As spring turns to summer, one of the annual milestones is the end of the school year. Sometimes it simply means spending the last day of school cleaning out a desk that a student has used all year. For others, there is a graduation ceremony. For everyone, there is an exhale of breath and an opportunity to ponder all of the prayers offered, the formation given and the knowledge conveyed.

With our system of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockford, the end of another school year is a moment for even wider reflection. Our Catholic schools, in conjunction with our religious education programs, are a primary means of evangelizing our Catholic young people.

They give our young people lived experience of personally encountering Jesus Christ through His Catholic Church. In short, each school year centers itself on forming in our young people, and by extension in their families, a true Catholic identity. That means that our young people not only learn the details of the catechism, the words of prayers and the “how to” of going to Mass or confession, but it also means our students are formed with an outlook on the world that sees Christ in all things.

Part of that vision is the heart of the teaching of Pope Francis in his encyclical letter “Laudato sì’.” His reflections on the environment stress our vision of faith that God as creator is the source of all that is. He has entrusted creation to us. In keeping with his urging, we seek to teach our young people to see God’s hand in the environment, in the dignity of the human person, in marriage and family and in every needy person.

These are only some of the challenges for which we need to prepare our young people. The growing secularism of our time only deepens the value of our Catholic schools in giving to our young people the tools and the confidence to understand and live their faith.

Our system of Catholic schools, in existence for over a century, is a source of great pride. But today, it is not without its challenges.

As our area demographics change, enrollments are often significantly less than they were decades ago. That is also true for public schools as well. But costs to keep our Catholic schools at their level of excellence have risen. For example, we must compensate our teachers justly for their contribution to the mission of the Church. Many of our school buildings and facilities need upgrading and maintenance.

And in some places, parishes struggle with the sacrifice and financial demands that come with the privilege of having a parish school.

Currently, the Diocese of Rockford is engaged in a strategic study of our Catholic school system. With the goal of laying out the educational future for decades to come, we have engaged the Meitler group, professional research and planning consultants, to assist in the preparation of a strategic plan.

For the last several months, they have visited our schools and parishes. They have taken the opportunity to dialogue, listening to stories of success and hearing about challenges and concerns. In doing so they have met with teachers, administrators, parents and clergy.

Among the challenges that have been points of discussion have been a recommitment to the mission of our schools and to the Catholic identity of our students. They have also discussed school governance structures and enrollment.

A hard look is also being taken at the financial challenges faced by our schools and parishes. It is clear that going forward new and innovative ways need to be found to address them.

All of these challenges are not limited only to families with children in our Catholic schools. They touch every member of the Church and every parish because they constitute part of our basic mission of evangelization, of bringing Christ to the world.

I am grateful to all who have participated in this process of study. Please pray for its success. Pray also for and support our teachers and administrators, our students, and our pastors involved in Catholic education. Please remember as well, all of the donors, living and deceased, who have built and sustained our Catholic schools.

May these educational efforts continue to serve the Church for many years to come!