“In your schools, young people come in contact with Jesus every day. Young people learn to use their God-given talents, not just for their own success, but in the service of their neighbor,” Joseph said.
“We know that school and archdiocesan administrators don’t often have the joy of interacting with students as often as teachers do, but never doubt the important role that you have played in their personal, academic, spiritual and physical development. You, Dr. Donna Hargens, have made a difference,” he said.
Principals presented Hargens with gifts, including a custom-made rosary, which Archbishop Lori blessed on the spot, and a papal blessing. Nancy Baker, principal of School of the Incarnation in Gambrills, handed Hargens the blessing from Pope Francis and added that a new one from Pope Leo XIV has been ordered.
She was also presented with a replica of a brick that will be laid in her honor at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin, the only site in the U.S. with a confirmed apparition of Mary.
Hargens will leave the superintendent’s office at the end of June. School Sister of Notre Dame Patricia McCarron, who is leaving Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson as head of school in June, will become the new superintendent in August.
Email Christopher Gunty at editor@CatholicReview.org.
To view more photos from this event, click through the slideshow below:
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