Why Catholic Schools?

By Fr. Scott Settimo

Just this past December, in a public school in southern California, the first grade assignment was to find something at home that represented a family Christmas tradition, bring it to school, and share the item in a classroom presentation. Six year old Brynn Wilson decided to bring the Star of Bethlehem that adorned the family Christmas tree. But as the child was giving her presentation the teacher stopped her and told her to sit down, because she was “not allowed to talk about the Bible in school.”

Whereas, at Holy Name School in Ketchikan the parish priest’s recent religion lesson for the sixth grade was on the Fifth Commandment. The children learned that they are created in the image and likeness of God, comprised of body and soul, and that human life is therefore sacred and purposeful. One student’s question led to a constructive discussion about suicide, which, it turns out, had already touched some of their young lives.

Will you help us keep Christ in the classroom? The diocesan special collection for Catholic Schools is Sunday, February 2. Your prayers, certainly, and any monetary gift would help. It might help to know that:

• average weekly compensation of a teacher = $835;
• one month’s tuition = $352; and
• keeping the lights and heat on for a day = $117.

Thank you for supporting Catholic Schools.