This last week we observed the annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week. I wonder sometimes if we as Catholics in the United States realize what a magnificent achievement our system of Catholic schools has been historically, and continues to be to the present day.

Although our beloved country was founded with religious liberty as its first freedom, our national history has been marked by moments and incidents of suspicion, dislike and even discrimination against our Catholic faith and our immigrant forefathers.

As a result, a century and a half ago, the Catholic Church began the effort to establish throughout our country a system of schools that would not only compete in academic and other excellence with both government and private alternatives, but would complete the picture of formation of young people. It would do so by incorporating in the school the values of the Catholic faith that would form young students to take their knowledge and training and go into the world with fidelity to Christ and his Church.

This vision of a Catholic school did not mean back then, nor does it mean now,  the same set of classes and extracurricular activities that can be found in every other school with the simple addition of “religion class.” And it certainly does not mean merely running our own version of private schools.

Instead, the vision is of something far deeper, something that Pope Francis has constantly called us to during his pontificate. That is, to impart to our young people the knowledge, the accumulated wisdom and the divine guidance of what the Church teaches (yes, religion class), but then help them to take it to heart so that their thoughts, decisions and actions in the world would radically follow Jesus and witness to him before others.

This is the essence of the Catholic culture and the Catholic identity we seek for ourselves and for the next generation. And it is a tremendous and often under appreciated contribution to our American identity and goodness.

Sometimes we are told that the Catholic identity that we seek to live and to impart to our young people is hard to define. But is it really? We see examples of it all the time, and unfortunately, we all see counter examples as well.

For example, certainly attending Mass each Sunday as an absolute personal and family priority is part of being Catholic. It is our loving acknowledgement that Christ is present in the world even now in his body and blood, and his sacrifice on the cross for our sins is a guiding principle today, not a story of the past.

Add to that the forgiveness of sins in confession, our Catholic tradition of care of the sick, the elderly and the unborn and the moral guidance that we receive from the Church, and we are heirs to a treasure that prepares us for eternal life.

Of course, one could, and many do, acquire their Catholic faith from family, religious education programs, personal study or other means. But in a time when so many are drifting away from the faith, what a blessing it is to have Catholic schools to help us form the next generation to follow Jesus.

That leaves a few quick observations. Parents of Catholic school students, thank you for your sacrifice and commitment. But one quick question: are you completing your children’s formation by taking them to Sunday Mass? If not, the heart of Catholic life learned in school is not being reinforced at home.

To our Catholic school teachers and staff, thank you, all 1,079 of you in the Diocese of Rockford.
Principals of our Catholic schools, to you too we owe a deep debt of gratitude. To our 9,708 students in 40 Catholic elementary schools and 4,079 students in eight Catholic high schools, be proud and be grateful of the gift of Catholic education.

To all of the parishes that maintain a Catholic school, please value that treasure. Typically a school brings challenges, work and, yes, financial pressures. But like a family, the value of a Catholic school cannot be calculated in strictly earthly measures. I am so grateful for your sacrifices.

I ask you to join me in prayer and gratitude for all of our Catholic schools. Please continue to support them in any way that you can.