When I was serving the Catholic communities in the city of Yazoo City in the Mississippi Delta, I saw first hand the impact Catholic education can have in a community. The African American parish in that town, St Francis of Assisi, had an elementary school and high school for many years. When many of those children and youth had to work on the farms and in the cotton fields during harvest time, getting an education was difficult and a challenge. Many of them went on to become professionals and were very successful in their field of work. They credited the education they received from the nuns in the Catholic school as the foundation of their success and their achievements. We in the Catholic Church need to have the freedom to run our schools and to pass down the faith to our children and youth.
From the US Bishops’ webs:
Pray: That Catholic schools would have the freedom to teach and bear witness to the truth about God and creation.
Reflect: God has created people with a capacity to exercise reason. The Christian commitment to reason and service has meant that education is a central aspect of the Church’s mission. One of the Spiritual Works of Mercy is to teach. In the U.S., Catholic schools have played an important role in offering hope in impoverished, primarily urban, areas. Catholic schools have been significant anchor institutions in many neighborhoods, and thus they benefit even those who are not their students. Catholic leaders played a leading role in ensuring that AfricanAmerican children could have access to quality education. Education is what Catholics do, and it is difficult to imagine an America without Catholic schools. Catholic schools need the space, the freedom, to operate in accordance with Catholic convictions if they are to continue to be a source of vitality for our society.
Act: Consider getting in touch with your local Catholic schools to find out about how they serve their communities and how you might participate in their work. Or, sign up for the USCCB Catholic Education Newsletter to keep up with the latest in Catholic education.
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