From the Pastor:
Having just finished nationally Catholic Schools Week, I think about the need for Catholic education. There probably has not been a time in human history that has seen more change than in the last hundred years. My grandparents went from riding a horse and buggy to church to taking an air-conditioned car with an automatic transmission to town. As children, they looked with wonder at the moon during the evenings, wanting to reach out and touch it, all the while knowing it was beyond the reach of us mortals. Then three quarters of a century later, man walked on the moon!
The changes my grandparents experienced, and we are currently experiencing, are not limited to just technological advances and material things. We also have been experiencing a spiritual change in our society. For most of our nation’s history, most Americans were Christian. Churches decorated our nation’s landscape like Dollar General stores do today. The tension years ago was between the various denominations of Christianity, but today the very idea of Christianity is questioned and looked upon negatively.
Many of our high school students in public school are made to feel as if being Christian is like having leprosy. The more they live the faith authentically the more negativity they often receive. Christianity is not understood by half of our younger generation, and many see it as something bad instead of good. They proudly claim to have no religion and think that is better. Man needs to remember he is nothing without God. Many don’t realize that our daily existence depends upon God.
What we take away from all this is the need for us to form our children in the ways of Christianity as we know it through Catholicism. Notice the need is not just to educate them, but to form their minds, hearts, and souls. Since actions speak louder than words, there is no substitute for the personal witness and example of parents and grandparents. Parents and grandparents should pray with their children and grandchildren, to personally teach them about the Faith, and to ask them questions to help them know it. Doing so is a privilege and not just a responsibility!
If knowledge is power, then isn’t it dangerous to give this to our children without also teaching them about virtue and morality? Unlike teachers in public schools who are restricted from teaching these, Catholic schools seek to incorporate these vital teachings into everything we do.
It is important to remember that Catholic Schools do not take away this responsibility from parents but instead are doing for the children during the day what parents are hopefully teaching and modeling for their children during the evenings and weekends.
Let’s pray this week that parents will appreciate the blessing of their children and know the joy of teaching them about God. Pray also that they take seriously their God-given duty of personally teaching their children about the Catholic Faith in word and in deed. May Mary, Mother of the Church, pray and intercede for all of us!
Gratefully,
Fr. Miller