Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

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Catholic education: A light in the darkness

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Catholic Education

To paraphrase Charles Dickens, youth and young adulthood are the best of times and the worst of times. The best of times because these are the years of exploration and discovery when young minds are like sponges and absorb ideas and values that will shape their future. On the other hand, they are also the worst of times because all of the ideas and values to which they are exposed are not benign or beneficial.

Pope Francis spoke to this danger in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium: “ …We are living in an information-driven society which bombards us indiscriminately with data—all treated as being of equal importance—and which leads to remarkable superficiality in the area of moral discernment. In response, we need to provide an education which teaches critical thinking and encourages the development of mature moral values.” (Par. 64)

Of course the first educators of children are their parents, and educators to whom they entrust their children must build on the foundation provided by the family. That education must do more than instill information and introduce and demonstrate the values of a Christian and civil society.

In the words of the Holy Father it must “provide an education which teaches critical thinking…” In order that they are able to analyze and evaluate concepts and ideas and make sound judgments in light of the teachings of Jesus.

Such is the mission of Catholic education at all levels. Catholic educators, lay, religious and clergy are committed to the formation of Christian women and men prepared to confront and change the society and world we leave to them. This is what motivates parents to make such great sacrifices to provide a Catholic education.

This Catholic Schools week I salute parents and educators who work together to make Catholic education a light in the darkness.

The true value of a Catholic education

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Once again the importance of a Catholic education to parents is evident in the enrollment of 15,052 students in Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Dallas. The enrollment data released by Sister Gloria Cain, Superintendent of Schools, on September 17 shows 11,981 students enrolled in 31 diocesan and parochial Catholic schools and 3,071 in private Catholic schools.

Catholic parents are to be admired and commended for making the sacrifices required to provide their children with a Catholic education. In the words of Pope Benedict: “In …Catholic schools, there is always a bigger picture over and above the individual subjects you study, the different skills you learn. All the work you do is placed in the context of growing in friendship with God, and all that flows from that friendship.”

Catholic education not only provides young men and women with a Faith strong enough to endure in an increasingly secularized society, but one that equips them to confront and change that society in light of the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

“The quest for the sacred”, in the Pope’s words, “does not devalue other fields of human enquiry. On the contrary, it places them in a context which magnifies their importance, as ways of responsibly exercising our stewardship over creation”.

A Catholic school must be more than a school that offers religion as a subject, it must be a functioning Christian community that nurtures and enhances the seeds of Faith planted by parents in a loving Christian family.

Some back-to-school thoughts

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As our children and young people head back to school and to college I want to wish them well and encourage them in their educational endeavors. They need only to read the daily newspaper or watch a television newscast to realize how fortunate they are to live in a country where there are so many educational opportunities.

Whether a first-grader or a freshman, what they learn in the classroom must stand on the foundation of what they have learned at home. As the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council taught: “the task of imparting education belongs primarily to the family, but it requires the help of society as a whole.“

Parental responsibility is particularly important in forming and nurturing faith in their children. It is in the Christian family where children are “taught to know and worship God and to love their neighbor” in accordance with the grace received at Baptism (GE ¶3).

So as our children trudge off to school or take off for college they carry with them the indelible imprint of their family or origin. Indeed it will shape them for the rest of their lives.

I ask God’s blessing on all of our Catholic students and upon their parents for their loving care.

The great value of a Catholic education

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Yesterday I visited Bishop Dunne High School. It is one of the great success stories of our diocese, thanks to the joint efforts of faculty, students, parents and the Catholic community.

Once again I was reminded of the great value of a Catholic education. It is so much more than secular education with religion classes added on. It is education rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ designed to enable students to reach the fullness of their potential as individuals created in God’s image.

The goal of Catholic education is to inculcate in students a Christian vision of what the human person is called to be and what the world is destined to become. It brings to fruition seeds of faith planted by parents.

Catholic education does not come without sacrifices. I am astounded at the sacrifices many families make in order to send their children to a Catholic school. Every effort is made to make a Catholic education accessible. Most schools have financial assistance available and no family should rule out sending their child to a Catholic school without inquiring abut financial aid. Parents recognize that the costs of a Catholic education are not only an investment in the future of their child, but also in the future of our society.

I have great admiration for the lay and religious men and women who have created and maintain our Catholic school system and for the parents who make the often difficult choices to send their children to Catholic schools.

The Catholic Foundation’s Annual Award Banquet

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The Catholic Foundation’s Annual Award Banquet happens to fall during Catholic Schools Week this year and it is appropriate that the foundation will honor a Catholic educator on the occasion. Jesuit Father Philip Postell has served as president of Jesuit College Preparatory School since 1992. He will be the 28th recipient of the Catholic Foundation Award. The award not only recognizes Father Postell for his outstanding work and commitment to Catholic education, but also honors the institution he heads. Graduates of Jesuit College Prep are among those leaders who have shaped the Dallas’ Catholic community.

Recognizing and honoring Catholic leaders is one work of the Catholic Foundation, but it is only a small portion of their contribution to the Church of Dallas. The Foundation’s primary function is to furnish a vehicle for those who wish to provide funds for the needs of the diocese and its many agencies. Through investments it enhances the power of charitable resources. From thesw investments it is able to provide grants in excess of five-million dollars a year to various Catholic entities.

From its modest beginnings in 1965 the Catholic Foundation has become a powerhouse for the Church. I commend the Catholic Foundation for its important contributions to our diocese and for honoring the outstanding leaders of our Catholic community.

What a blessing our Catholic schools are!

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As we observe Catholic Schools Week I realize that what sets our Catholic schools apart is that their mission is more than educational excellence, which they certainly provide. In addition our Catholic schools and educators offer students a faith community to support and extend the moral values and discipline nurtured in them by their family.There are more than 15,000 students in our 31 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Dallas. In many cases they represent great sacrifices by parents to pass on their Catholic tradition to their children. I congratulate our Catholic educators for their wonderful work and salute our Catholic school parents for their commitment.