06/18/2026
Graduation Speech for the Diocese Celebration
Beloved priests, deacons, sisters,
Honored representatives and families,
And most especially, our beloved graduating students:
Today is a day of joy, gratitude, and hope. We gather as one family in our diocese to celebrate not only your academic achievement, but also the journey of faith, sacrifice, perseverance, and love that brought you to this moment.
Dear graduates, today we honor your hard work. We honor the long nights of study, the exams, the uncertainty, the discipline, the patience, and the quiet sacrifices made by you and by your families. Graduation is never the success of one person alone. Behind every graduate there is a mother who prayed, a father who sacrificed, a teacher who encouraged, a priest who blessed, a family who believed, and a God who never abandoned.
I speak to you today not only as your bishop, but also as someone who knows the meaning of education. I, too, was once a student. I graduated from Baghdad University, aeronautical engineering, and later, in 2009, I completed my doctorate in philosophy and theology in Rome. I mention this not as a personal achievement, but as a reminder that learning is never finished. True education is not only the accumulation of knowledge; it is the formation of the mind, the purification of the heart, and the preparation of the person for service. Education gave me knowledge, yes, but more importantly it taught me discipline, responsibility, humility, and the duty to serve God and His people...
And I speak to you also as someone who has passed through darkness. In 2006, I was kidnapped. In those days, I experienced fear, weakness, and the fragility of human life. But I also experienced the power of prayer, the strength of faith, and the truth that when everything is taken from us, Christ remains. That experience taught me something I want to share with you today: life is not measured only by what we achieve, but by what we remain faithful to when we are tested.
Dear graduates, you are entering a world that will ask much from you. It will ask for your intelligence, your skill, your creativity, and your ambition. But I ask you today to give the world something deeper: give it your conscience. Give it your faith. Give it your honesty. Give it your courage. Give it your heart formed by Christ.
The essential thing in life is not only to become successful. The essential thing is to become human in the image of God. It is not only to have a career, but to have a vocation. It is not only to earn a living, but to give life to others. It is not only to seek comfort, but to build justice, peace, and dignity wherever God places you.
Our Church needs educated young people. Our families need wise young people. Our society needs honest young people. Our wounded world needs young men and women who do not run away from responsibility, but stand firm with faith and love.
Do not be afraid of the future. Do not be afraid of your limits. Do not be afraid even of suffering. The Lord does not promise us a life without crosses, but He promises that no cross will be carried alone. Christ walks with you. The Church walks with you. Your diocese is proud of you and prays for you.
Remember always: your diploma is not the end of your formation. It is the beginning of your mission. Wherever you go, carry your faith with humility. In your workplace, be honest. In your family, be loving. In society, be a peacemaker. In the Church, be active and faithful. When others choose selfishness, choose service. When others choose despair, choose hope. When others choose division, choose communion.
To the parents and families, I say: thank you. Your sacrifices are written in the hearts of your children and seen by God. To our priests and educators, thank you for guiding, encouraging, and accompanying these young people. To our representatives and community leaders, thank you for supporting the future of our people.
And to you, dear graduates, I say with the love of a father and shepherd: rise, go forward, and do not forget who you are. You are children of God. You are sons and daughters of the Church. You are the hope of your families, the future of our community, and living witnesses that faith and education together can rebuild what violence and fear try to destroy.
May the Lord bless your minds with wisdom, your hearts with courage, your hands with service, and your steps with peace.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany you and protect you. May the saints of our Church intercede for you. And may Almighty God bless you, your families, your future, and our beloved diocese.
Congratulations, dear graduates. We are proud of you. Go forward with faith, with courage, and with love.
With sincere gratitude to the Knights of Columbus for their generous support and organization. https://martomacouncil.org/
Amen.
Bishop Saad Sirop Hanna
