A Thank You: Catholic Schools Week

When I was at Mass on Sunday, I saw that on the front page of the bulletin. It said, in large block letters, "Catholic Schools Week." Upon seeing this phrase in passing, I stopped, walked back a few steps, and grabbed one. The feeling from reading this phrase wasn't of excitement, but rather of overwhelming gratitude. As some of you know, my college experience has not been lacking in challenge. My faith has been put on trial by those I know and sometimes by those I don't know at all. However, I fully attribute my character to the Catholic school community I have grown up in.

Therefore, I want to write a few words to all those who have, in some way, contributed to Catholic education. Whether you've been a student, a teacher, a parent, or a coach, I first want to thank you. 

The past few years, in which I have been attending a very large public university, I have experienced all facets of diversity. I have seen it in diversity of thought, religion, ethnicity, gender, political opinion, etc., and I have been eager to learn more about all of it. I have made friends, best friends from walks of life completely different than my own. These friends have shaped me, and molded me in many ways by their cultures and backgrounds, but have never swayed my belief in Christ and the Church.

While friends around me have fallen victim to lies, lust, drugs, and other vices, I have been steadfast. I have been confident enough to make my faith known where it is not accepted, and I have been able to fight sin and hate by being faithful. My sophomore year of college, I started to question why I felt as if I was unlike many of my peers. The ethical responsibility I felt to my fellow people and to God seemed too large and, at times, overwhelming. Instead of questioning what I felt, I started to decipher why I felt it. The reason, was always my Catholic education. I was blessed with the strongest faith foundation that someone could be given because of my parents, my teachers, and my Catholic school community. 

When you've grown up in a Catholic school, it seems hard to believe that, in college, you might meet people who know nothing about Christianity or even people who openly oppose it. You might even have professors or leaders whose values couldn't be further from your own. When I was in grade school and high school, Catholic Schools Week meant themed dress-down days and not much else. However, in a few brief years, that phrase has come to mean so much more as it represents who I am. It represents the foundation of my beliefs, and the beating heart of the Body of Christ. 

If you are now a student at a Catholic school, you're probably looking ahead. I challenge you to stop and be still. Don't be hurried or rushed. Be still. Be grateful for what is right in front of you here. The lessons your coaches are teaching you on the field have changed how you face adversity. The helpfulness shown by your teachers has transformed how you treat others. There is no other place like this. You will go out into the world and not realize how lucky you are. There is no doubt, your faith will be tried and tested. Your beliefs will be challenged, your world turned upside down. However, if you recognize this as your foundation, and prepare to carry this foundation with you in your life, you will be amazed at how far the Body of Christ will reach through you. 

xo,

Emma