Lancaster: Our schools are faith-filled

    I am looking forward to celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 26-Feb. 1. It will be a wonderful opportunity for our schools to celebrate what makes them special: Centers of academic excellence rooted in the love of Jesus.
    This year’s theme from the National Catholic Educational Association is “Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” Our family of Catholic schools exemplifies each of these components.
    Our schools are certainly communities of faith. Our elementary schools and high schools are places where the Catholic faith permeates every activity. Academics, sports, clubs and all extracurricular activities are centered in prayer. The sacraments, prayer and liturgy are woven into all of our schools. Our days start and end with all eyes focused on God.
    Our schools are surely communities of knowledge. Our Catholic schools are committed to academic excellence, with students consistently scoring above average on standardized tests and with superb high school graduation rates. Our teachers are committed to bringing out the best in their students, while always recognizing each as a sacred child of God.
    Our schools are definitely communities of service. There are numerous examples of schools heeding the command of Jesus to serve the least of our sisters and brothers. Students take part in days of service in their communities, take summer mission trips to poverty-stricken areas of the country and are always ready to feed the hungry through food drives, among many other noteworthy service projects.
    Our Catholic schools, vibrant communities of faith, knowledge and service, will celebrate the week in many ways, culminating with an Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Week Mass on Jan. 31 at St. Dominic. I am looking forward to a wonderful liturgy in which we can give thanks to God for the great blessing of Catholic schools to our community, our nation and our world.
    Dr. Jan Lancaster is superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. She can be reached at [email protected].