This week we celebrate St. Joseph Regional Catholic School and all of the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington during National Catholic Schools Week: January 29 through February 4. All throughout the country, parishes will take time to thank God for the gift of a Catholic education. The theme for this year’s Catholic Schools Week is Faith, Excellence, and Service. Our school was first started in 1963 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who laid the foundation for a strong tradition of Catholic identity and excellence in teaching for which we are deeply grateful. And even though the Sisters are no longer with us, we are blessed to have committed lay people (administration, faculty, and staff) who are building on that wonderful foundation and keeping the flame of faith alive in the hearts of our students today.
I love what I see happening in our own parish regional school under the excellent leadership of our principal, Mrs. Meunier, and our vice principal, Mr. Morris, and all of our dedicated faculty and staff. Our students are receiving a top-notch education and they are happy to be here. In particular, I love the strong Catholic identity that permeates the school in all that they do both in and outside the classroom. Some examples include renaming each classroom after a saint and placing an icon of that saint in each room; the presence of priests and religious who visit the classes on a weekly basis; weekly school Masses; opportunities for confession; classroom visits to our Marian garden to pray the rosary; Eucharistic adoration; altar server training; retreats for students and staff; school wide prayer services; pilgrimages; vocation panels; twice yearly blessing of the classrooms and more!
Our school is unique in that our students are multiethnic, representing over 30 countries and over 20 languages. The cultural diversity of our school makes it a beautiful gem in our community. Our school is regional, which means that we are blessed to draw students not only from our own parish but also from St. Hugh’s in Greenbelt and St. Nicholas in Laurel, as well as other neighboring parishes. I, too, am a product of a Catholic education from elementary, high school and into my college years. I’m forever grateful for the sacrifice my parents made to send me to these wonderful schools.
All are invited to join us as we will welcome our prospective 2023-24 families at the 11:00 am Mass this Sunday. After Mass, the school will host Hospitality Sunday and remain open for tours, music, art, technology and more. Let’s celebrate all that makes Catholic education good for our students in this world and in eternity!
