What makes a Catholic school Catholic?

By Nancy Collins
Superintendent of Schools

In explaining the parables of the 10 virgins and the message of readiness to be with God, a priest tells the young students that God wants us to always be ready to be with Him.

But there is a catch, he says “If we want to be with Jesus, we have to be,” and he pauses. Let’s see if you can guess how Jesus wants us to be. The priest looks around for an answer – the students are very quiet as they try to pull the answer from their minds, eagerly wanting to please Father.

Like any good teacher would, Father then says, “Let me give you a hint, it is a small four-letter word that begins with the letter ‘H’ and ends with the letter ‘Y.’” The hush grew deeper as students again try to think of only one simple word!

Suddenly, a kindergarten student jumps up, throws his hands in the air, and shouts, HOLY! Out of the mouths of babes comes some profound thinking. No wonder Jesus said, “Bring the children to me.” The church burst into laughter and applause and Father said, AMEN.

Was this teaching in a classroom? You bet, theA classroom of the church where students who attend Catholic school go weekly for instruction from our priests and Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, who teach as Jesus did.

… Such instruction embraces both teaching the truths of the faith and fostering its practice. The Church sees education as a process that forms the whole child and seeks to fix his or her eyes on heaven. This statement is from the document, The Catholic School published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

At daily Masses, our priests share with the students truths of our faith. Bishop Guillory recently spoke to the high school students about stewardship.

Everyone is a child of God, he told them, and “although we cannot take our possessions with us, we do take our character. People need our help monetarily but even more they need our understanding hearts. We can only stop giving when God stops.” Develop an attitude of gratitude, he further said, as good stewardship is about service.

Martin Luther King Jr. said that anyone can be great because anyone can serve. Remember to value each other, to sense our solidarity, to learn to listen, and to accept our brokenness. The bishop encouraged the young people to see those around you who are committed to their faith and embrace it with joy and happiness. He held up Sister Emily, who has taught for 40 years in Catholic schools and just celebrated her 60th anniversary in religious life as an example in their midst.

At a Mass on the Feast of the Guardian Angels, the students were encouraged to remember to thank God for blessings, especially blessings of faith. Even though we cannot see our guardian angels, Jesus sends them to protect us. Students should remember this in particular when parents might not be around and they feel fear or danger, our angels are there to watch over us. What a blessing!

What are some of the crosses that you have to bear in your lives, the priest asked? Students related that it was hard to get along with their brothers and sisters and even their parents at times. Father asked if homework was a cross and the hands flew up, both teachers and students.

God has given us gifts, but Father reminded, we must work hard to develop those gifts. It is important not only for us individually, but to make this a better world.

Faith messages are evidenced in our Catholic schools not only at the Masses but in our classrooms where religion is taught daily and students express their faith through service. In our Catholic schools, emphasis is placed on developing the whole child, mind, body, and soul.

According to the Code of Canon Law, “Like a good Mother, the Church offers help to families by establishing Catholic schools that ensure the integral formation of their children.”

This makes a Catholic school Catholic.

For more information about the Catholic Schools in our Diocese, visit the website at www.dioceseofbmt.org

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