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Catholic Schools Week
Students encouraged to 'light the way' at annual schools Mass
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published February 8, 2008
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
At Most Holy Trinity Elementary School in Detroit, kindergartner Cameron Pilarski enjoys a snack and makes sure guest Archdiocese of Detroit Superintendent of Schools Sr. Mary Gehringer, OSM, gets one as well. Most Holy Trinity was one of four schools visited on Jan. 28 by Sr. Gehringer and Todd Zoellick, a regional representative for the U.S. Department of Education, in honor of Catholic Schools Week. |
Detroit — Hundreds of Catholic school students, teachers, parents and administrators from across the Archdiocese of Detroit gathered last week to share in the Eucharist and to give thanks for the blessings Catholic schools have brought to them and to society.
"Catholic schools provide an environment to see the world through the eyes of Jesus," said Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss, the main celebrant of the Catholic Schools Week Mass Jan. 30 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. "They give us an opportunity to pray and to be reminded daily that we received the gift of life from God the Father." During his homily, Bishop Reiss posed a question to the 700 students in attendance at the Mass: "How can you and I be a light to the world?"
That question was at the center of this year's Catholic Schools Week — the time set aside in late January by Church leaders to recognize the blessings that Catholic schools bring to the world. Bishop Reiss said the answer had less to do with the "facts" that students learn in school than the way students perceive and act on those facts.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
Following the theme for National Catholic School's Week, "Catholic Schools Light the Way," Bishop Reiss encouraged the students to light the way in the world by acting on what they know.
"We can be a light — a light through the way we live our own lives," the bishop said.
As examples, he said the students could lead by example when it comes to alleviating poverty, being good stewards of the environment, and spreading the culture of life.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
The Catholic Schools Week Mass was the cornerstone to hundreds of activities participated in by the Archdiocese of Detroit's 100-plus Catholic schools.
School communities, and especially students, held rallies, fundraisers, other liturgies, appreciation days and academic competitions to celebrate their Catholic schools from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.
Sr. Mary Gehringer, OSM, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit, at the end of Mass recalled a personal story that happened at Most Holy Trinity School in Detroit.
Paying a visit to the school with a representative from the United States Department of Education, she entered a kindergarten classroom and was promptly invited by one of the students, Cameron Pilarski, to sit next to him.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
As it was snack time, the young student piped up to his teacher, "We'll need another cookie back here."
"I felt so welcomed with him," Sr. Gehringer said. "He was Jesus to me — he made me feel that I was important.
"How can I be a light for other people? That's what the key is for our Catholic schools."
Sr. Gehringer, along with Sr. Frances Nadolny, OP, director of the Department of Education, thanked students for being a light within their own communities and asked students in turn to thank their parents, teachers, principals, and those in their parish for their support of Catholic schools.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
Students at the cathedral could point to why they were happy to celebrate Catholic Schools Week at the liturgy.
"My favorite part about attending a Catholic school is that you get to be with people who share a common belief, and you don't have to be embarrassed to express your faith," said Allison Hallman, a sophomore at Regina High School in Harper Woods.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
Alexis Attinoto, an eighth grader at St. Joseph School in Orion Township, said she and her classmates were excited to come to the cathedral for the liturgy.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic |
"We all wanted to experience what it feels like to be a big Catholic family, and how everybody in the entire archdiocese gets involved in Catholic Schools Week," Alexis said. "We understand what a big deal it is, and what a big deal it is to be Catholic."
Steven Kelley, an eighth grader from Cabrini Middle School in Allen Park, agreed that being at the cathedral was "cool."
"I've never really experienced anything like this," Steven said.
As far as celebrating Catholic Schools Week goes, he said it's good to remind people how special Catholic schools are.
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic | "You get to share your faith with anyone, because everyone there is religious in some way," he said.
"Sometimes, people just don't understand the awesomeness of going to a Catholic school."
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