January 26, 2020 - "Catholic Schools Week"

Catholic Schools Weeks (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States.  Now entering its forty-sixth anniversary years, CSW has been traditionally held during the last week of January.  This year it will be observed from January 26 to February 1, 2020. I have met families in our parish over the nearly seven years that I have been pastor at St. Francis of Assisi whose children attend a number of Catholic Schools:  First of all, l want to mention some of the elementary schools used by parish families:  St. Jude Regional School, St. Patrick’s School, St. Peter’s School, St. Raphael’s School, Mary of Nazareth School, and Mother of God School. A number of our young people attend Catholic secondary schools including Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, St. John’s College High School, Academy of the Holy Cross, Gonzaga College High School, Stoneridge School of the Sacred Heart, and the Heights School.  I am adapting some of my remarks below from material that can be found on Catholic Schools on the website for the Archdiocese of Washington.
 
As we celebrate this Catholic Schools Week, I want to talk about Catholic schools, which are rooted in Gospel values and the teaching mission of the Catholic Church, are learning communities of faith and service that are dedicated to educational equity and excellence for all students.  Each Catholic school offers an encounter with Jesus Christ.  Each maintains a rigorous, engaging curriculum based on the highest academic standards.  Three important reasons to consider Catholic schools are Faith, Family, and Lifelong Learning.  Let me talk about each of these three aspects.
 
Faith is not just an aspect of religion class—it should be central to all learning.  That is why our Catholic schools integrate Catholic identity into the curriculum. Indeed, students in Catholic schools won’t just learn about math, science, history, literature and the arts—they will learn about these subjects in a well-rounded way with the teachings of Christ at the center.  It is the difference between a secular education and one that encourages all students to share Christ’s love through kindness and service to the community.  Students in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington have the opportunity to attend Mass, are invited to participate in daily prayer, and celebrate Christmas, Lent, and Easter.  God is in every classroom.
 
Family.  When children enter one of our Catholic schools, it is like joining a family.  Catholic school families and students will be surrounded by caring people who share similar values and experiences.  Families, teachers, faculty, and clergy know each other well and join together to help every children succeed.  I know this from personal experience.  At the end of seventh grade I had to have two operations because I was having trouble walking.  I remember my seventh grade teacher making special arrangements with my parents to take my end of the year exams because the doctor had put me on bed rest prior to the first operation.  When I returned at the beginning of eight grade the principal had met with family and the faculty to devise a plan for me to come to school so that my education would not been impeded while my leg healed from the surgical intervention.  Sr. M. Damian, RSM, who was the Principal of St. Paul School in Butler, PA, when I was in seventh and eighth grade had taught my father when he was in the fifth grade.  My school community really felt like a close-knit family.
 
Lifelong Learning.  As our children grow up and take on the challenges of the world, we want them to be role models, tackling everyday obstacles and opportunities with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.  That is the reason why Catholic schools encourage life-long learning.  They set the stage by creating a strong moral and spiritual foundation that equips our children for future growth—for a lifetime.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John