Msgr. John Hart, chancellor of the Paterson Diocese, and Fr. Paul Manning, school director/chaplain, bestowed the blessing on the new field and did the official dedication.

The renovations are part of a $1.5 million project to upgrade the baseball, football and soccer/la crosse fields. It was financed by a $250,000 grant from the "Prepare the Way" diocesan capital and endowment campaign and

by a low-interest loan specifically for school and community-based projects, explained Judy Berg, director of development.

"We're hoping all the renovations will be done by the end of the year," she added.

Varsity cheerleaders Carolyn Teller of Budd Lake, a junior, and Alyssa Nowak of Lake Hiawatha, a sophomore, sang the national anthem for the event.