DANBURY - St Rose of Lima School hosted its first Hands & Hearts in the Community celebration to honor a community member for service to the community on Friday, April 22, at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury.

A committee chose Monsignor Robert Weiss, senior pastor of St Rose of Lima Church, to be the inaugural honoree.

"It was amazing," said St Rose of Lima School Director of Mission Advancement Paula Spellman, who was part of the organizational group behind the event, on Monday, April 25.

Msgr Weiss was honored both at the evening event for adults, which also doubled as a fundraiser for the school's tuition assistance fund, and at a school assembly earlier in the day.

A Mass was held during the school day on Friday and students sang the Irish Blessing over Msgr Weiss, he said on Monday. After the mass an assembly was held and classes presented Msgr Weiss with gifts. Ahead of the assembly teachers had chosen virtues, like unconditional love and generosity, they feel Msgr Weiss has, and the students based their gifts on those virtues.

"It was very nice," Msgr Weiss said about the entire day.

More than 300 people attended the Hands & Hearts in the Community celebration.

"It was a fun night that brought our community together," said Mrs Spellman.

A video of students speaking was shared at the event, and Mrs Spellman said it reinforced the meaning behind the night; to help foster students who also give back to the community.

Msgr Weiss was also surprised during the event with the news that the award he received will from now on have his name on it. He said handing out the Msgr Robert E. Weiss Hands & Hearts In The Community Award will be humbling in the future.

"It is extremely humbling that people want to honor you for leadership and keeping a community together and working with others to keep the community strong," said Msgr Weiss, adding that many in attendance were people he knows from boards he participates on or were members of his first parish.

Overall Msgr Weiss said, the event was "extremely well planned and executed."

Msgr Weiss thanked Sister Colleen, Mrs Spellman, members of the committee who chose him for the honor, and all those who helped sponsor the event and gave generous donations. Knowing that people believe in St Rose of Lima School, Msgr Weiss said, is "really rewarding."

As Mrs Spellman and St Rose of Lima School Principal Sister Colleen Therese Smith said when the Hands & Hearts in the Community celebration was first announced, the event is part of the school's efforts to boost and support community service.

By Monday, April 25, Sister Colleen said she was already thinking about possibilities for future Hands & Hearts in the Community celebrations. The event, she said, may honor one or multiple people a year in the future but it will always highlight "those who give service to the community."

The inaugural event, Sister Colleen said, raised a significant amount of money for the school's tuition assistance fund, which helps students who cannot afford to attend the school receive a Catholic education, and donations were still being counted as of Monday.

Sister Colleen said there was "an outpouring of love for both Msgr Weiss and for the school" in the event at The Amber Room Colonnade.

"It was beyond what I dreamed it could be," said Sister Colleen.