Thursday, November 8, 2007

Celebrating Catholic School Values

Last night there was an annual dinner at the Convention Center in Indianapolis for Celebrating Catholic School Values. A group of staff and parishioners from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church went up to Indianapolis for the dinner. For me, it was something of a homecoming because of the large number of people there from various parts of my past - especially in the areas of Catholic schools:

- My kindergarten principal from St. Mark School
- From my grade school, St. Jude School, my principal, and third, sixth, and eighth grade teachers (two of those teachers have moved on to become principals at other Catholic schools)
- Several people from my home parish, St. Jude in Indianapolis
- The president, principal, and vice-principal from my high school, Cathedral High School
- My first choir director
- Musicians I played with at Little Flower Church in Indianapolis during college
- I woman who lived two houses down from me growing up, until kindergarten, who teaches at a Catholic school
- Priests I was in seminary with
- A large contingent from the parishes of the Richmond Catholic Community and Seton Catholic Schools, where I served from 2004-2007, including parishioners and parish and school staff

It was great to see and catch up with all these people, many of whom I do not regularly see since I am away from Indianapolis, but for me the greatest joy of the evening was a reminder of how much Catholic education has been a part of my life and has shaped me into the person I am today. I certainly would not be where I am had it not been for Catholic schools - from kindergarten through seminary - and that is what the Celebrating Catholic School Values dinner is all about.

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