Two weeks ago, this paper reported my visits to five of our Catholic grammar schools and included delightful photos. The smiling faces of the children, administrators, faculty and yours truly captured the joyful atmosphere I encountered in each of those schools. Those five schools are representative of all the Catholic grammar schools in our Diocese.
Now, I am celebrating the Mass of the Holy Spirit in our diocesan high schools. This is a venerable Catholic tradition that dates to medieval times. The academic year begins by invoking the blessings of God on the students, faculty, administrators and staffs of academic institutions. At the conclusion of Mass, I meet with the Student Council. As in the grammar schools, these are delightful encounters for me and hopefully for the students. It provides an opportunity for them to speak with the bishop and for me to listen to them.
I penned this column on Catechetical Sunday – Sept. 17 this year – which is the annual celebration of the ministry of catechists and the programs of catechetics sponsored by each parish. Teachers and administrators in Catholic schools are catechists. The mission of a Catholic school and the mission of a parish program of faith formation are the same – evangelization with the hoped-for result of discipleship. Announcing the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Catholic tradition. Every subject, not just religion class, taught in our schools has as its reference the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church He established on earth. Likewise, for the parish faith formation program involving both children and adults its reference is the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church.
In both the schools and the parish programs of faith formation, the catechists announce the Gospel. The students in both situations hear, learn, love and follow the Gospel with the goal to be informed and formed as Disciples of Christ in the Catholic community of faith. This is the goal for a Catholic school and a parish religious education program.
I visited five schools on the first week of school because Catholic schools matter. Would that every Catholic child in this Diocese could be educated in one of them! We need your financial assistance to do that. Perhaps, you can help? (Information about donations to our schools is found at the conclusion of this column.) Every parish in our Diocese has a responsibility for a Catholic school.
Our schools are distinguished from a public school in many ways. Here are a few: Catholic schools are places where prayer is allowed, where God can be talked about and spoken to. They teach truth through a Catholic lens. Students are exposed to the variety and richness of the Catholic tradition. Each student is challenged to grow in our Catholic faith. Each student is respected as created in the image of God, as a child of God whose human nature is given by God. Christian signage, eg. crosses, pictures of saints and statues are prominently displayed throughout the schools to encourage the devotion of the students.
Students are called to virtuous living. The whole student is educated, intellectually, spiritually, physically, mind, body and soul. The importance of community is stressed. Concern for the poor and action on their behalf are taught. Our schools are academically sound and excellent. The involvement of parents, the first teachers of their child, is welcomed and expected in each school. The difference between evil and good, right and wrong, sin and grace are taught.
Saint Irenaeus wrote that the “glory of God is the human person fully alive.” The aim of Catholic education in our schools in the Diocese of Camden is to make our students “fully alive.” Our schools are truly the gift of a lifetime.
Support Catholic schools in the Diocese of Camden. Visit the South Jersey Scholarship Fund website at https://bit.ly/SJScholarshipFund.
Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, D.D.
Bishop of Camden