Catholic Schools Week 2022: Celebrating the Gifts and Blessings of Catholic Education

Once a year, Catholic schools over the whole nation set aside an entire week to celebrate the gift of Catholic education. Here at St. Benedict Cathedral School, Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity for our students, staff, parents, and community to join together in appreciation for all of the hard work being done in our school to form disciples of Christ. Kari Ford, Principal of St. Benedict Cathedral School, is looking forward to bringing the school and parish together for this year's celebration of Catholic Schools Week.

“The school is part of the parish and we work together,” Mrs. Ford says. “We want our parishioners to understand what our school is about and to be involved.”

This year, the school’s theme is “Saints in the Making.” Throughout the year, students have been learning about a new saint each day. In the school’s morning announcements, we talk about the saint for that day and ask for their intercession. Catholic Schools Week will give the students a chance to tie the saints into the special activities and service projects for the day. Each grade level will have the opportunity to learn in depth about a saint and participate in a project that connects to their saint.

For the wider community, St. Benedict Cathedral will be hosting a Mass for all of the schools in the diocese, celebrated by Bishop Siegel. The community can look forward to a ‘Come and See’ night during Catholic Schools Week.

“We’ll be welcoming new families, parishioners, and the community into our school to come see what our Catholic education is all about,” Mrs. Ford says.

Catholic education is a gift and a blessing that builds up our church family. It offers children a strong foundation on which to grow in their faith. Children can openly learn, discuss, and practice their faith in their daily lives. These children are the future of the Church and their strong faith formation will certainly impact the whole Church.

“They can come together and talk about their faith and learn and grow,” Mrs. Ford says. “They are in a place where they can celebrate and talk about God and process their faith while they’re at school.”

At St. Benedict Cathedral School, children live out the liturgical year, learn the lives of the saints, participate in service projects, and are involved in so much more. The faith becomes a real, lived experience. A quality education is important at St. Benedict Cathedral School, and a Catholic education ensures that we teach to the whole person — body, mind, and soul.

“The faith base that surrounds us each and every day makes it a great climate and culture for our staff and students,” Mrs. Ford says. “Everybody works for the one purpose, which is getting us to heaven.”

If you would like to find out more about St. Benedict Cathedral School and Catholic Schools Week, please visit the school website at www.saintbenedictcathedral.org/school/or call the school office at 812-425-4596.

Emma, who is on the Student Lighthouse Team, helps to box up donated food items for our St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive.

As part of their saint projects, students dress up and tell the class about their saint's life.

Students enjoy painting and decorating their prayer boxes.