September 17, 2023
My Mom still loves telling the story of how I used to cling to the neighborhood oak trees on my way to the bus stop, refusing to go to school. “By eighth grade, thank God, he grew out of it,” she would say, smiling as she did so. She was exaggerating, of course … I stopped riding the bus in sixth grade!
I didn’t always love school, but to this day, I am so grateful for the education I received as a result of the dedicated women and men – both religious and laypersons – who truly gave their lives in service to the Gospel as Catholic educators. They taught me how to diagram sentences (which I love), figure out how to solve for “x” and be curious about the world around me. More importantly, though, they guided my head and heart to know Jesus Christ and to value service to others in His Name. That’s the true gift of Catholic education.
Next week, parishioners throughout the diocese of Wilmington will be asked to help make the dream of a Catholic education a reality for many families who struggle financially. Monies raised through the Share in the Spirit Tuition Assistance collection, coupled with the diocese’s tuition assistance endowment, provide help for hundreds of deserving Catholic families who cannot afford the full cost of a Catholic education on their own. Please prayerfully consider a contribution, for every gift given is an act of true Christian discipleship, bringing the truths of our faith to future generations here in our own diocese. (More information can be found at https://www.cdow.org/share-in-the-spirit.)
Famed journalist Charles Osgood once declared: “Catholic education keeps the light burning brightly in our land.” May we do all we can to keep that light shining for others who long for such a gift.