It's not enough to simply be proud of our Catholic institutions. Principals and Vice Principals must lead the way to preserve those very institutions that are threatened by an increasing view towards a more secular approach to education, that sees no value in integrating our very unique worldview into all that we do.
Recently one of our very active councils has introduced ALPHA, a modern evangelization program, to our student body. Students were invited to sign up for weekly talks and table discussions and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised about the initial turnout. There are enough kids in our school who are contemplating big questions about our faith and its place in their lives. I was asked by this council to serve as a table host. Most VPs are pretty busy and I used to think that it was pretty much impossible to find the time to get involved in co-curricular activities of any kind but now I think that when it comes to those activities that are about safeguarding our identity as Catholic schools, we have to oblige. Our kids need to know that our faith is a priority for us too.
I'm not at all suggesting that this is the most important activity going on at present time in my school but it's just not that often that a sizable group of young people are demanding time and space to discuss faith and life and the questions they have. Our schools are the places where this ought to happen. The adults need to work in service to our faith need to be there to facilitate those discussions. From where I sit and work, I experience a little sadness almost daily when I hear of kids migrating to our local public schools because they would rather spend the time they would normally have in a Religion course in a more "practical" course that they could use to buffer their average for college or university applications. I realize I am painting schools out to be "credit mills" but it seems that we have moved away from the notion that education does not only serve to nurture the mind, but the soul as well.
Recently one of our very active councils has introduced ALPHA, a modern evangelization program, to our student body. Students were invited to sign up for weekly talks and table discussions and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised about the initial turnout. There are enough kids in our school who are contemplating big questions about our faith and its place in their lives. I was asked by this council to serve as a table host. Most VPs are pretty busy and I used to think that it was pretty much impossible to find the time to get involved in co-curricular activities of any kind but now I think that when it comes to those activities that are about safeguarding our identity as Catholic schools, we have to oblige. Our kids need to know that our faith is a priority for us too.
I'm not at all suggesting that this is the most important activity going on at present time in my school but it's just not that often that a sizable group of young people are demanding time and space to discuss faith and life and the questions they have. Our schools are the places where this ought to happen. The adults need to work in service to our faith need to be there to facilitate those discussions. From where I sit and work, I experience a little sadness almost daily when I hear of kids migrating to our local public schools because they would rather spend the time they would normally have in a Religion course in a more "practical" course that they could use to buffer their average for college or university applications. I realize I am painting schools out to be "credit mills" but it seems that we have moved away from the notion that education does not only serve to nurture the mind, but the soul as well.
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