HASTINGS, Neb. – School may be out for the summer, but friends and family of Hastings Catholic School had two good reasons to go back to school Wednesday afternoon. 

At St. Cecilia middle and high school, staff and members of Hastings Catholic Schools held a ceremony to dedicate the new high school, which has been under renovation since May of 2022. 

While the school won't open until the fall, the public was invited for a tour of the new school. 

A new chapel, updated classrooms, and a new HVAC system are parts of the new upgrades. 

The other reason for the ceremony was a farewell to current superintendent Fr. Tom Brouillette, who is transitioning to a new role after 14 years at Hastings Catholic Schools. 

Fr. Brouillette is the new Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese in Lincoln, making him the 'right hand man' to Bishop James D. Conley. 

At the ceremony, several speakers poured warm words on Fr. Brouillette who said today was bittersweet. 

"I'm going to miss it for sure. My parents live here so I'll be back," said Brouillette. "It'll be a different kind of transition back to Lincoln, but I was there for a few years early on in my priesthood."

Taking Brouillette's superintendent and Chief Administrative Officer title is current middle and high school principal Fr. Cyrus Rowan, who will take over on Monday. 

"This is moving there full-time now in a completely different role," said Brouillette. "It's going to have its challenges, it'll have its blessings too."