Catholic education - one of the great and generous works of the church

by Sr. Betty Larson, OSB

Catholic Schools Week 2004 marked the 30th anniversary of this celebration and the 100th anniversary of National Catholic Education Association. Both of these milestones remind us that the faith-filled future is built on a faithful past. It was the immigrant parents in our country who began the Catholic school system because they wanted their children to be formed in their faith. It was the religious communities of women who took on the task of teaching in the schools as their work in the Church. Anyone who knows or has a sense of the history of Catholic schools can picture the Sisters in their long habits doing everything-from teaching, to stoking the fire, to cleaning the buildings. It is upon this foundation that our Catholic schools rest and upon which we continue to build.

From January 8-11, I was privileged to attend the National Symposium on Catholic Education in Washington, D.C. The discussion was based on the topics of Identity, Leadership, and Engagement and how these three factors affect our Catholic education today and its movement into the future. Input on the three topics was gathered during the year from groups around the country - with input from about 15,000 people involved in all areas of Catholic education.

We do face challenges that are common across the country. A decline in enrollment is a key challenge along with the issue of finance, especially in the support of our Catholic schools. How do we support our schools so that they don’t just become schools for the elite? What is the role of the total Catholic population in making Catholic education available for all who want to make that a choice for their children? Will the support of the federal and state governments be available to non-public schools?

Members of the Symposium were invited by President George Bush to come to the White House. In his address to the participants of the Symposium, President Bush praised the work of the Catholic schools. "Catholic schools carry out a great mission, to serve God by building knowledge and character of our young people. It’s a noble calling. It’s an important part of the fabric of America. By teaching the Word of God, you prepare your students to follow the path of virtue and compassion and sacrifice for the rest of their lives. And by insisting on high standards for academic achievement, Catholic schools are a model for all schools around the country."

He continued: "I signed the No Child Left Behind Act. It is the most historic education reform in a generation... Much of what is behind the No Child Left Behind Act, the spirit and the philosophy of the No Child Left Behind Act, came from the examples set by Catholic schools. It is a sense of what is possible. It is a sense that everybody has worth, that each matters...You are serving God by serving our children. You are making America a stronger and more compassionate country, one child at a time."

Indeed, we have touched the lives of many children-one at a time in our past. We will continue to touch one child at a time into our future because we have the commitment of many men and women who have dedicated themselves to the ministry of teaching in the Catholic schools of the Diocese of New Ulm. We have parents and other parishioners who are committed to work with and support the schools so that they will be available in the future.