As our country manages cold and snow and in doing so rearrange Catholic Schools Week activities, our Church celebrates four feast days that speak to the heart of our collective mission:
- 1/25 - The Conversion of St. Paul
- 1/26 - Saints Timothy and Titus
- 1/28 - St. Thomas Aquinas
- 1/31 - St. John Bosco
First, St. Paul's conversion stands as the type of transformation possible within our schools - metanoia. Going beyond the mind that we have, Catholic education provides a set of lenses to students through which they view the world - the inherent dignity of all people, the sacramentality of every moment, the power of relationships, the call on their lives to make the world more loving, peaceful, and just.
Second, Saints Timothy and Titus remind us of the important relationship between and among teachers, students, and families. In St. Paul's second letter to St. Timothy, Paul reminds his student of the gift of faith he has received from his grandmother Lois (think baptism) and through the imposition of Paul's hands (confirmation) along with Timothy's own responsibility to "stir into flame" this gift lest it dim and flicker out. This partnership between the home and school along with the active engagement of students can allow them to claim the "spirit of power and love and self-control" (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012626.cfm).
Third, St. Thomas Aquinas, remains one of the greatest scholars of all time. The patron saint of students, scholars, teachers, and Catholic schools, colleges, and universities, St. Thomas Aquinas can show the relationship between faith and reason while also bringing together science and religion. He profoundly demonstrates the attractive and convicting power of truth in both intellectual and spiritual ways, baptizing the work of Greek and Roman philosophers and helping to elucidate the tenants of our faith.
Fourth and finally, St. John Bosco, the friend of the young and those impacted by poverty, inspires our work in contemporary and relevant ways. The founder of the Salesian order and network of schools across the world, the charism of this Catholic school educator focused on loving what students love so they will love what - and more importantly Who - we love as teachers. His Preventative System of reason, religion and loving kindness encourages educators to see students as disciples in need of formation instead of pupils in need of correction. In other words, to see our students as Christ does.
May the interruptions of Catholic Schools Week 2026 - inconvenient for sure - allow us to extend the celebration of what makes our schools unique and wonderful beyond one week and a handful of activities into every facet of our ministries.
Sts. Paul, Timothy, Titus, Thomas Aquinas, and John Bosco, pray for us!!!
