Students Speak Out About Catholic Education

Students+Speak+Out+About+Catholic+Education

Adviser’s Note:  At this week’s mass celebrating Catholic Schools Week, two students spoke briefly about their experiences in Catholic education.  Appreciate their comments below.

My name is Dominic Schweder, and I was asked to reflect on my experience going to a Catholic school. To me the biggest difference from a public school is that at a Catholic school we learn who we are through the eyes of God. We learn that to truly love someone else we need to love God. We have so many opportunities to serve others and grow closer to God through all the faith opportunities we have here. I have taken advantage of morning Mass, go to adoration, and I serve on my youth advisory board at my parish to help high school and middle schoolers grow closer to God. In all seriousness, switching to a Catholic school was a good choice for me; it helped me understand my core values more and that there is more to the Catholic faith than I thought. I truly do believe in Mr. Browne’s iconic saying:  “We are Catholic and we are Excellent.” I believe it because,  sure, we are not perfect and we make mistakes, but in the eyes of God we are His children and Christ loves us unconditionally. I would like for everyone to think about this one thing for the rest of the day. . . Do you believe in yourself the way God believes in you?

 

If you don’t know who I am, my name is Chelsey Martinez, and I am a senior here at NDA. For me attending a Catholic school created a place where I can freely express my religion and beliefs without feeling ashamed. The school offers places such as the Chapel, Campus Ministry, and the St. Herman Joseph Room, to have meaningful conversations to deepen your faith or if you’re in for a little bit of fun, play an intense game of Uno with Mr. Kriegl (whom I have beaten many times before). Catholic education has allowed me to develop into the person I am today. I feel extremely blessed to be able to attend this school. It has given me the chance to develop my potential academically, participate in many things such as the musical, Academy Awards, and the girls soccer program. But, most of all, it has given me friends and relationships I will have for a lifetime, which I am extremely grateful for. 

What I’ve learned about living a faith life is what we put into it is what we get out of it. More importantly, what we put into our relationship with God is an exact representation of the person we are destined to be. I invite you to be who God created you to be and to use your talents for the greater good of others. Do not be afraid of what people will think of you when standing up for what you believe. Be afraid of not having the opportunity to do so. Take the time to recognize what is important in your life and find a way to serve and give back. Catholic education has taught me how to be grateful for the little things in life and how to share my gifts with others. It is my hope it will help you do the same. Thank you and God bless!