LOWELL — At a recent Mass followed by a breakfast reception at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Newton, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston inducted the fifth class of Peter Lynch Scholars.
The class of more than 170 from across Greater Boston includes students from Catholic schools in Lowell. For the 2014-2015 school year, the Catholic Schools Foundation distributed more than $250,000 to scholars from 58 schools.
Cardinal O’Malley was accompanied by Michael Reardon, executive director of the Catholic Schools Foundation, and Kathy Mears, superintendent for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston.
“Cardinal Sean reminded us of the importance of using our God-given talents and working hard,” Reardon said. “Peter Lynch did just that, and now the Peter Lynch Scholars are a legacy he will leave.”
Lynch, known for his successful career as a money manager at Fidelity Investments, is a longtime supporter of Boston’s Catholic schools and serves as chairman emeritus for the Catholic Schools Foundation. In his honor, the Peter Lynch Scholars Program was established in 2010 to honor his involvement with the Catholic Schools Foundation/Inner-City Scholarship Fund.
Each Catholic elementary school selects its Peter Lynch Scholars based upon, among other criteria, grades, work ethic, and care and concern for others in the school community and beyond.