‘The immense outpouring of love has been absolutely overwhelming’
Southern Nebraska Register
Pius X High School in Lincoln opened its doors Saturday, Oct. 17, for students grieving the unexpected loss of one of their own the night before.
Troy Jeffrey, a junior at the school, was killed in a car crash Friday, Oct. 16. As word of the loss spread, Pius welcomed students for adoration, confessions, and Mass. More than 350 students attended.
Father Robert Froeschl, campus chaplain, celebrated Mass and was homilist. Msgr. Thomas Fucinaro, Father Lawrence Stoley, Father Robert Johnson and Father Matthew Kovar concelebrated. Jeremy Ekeler, chief administrative officer, spoke to attendees after Mass.
When school resumed on Monday, students decorated Troy’s locker, and wrote letters and notes for him. Jessica Psota, director of counseling at Pius X, organized support for students individually and in Troy’s classes. Pius X worked with partners from Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center and others in the community. Friends of Troy led a rosary after school that day, with 500 students.
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On Tuesday, the Cathedral of the Risen Christ held a prayer service for hundreds more. Troy and his two older brothers, Nate and Josh, graduated from the Cathedral of the Risen Christ School. Troy’s oldest brother Nate spoke at the service, as did Ekeler, who was principal when the Jeffrey family attended Cathedral School.
Approximately 500 people attended a rosary for Troy in the Cathedral Friday, Oct. 23, surrounded by luminaries created by students.
Seminarians from St. Gregory the Great in Seward led the prayers. The funeral was held the following day, with overflow seating in the lower level of the church.
Dennis Kellogg, director of communications for the Diocese of Lincoln, spoke with Troy’s mother, Kelley Jeffrey, about the support the family received from the parish, Troy’s schools, the community and the diocese, especially St. Gregory the Great Seminary, where Troy’s brother Josh is a seminary student.
“It’s been absolutely overwhelming,” she said. She explained that Father Brian Kane, who is vicar general but was rector at the seminary until this summer, came immediately to the hospital after the crash. Priests came to the home Saturday and Sunday to visit and to celebrate Mass for the family and friends present. Ekeler told the family about the events at Pius.
“The immense outpourings of love from the community as a whole has just been absolutely overwhelming,” she said.
She spoke of her son, “such a good kid” who was “full of life.”
“He liked to make everyone feel at ease when you met him,” she said. “He always had a smile on his face.”
And she spoke of his closeness with his brothers. Despite the age gap – 25, 21 and 17 – she said they “did everything together when they could.” In fact, the three had spent time together Friday.
She added that Troy was “really coming into his own person… finding his passion and learning what he loved.” Through Pius X, Troy attended The Career Academy (TCA) at Southeast Community College, studying culinary arts.
Kelley said he was also “seeing his faith grow strong.” She called herself a “strict mom” when it came to grades, and recalled that Troy recently told her, “‘Mom, you know I don’t need good grades. That’s not what counts to get to heaven.’”
She said since Troy’s brother Josh made the decision to enter the seminary, it encouraged Troy in his faith.
“And whenever Troy had questions,” she said, he would say, “‘I’m going to go FaceTime Josh. I’ve got some questions.’”
Josh invited Troy to the “Come and See” weekends at St. Gregory the Great. The weekends are held for young men to see what seminary life is like.
“Even though Troy was not quite 17,” Kelley said, “we got special permission” for Troy to participate because “Joshua just wanted to immerse his brother in the love and the strong faith and the bond that those young men have up there,” which she said is through Christ.
“He just wanted Troy to be able to experience that firsthand, and he did,” she said.
The family announced that donations in Troy’s memory can be made to Pius X High School or St. Gregory the Great Seminary. Kelley said they hope to establish a scholarship for Pius X students interested in the culinary arts, to allow them to attend TCA.
