Catholic Schools Week Supplement

Catholic Schools: Growing together in faith, academic excellence and service

By Mary McCoy (Interim superintendent of Catholic schools for the archdiocese)

National Catholic Schools Week has been the annual celebration of Catholic education across the country since 1974. It always begins on the last Sunday in January and runs all week. In a typical year, our Catholic schools celebrate this week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. It is safe to say this is not a typical year as we continue to navigate through a pandemic that none of us has ever experienced in our Catholic schools.

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are truly special places of academic excellence and faith-filled mission. Catholic schools across central and southern Indiana serve nearly 21,000 students with open doors, open arms and open hearts. It is through this ministry of education that our outstanding pastors, school leaders, teachers and staff members form our young people in the Catholic faith.

As we celebrate our Catholic schools across the archdiocese, we also take this opportunity to recognize the true heroes during this pandemic— our teachers. It has been amazing and energizing to witness more than 2,000 teachers continue to provide a Catholic education to young people throughout the archdiocese. Sometimes in-person, sometimes remotely, sometimes a hybrid, and sometimes all three at the same time!

Our teachers have creatively met the needs of students spiritually, academically, emotionally and physically, while at the same time keeping the safety of all students a priority. To quote St. Theodora Guérin, “Show kindness to them [children] and be attentive to their spiritual and physical needs.” Our teachers have done just this during these challenging times, and for this we commend them.

Please take time to visit the center pages of this year’s Catholic Schools Week Supplement, where 185 Catholic school teachers are recognized for 25 years or more of service in Catholic education. These amazing teachers are navigating through one of the most challenging years of their careers and have taught in ways they never would have imagined. They are true heroes who have dedicated their careers to such an important ministry in the Catholic Church, and for that we say, “thank you!”

As we pray and have hope for brighter days, thank you for your continued prayers and support of our Catholic schools across the archdiocese, especially during this special week. They are true beacons in our communities and, for some, the brightest spots during these challenging times.

Happy Catholic Schools Week—#CSW21. †

 

See more from our 2021 Catholic Schools Week Supplement