The difficult times we are going through force us to be more thoughtful and careful with our expenses.
More than ever, at this time we think carefully about how to spend our money wisely; and if we are prudent, the words of that important work attributed to the apostles we know as the Didaché are fulfilled in us: “Let your charitable gifts sweat in your hands, until indeed you know who to give to.”
To the apostles, “sweating in our hands” meant that the act of giving could not be unconscious or hasty, but deeply reflective and conscious. Especially when there are not abundant funds.
Thank God, in our archdiocese, we have a field of evangelization that does not require a lot of sweat from our hands, because we know perfectly well that it is one of the best investments for the future of our families, of the church, and of our nation: Catholic education.
Early last year, Pope Benedict XVI met with the principal pastoral agents of the diocese of Rome, and without beating around the bush, he indicated that education in general, and Catholic education in particular, were “in a state of emergency.”
“The spreading of relativism that implies doubt regarding truth and good,” said the Holy Father, not only “makes it difficult to transmit rules of conduct from one generation to the next,” but it also “makes it difficult to live,” because “existential and social unease grows.”
The pope was clearly expressing something that we know: when education fails, society fails. And when Catholic education fails, a very important part of the life and mission of the church fails.
Thank God, in our archdiocese, we have good Catholic schools and important initiatives to keep them running, such as the “Hope for the Future” fund.
But it is obvious that all the good done thus far is not enough for the challenge we face: our Catholic schools need to grow stronger, improve in quality and increase in number.
According to a study done by UTSA in 2006, the parents in our archdiocese indicated that “catholid identity” is the main reason they send their children to Catholic schools or would like to. But Catholic schools cannot fulfill their mission if they do not find support from parents; because the family is the first place of children’s education and upbringing.
Our Catholic schools are privileged to be able to help parents fulfill this fundamental mission of educating and raising their children as living members of the church and responsible citizens. But they know that their mission, albeit an important one, is secondary. That means that, regardless of how solid our schools are, however competent our curriculum or our spiritual training is, the school can never completely perform its function without parents’ active participation.
A successful Catholic school is one whose parents are the fundamental pillars. Without parents, a school’s capacity is diminished, just as a body is diminished when it loses a member.
That is why, at the start of this year, when reflecting on the mission of Catholic schools, I want to encourage parents with all my heart to participate more actively in the life of Catholic schools. Generosity to support them, dedicated time, patience, creativity and prayers are invaluable riches that parents possess and that their children need, mainly at home, but also in school.
When parents are a living part of the school, they not only enrich it and help it fulfill its mission, but they themselves are enriched with the fruits of a community of faith.
Let us ask the sacred family, a model for every family and for every educational community, to arouse in the parents in our archdiocese a living desire to use their resources and their personal gifts for the strengthening and growth of our Catholic education.
The future of evangelization and of our nation depends on it.