Ideas Are Easy; Doing the Work is Hard

As we begin the new school year, the sounds and sights of education are in the air. I see the buses on the road, and children crossing the street to Benton Hall. I’ve seen first Day of School pictures circulating, and I can overhear the sports announcer at the football field at Central Valley on Thursday and Friday nights. My own thoughts, too, have been on how to better serve families and youth with our new Parish Family Catechesis, which I have written about and preached on.

Today I want to share with you something that has been developing over the past year or so. The parishes in our network are teaming up to explore the possibility of starting a Catholic Academy.

Last Fall, I began to pay attention to listen to my own desire and the desires of some of our Catholic families. I started to listen and hear what people were looking for? Brother priests, parents, my own heart. I never saw myself as a teacher. I never enjoyed being a student either. I found school to be artificial, boring, and despite going to a Catholic school, I don’t think it brought me closer to God. All I knew is that school was important because you needed to get good grades and go to college. But is that all that matters to us Christians? A career, money, success?

So what is this point of education? According to St. Augustine: “Education is a means in which we fall in love with Truth, i.e., God and live a virtuous and happy life.”

“NOW THE HAPPY LIFE IS JOY IN THE TRUTH; AND THAT MEANS JOY IN YOU, WHO ARE THE TRUTH”—ST. AUGUSTINE, CONFESSIONS

When most of us think of school we don’t see it as falling in love with the truth or a means to find joy. Studies show that our kids are less happy than ever. Even the teachers themselves express their frustration—they say it’s becoming harder and harder to teach. Many have lost their fervor, they are worn down by having to deal with difficult parents, and afraid to say the wrong thing and get in trouble with the administration.

It doesn’t need to be this way. Centuries ago, men and women like Sts. John Bosco, John Baptiste De LaSalle, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Catherine Drexel started schools for children who were too poor to receive an education. Now, the poverty is different. The poverty is poverty of truth, poverty of God, and poverty of joy.  

“How can I respond to this poverty?”

St. James teaches, that “if a man has the power to do good, it is sinful for him to leave it undone.” We priests want to help people discover the truth in education and live a joyful happy life. We want to help remind people that we all have a soul and that our final end is not immediate, i.e., college placement or pleasure, or a high paying job, but union with God in heaven.

What we’re proposing is not new approach to education, but really an old one. It’s called Classical Education.

So what would this school look like?

• Begin with Mass every day
• Classes would be conducted using the Socratic method. The teacher leads the students in a discussion until the truth of the matter comes to light
• The students would be taught how to debate, not cancel one another
• Curriculum is based on tried and true content and methods: “the great books as primary sources”—a curriculum that is actually older than the students themselves
• A broad exposure to the regular subjects, but in the right context: Examples:
  • Music and singing - foundation for everything -order and harmony
  • Science and Math - truth and beauty
  • Theater - Helps us to express ourselves
  • Gym - to build courage,
  • Agriculture - Respect for God’s order of creation and sacredness of life
  • Literature - to understand human nature

All these things help the student to unlock the mysteries of God and how to live in joyful harmony with Him.   

I know you may be thinking: “This sounds impossible” What a pipe dream!

This isn’t something that is simply being thrown together; we’re following a model that has worked and taking advice from those who are doing it. Classical schools are popping up all over the country, and with the right support, are highly successful. They even have produced a number of vocations. While many of our local parish schools may have closed in recent decades, schools built on the classical model are growing. I know it has traction because every person I’ve spoken to from parents to teachers, are thrilled at the idea.

I've been taught that ideas are easy; it’s doing the work that’s hard. So I invite you to consider helping with this endeavor. In October, a public meeting will be held at Annunciation Parish Center in Ilion as this is probably the most suitable place for the school.
I need you to spread the word about it from this day forward. Tell everyone you know. Children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. We need everyone’s support. We should have meeting information in the bulletin next week. To start a school is a monumental task, and requires a lot of people’s support. I’m talking about it today as a Call to Action. The time is right. Let’s all work together to pass on Faith, Truth, Virtue and Joy to future generations.