Newman teachers leave campus ministry, take memories with them

Frearson and the Skantars are retiring from their decades-long careers in Catholic education. Amid packing up classrooms and planning summer vacations, they reflected on their fruitful journeys through Cardinal Newman High School. Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding schools transitioning to virtual instruction, the three educators shared fond memories of students and school activities. 

Frearson has held a variety of positions at the high school in addition to her role as a campus minister. She taught math throughout her career and was the head of the math department. For the past 25 years, she facilitated the school’s blood drive which, she shared, has saved more than 10,000 lives through the collection of plasma and platelets for cancer patients and burn victims. In the early 1990s, Frearson established the learning strategies program at the school for students who needed support in academics and development in life skills. Her voice brightened when she mentioned that all the students who have entered the program successfully completed college and moved onto promising career paths. 

However, her involvement in campus ministry has been the most memorable for her. “I have found such joy in walking with students through their faith journey. To see their relationship with God blossom is extraordinary,” she said. 

She also led students in their training to be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, as well as lectors at school Masses, participants in the March for Life in Washington, D.C., Catholic Days at the Capitol in Tallahassee and the yearly demonstration against Roe v. Wade at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. 

“These activities encourage students to chip away at the social evils — abortion, the injustice of capital punishment, environmental conservation — that affect human rights. Pope Francis has called on us to act on these issues as Christians and the campus ministry team strives to be the example,” Frearson said. 

In describing all that she does at the school, Frearson was quick to shine a light on Peggy Skantar, fellow campus minister and head of the religion department. Among the spiritual programs Peggy has expanded at the school are class retreats like Emmaus, organizing time in the campus chapel for each religion class, school-led rosaries, and the incorporation of lessons on Cardinal John Henry Newman upon his canonization to sainthood in 2019. 

Peggy shared that she was proudest of how the Campus Ministry Department inspires a spirit of community service at the school.  “The students accumulate community service hours as a school requirement and as a qualification in order to receive the Bright Futures Scholarship,” she said. “But you can tell that they have a genuine spirit to serve others outside of the requirement. The service projects over the years have grown so much because of student enthusiasm that we’ve upgraded to a digital program in tracking the service hours.” 

A specific moment of service that left an impression on Peggy was shortly after the Parkland school shooting. “To see the Newman community come together was incredible. Our students created and led a beautiful all-school prayer service for the Parkland students, among other activities, in their memory. To accompany our students through their experience of the Parkland tragedy — a time of great grief and shock for all students — and to be able to walk with them and bring the hope of our faith to these experiences, were very powerful moments for me. ”

Throughout her Cardinal Newman career, Peggy was delighted to have her husband, David, active in the school’s campus ministry. David, a long-time educator and guitarist, brought his love for music liturgy to the school through the strengthening of the choir program. In addition to directing the spring musical, David successfully integrated the choir program into the school’s curriculum as an elective and expanded the choir’s community outreach. The choir regularly visits local nursing homes to sing for the elderly and performs at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery for Christmas every year as part of the cemetery’s remembrance program for those who have died.

David’s favorite part of teaching choir was seeing the Mass ensemble grow. “Getting students involved in the Mass can be a challenge at times. The Mass ensemble was a way to encourage students to use their talents for performing for a spiritual purpose,” he said. “Once we had a few strong singers and musicians, more students showed interest and joined us — good liturgy breathes good liturgy.” 

Since opening the Mass ensemble to the whole school and not just the choir students, the group has grown to 40 students and counting. “I think students join the Mass ensemble to show off their talents, but they quickly learn that this is a ministry like all others. They enjoy learning about the music as liturgy, choosing hymns and developing a strong worth ethic,” David said. “Talent comes from God, but choir teaches them how to use that talent for his glory.” 

David mentioned that the most rewarding part of assisting with Campus Ministry has been discovering students’ talents in unexpected ways. “The most unlikely students will come out of their shell and engage with the residents at the nursing homes or reach out to a grieving family at the cemetery. It’s really incredibly to watch,” he said.

Although the trio leave behind numerous spiritual programs and activities in the hands of Deacon Surge Dubé, religion teacher and campus minister, they leave behind so much more. 

“The strongest thing we leave for the school is students who are empowered evangelizers,” said Frearson . “Students who witness faith to other students is powerful; ours is a pier ministry.”