А Message from Bishop Andriy and Bishop John on National Catholic Schools Week
А Message from Bishop Andriy and Bishop John on National Catholic Schools Week
January 27 – February 2, 2019
This year the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates National Catholic Schools Week from January 27th – February 2nd. This year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed” is an appropriate theme, especially for all that our schools provide. We are blessed to have three elementary schools in our Archeparchy, St. Nicholas School in Minersville, PA, St. Nicholas School in Passaic, NJ and Assumption of the BVM School in Perth Amboy, NJ and one high school, St. Basil Academy in Fox Chase, PA.
Our schools offer our students the opportunity to “Learn”. Today they face a world full of challenges. Our schools are meeting these challenges in order to educate its students in every area whether it is in the sciences, the humanities, the arts, technology, our Ukrainian culture and especially our faith.
Our schools offer our students the opportunity to “Serve”. They have come to know that serving others builds solidarity with those in need, whether it is to help others in the classroom, in the parish, their families at home or in the community. The rewards are truly a blessing and are immeasurable.
Our schools offer our students the opportunity to “Lead”. They are given the skills to be leaders not only today but for and in the future with the undertaking of various projects and activities not only in the classroom but in the community as well. The future is surely promising with what our students can do.
Our schools offer our students the opportunity to “Succeed”. They provide a stricter academic regimen, giving our students the tools needed to learn, to grow and to be successful not only in the grade level they are in now, but also for the future. If one were to look at the graduates of our schools and see where they are today, we would be very proud of them and for what they have and are accomplishing.
We have so much to be grateful for in our schools. The students are cared for by their teachers and staff. Their dedication for the welfare and success of every student is truly a gift from God. Our parents trust that we will do everything in our power and strength to give their children all the traits and skills that we celebrate this year during National Catholic Schools Week. We thank them for their personal and financial sacrifices to give their children the best that a Catholic education can give.
Our history is rich in the field of education. With dedicated priests, Sisters of St. Basil the Great, Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, Missionary Sisters of the Mother of God and many lay people leading the way from the beginning through today and then tomorrow. We celebrate this week and every week that God bless our schools, our faculties, staff and parents, and especially our dear students who seek to know and learn more than ever before. May they learn, serve, lead and succeed!
May the good and loving Lord bless our students, teachers and principals!
Respectfully, yours in Christ,
+Andriy Rabiy
+John Bura
Archeparchy of Philadelphia
January 2019
