What's special about Catholic schools
Education in faith and values sets them apart

Catholic schools have been recognized for providing an outstanding academic education. Many Catholic schools also have a reputation for athletic excellence.

	Editor's View Mary C. Uhler

Outstanding academics. Top-notch sports programs. These are two reasons why Catholic schools are special.

Comprehensive education in faith and values

But they're not the main reason why Catholic schools are so special. The main reason is that Catholic schools provide a comprehensive education in faith and values.

I attended 12 years at Catholic schools from first through 12th grade. My Catholic school education prepared me well for college and the work world.

	Week honoring Catholic schools kicks off January 27 Catholic Schools Week, the annual celebration of Catholic schools and their contribution to their communities and the nation, is set for January 27 through February 2. For more on Catholic Schools Week, see the special section in this week's print edition. Related items this week: • Eye on the Capitol -- Helping Catholic schools 'light the way'

But when I look back, I am most grateful for what I learned about the beliefs of the Catholic Church and how to put those beliefs into action in my daily life.

The Sisters and lay teachers at Blessed Sacrament Grade School in La Crosse, Wis., lived and breathed their Catholic faith. In addition, we started our day with Mass at church every morning and the parish priests visited our classrooms at least once a week.

Prayer was a part of every day. We often attended special prayer services and participated in novenas. I especially remember the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We students always wrote "JMJ" on our papers, dedicating our work to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

When I was in grade school, we studied the Baltimore Catechism. Those tenets of the faith still remain with me to this day.

In more recent years, Catholic educators have the new Catechism of the Catholic Church to use as a resource in teaching students about the faith. Students today have many other resources in books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs, and the Internet to learn more about their faith.

Parents and teachers witness to the faith

But above all, students learn best from their parents and teachers who witness to the faith by their example. When I was young, I learned how to live out my faith primarily through these role models.

The same holds true today. That's why Catholic schools are so important in providing those role models throughout the school day, not just for a few minutes once or twice a week.

Lighting the way to a brighter future

The theme of this year's Catholic Schools Week, beginning Sunday, Jan. 27, is "Catholic Schools Light the Way." Catholic schools do light the way to a brighter future for students in so many ways. Catholic schools have lifted many generations out of the darkness of ignorance into the light of knowledge. But the most important knowledge of all is the knowledge of God and our Catholic faith, which ultimately leads to happiness in everlasting life.

That's why Catholic schools are special. They help lead students on the right path to belief in God and to living lives in tune with God's will.

Support Catholic schools

With such an important purpose, our Catholic schools deserve our support. Please provide financial support for our Catholic schools. Consider a donation to Catholic schools you attended and to those in your parish or area.

Enroll your children in Catholic schools and encourage other relatives, friends, and neighbors to consider Catholic schools for their children.

Above all, pray for all those involved in Catholic schools that they will continue to light the way for many more generations to come.

Mailbag

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Don't take charity out of the hands of the people

To the editor:

There is no question that we must feed the hungry and care for the sick. However, I strongly disagree with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (06/21/07, 01/11/07), the editorial (10/18/07, 03/22/07), and many of Tony Magliano's columns [print edition only] that we should do this through the government.

Please recognize that this disagreement is a disagreement regarding the function and limits of government, not a disagreement over whether or not to help starving and sick poor children. Catholics of good will and well-informed conscience may disagree on the function and limits of government.

That being said, I think the poor are better served when we serve them ourselves. When we take charity out of the hands of the people and put it into the hands of the state, we lose its most important aspect: voluntary love of neighbor.

It is very discouraging to me that so many are ready to shrug off their love of neighbor with a "call your congressperson and tell him/her to support xyz bill." More laws will accomplish nothing. In fact, well meaning but poorly thought-out laws may accomplish great harm - actually preventing us from feeding the hungry or caring for the sick - not to mention furthering our dependence on the government.

Every time we give the government our responsibilities we lose freedom - even in something as presumably good as helping people. In the short term, it may look attractive to pass our responsibility to the government. In the long term, I think this trade will prove a mistake.

To close, I reiterate there can be no controversy regarding if we should carry out the corporal works of mercy, but we are better served to do so individually or in our parish communities rather than through legislative action.

Emily Seyfert, Cross Plains