As we gear up for another academic year, before anything else, I want to wish the best to all students and educators of St. Rose of Lima Parish and School. You are all in my prayers for a successful school year. From a Catholic perspective, the goal of education is to enable children to learn and develop - intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually - so that they can reach their full God-given human potential to contribute to the common good of society and to deepen their relationship with the Lord, leading to eternal salvation.
I was in Catholic education as a high school teacher at Paul VI High School for seven years and I have learned that education plays a critical role in the development of young people. I urge parents to show constant vigilance upon what is going on at the school(s) where their children are present, whether a Catholic school or not. Please talk to your children every day and find out what their teachers are saying in class. Be prepared to offer a response to them when you find that they are “learning” things that go against our faith, as well as affirming the good and true things that they are taught. Being intimately involved in the education of your children is not just the duty of parents, but also a great opportunity to bring the light of Christ and his love to them. Don’t forget - the earlier the involvement starts and more constant it is, the less likely that it will seem intrusive to the children. Also don’t forget to attend every possible event in which your children participate. They may not mention it, but you can be sure that your presence means very much to them.
Now, to the students. To be honest, I never liked school. Although I have given this example many times, it still is true: I looked forward to the end of college like you can’t believe, thinking that I would never have to go to school again. Well, after six years of seminary and two of further studies (that’s eight years of school after college!); I didn’t seem to get my wish. But along the way, I did learn a lot. One thing I also disliked was doing homework. But I know, from my own experience and from working with high school students, it’s actually easier to work reasonably hard all the time and not get behind, than to let things go and then have periods of crazy activity just to throw a bunch of stuff together just to get something in on time. You end up with better grades with less stress. It’s a tough lesson to learn but it works.
Try it. Have a great year!
God Bless you,
Father Joseph Byerley
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