Catholic School

Last week, on All Saints Day, the younger two and I attended Mass at the high school my older boys attend. Whenever the school celebrates an all-school mass like they do on Holy Days, we attend. I've been thinking about that Mass for a couple days, and though I've had a lot on my mind, my thoughts keep going back to the school and that Mass.

The Catholic schools get a lot of criticism these days. And rightly so for many of them. I pulled my own kids out of Catholic grade school. Many Catholic schools have become private school with a little religion class and maybe a daily prayer. Schools with clergy teaching are almost extinct, and the practice of Christian brotherhood among students is pretty scarce. Most Catholic schools today are not the Catholic schools I attended, sadly. I just don't think that many Catholic school administrators have the souls of their students at heart. I can't say why, I just don't know. But, much has changed in Catholic school and I think it's very sad.

That said, I would like to brag for just a minute about the high school my sons attend. It is one of the few really good Catholic schools around, at least in my geographic circle. I think if more Catholic parents demanded excellence of their Catholic schools it would not be one of the few. The fact that it is an all-boys school helps immensely. It is incredible what the absence of girls does to these boys. It opens them up to being themselves; to being honest about who they are.

The All Saints Day Mass was just an example of what a great school it is. The picture above gives you an overall idea of what we experienced. The student body, in dress pants, jacket and tie, were respectful and quiet. You could have heard a pin drop in the commons where the all-school Masses are held. They pray during the prayers and they sing during the hymns. The students participate in every part of the Mass, from the servers to the lecturers, the cantor, the gift-bearers, the organist and the choir. Even the celebrants were alumni (and faculty) or parish priests with students in the student body. Many of the prayers are sung in Latin and all of the boys know them, by heart.

This Mass was to be celebrated by the bishop, but in his absence the chancellor celebrated. And at this particular Mass, the boys always end the celebration with "Gaudeamus igitur," which is so enjoyable for the boys to sing and the parents and visitors to hear.

Each time I am in the presence of these wonderful young men, I find I can get through the everyday trials that come from having my children in school -- a challenging school at that. I need, from time to time, to stand in the presence of their whole to see the future. It's an awesome thing.
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