Happy Catholic Schools Week (CSW)!
This is such an exciting time of year for our students, families, teachers, and staff. So much work goes into planning and executing all the special events, traveling to service projects throughout our diocese, inviting new families into our communities, and more. It is truly a time for us to express our gratitude and dedication to Catholic education.
Today, more than 550 students and teachers representing each of our 31 Catholic schools gathered for Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew to celebrate the week and give thanks for the gift of Catholic school education built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, bishop of Grand Rapids, presided at Mass and gave a beautiful homily (view the full homily on YouTube). Within it, he said,
"Yes, you have minds to learn.
Yes, you have bodies to develop your talents and abilities.
But yes, you have souls. ...you have an eternal spark in you. You have God's Divine Life living within you.
And all three - mind, body, and soul - need to be cared for. This makes Catholic education different from the other schools."
Here are photos from today's event:
Here are more ways Catholic schools are celebrating Catholic Schools Week 2023:
- Fox 17 Morning Mix interview with Superintendent Faber (Jan. 24, 2023)
- A Letter from our Superintendents (January/February 2023 FAITH Grand Rapids magazine)
- Bishop Walkowiak's letter to parishioners (English | Spanish)
- Bishop Walkowiak's letter to current parents (English | Spanish)
- Recognizing the partnership and continuation of Catholic education into the collegiate level, Bishop Walkowiak has written to students, faculty and staff of Aquinas College.
- National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) identifies daily themes for CSW to guide us and to focus our appreciation on all the people who support Catholic education. Please follow our Office of Catholic Schools' Facebook and Instagram pages to see all the unique ways our schools are participating.
- Visit catholicschools4u.org to see open houses and events open to the public.
Please join us this week and lift our schools up in prayer. Thank you and happy Catholic Schools Week!