Dear Parishioners:
In 2005 the American Bishops issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to Catholic education. They discussed the goals of availability, affordability, and accessibility. In their document we are reminded that Catholic Schools are critically important to the Church’s mission to evangelize and catechize.
Today, we begin the annual celebration of Catholic Schools’ Week. It is an opportunity to recognize the vision of Catholic education. We mark the sacrifice of those who wove the fabric of our Catholic school history and celebrate the commitment that keeps the vision alive.
As Pastor, faith formation is an essential responsibility. It is my duty to support the parent, the primary educator of each child, in bringing the child closer to God. We work to introduce the child to a loving God and to help him/her realize that he/she is called to know God, to love Him, and to serve Him.
In our area there are many educational choices. Some families participate in our well respected public school system and, for that reason, St. Raphael works to maintain a strong Religious Education Program. As always, I thank Mary Jo Barnes and the numerous volunteer catechists who make our program come alive.
Private schools and local Catholic alternatives offer our parents still more options. Again, our Religious Education Program strives to connect all these children in a common parish identity and they come “home” to celebrate their sacraments.
St. Raphael has a strong presence at St. Elizabeth School. Upper grade students from St. Elizabeth School will do our readings at the 10:00 AM Mass Sunday, and you will notice many children in their Catholic school uniforms.
Sincerely, I applaud the many options our families are utilizing to give their children the greatest gift—the gift of faith. We at St. Raphael work to support you in your faith journey and to be a strong resource for you in the various stages of formation. Almost since the beginning of our 40 year parish history, the Nursery School has been here supporting those first educational steps, and our Youth Ministry supports the teens and young adults. We take seriously our mandate to teach our children.
On June 13, 2006, Cardinal Mc Carrick dedicated our St. Raphael School. Remarkably, he said it was only his second school dedication in 25 years as a bishop. We are proud to be on this threshold and will have a reception after the 10:00 AM Mass to celebrate our inaugural year. The gift bearers at that Mass will be our new Kindergarten and First Grade students.
We asked our current school families to tell us why they chose Catholic School and, in particular, what they were finding at St. Raphael School. Please see the insert in today’s Bulletin for some of their responses. The children attend one Mass as part of our week and consequently, we asked those who attend the 9:00 AM daily Mass to reflect on their new companions. The responses were positive and included comments like a wish that St. Raphael School had opened years ago to accommodate their children.
Today, recognizing that there are many reasons for the educational choices you make, I ask you to join me in opening this very special Catholic Schools Week. We celebrate a new home for academic excellence, an opportunity to worship as a school community, and a chance to serve as we mark the beginnings of St. Raphael School.
Our success is dependent on the dedication of the teachers and the volunteers of many. In a special way I wish to thank our principal, Teri Dwyer. Your prayers are important as well and I am grateful to all of you who support our mission. May our Lord continue His blessings upon each of you.
Sincerely in Christ,
—Fr. Bill Finch