Demonstrating Catholic Identity

     The February/March 2008 issue of "Momentum," the publication of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), speaks to "four pillars" that could be used to position Catholic education in today's society: lifelong learning, passion and curiosity, playing well with others, and using both sides of the brain.  Music helps to develop both sides of the brain (meter, rhythm and time signatures on the left, and melody and compositional creativity on the right), but it's amazing how many of our Catholic schools consider music an "extra."  My wife and I were in a Marriage Encounter follow-up community (an exercise in lifelong learning) that encouraged us to describe our feelings.  It was an exercise in relating an abstraction (right brain) with a concrete experience (left brain).  From a development (as opposed to fundraising) standpoint, "playing nice with others" is what it's all about.  One of my most recent favorite phrases is that "everyone needs to play nice in the sandbox" when it comes to grantsmanship, planned giving and major gifts.  If we look at generating funds as simply "what's in it for us," we're missing the opportunity to minister to those who have been blessed with time, talent and treasure.  As for passion - well, that's a topic that is more extensive than what can be included in a weekly "tip."  I've started a book about it.  I hope to have it completed by the end of the year.

     I've been quoted as saying that there are indeed four pillars of the Catholic school - it's FACE, if you will:  Faith Formation, Academic Excellence, Community, and the "Experience."  Relating those to NCEA's aforementioned four pillars, the comparison parallels: The "Experience" is the passion; "Community" is playing well with others; "Academic Excellence" is using both sides of the brain, and "Faith Formation" is lifelong learning.  As for our schools, we can demonstrate an outstanding experience by the number of students we retain and the number of people that are engaged in the mission of the school.  We can demonstrate community by how we we get along with one another, respecting one another in a safe and caring environment.  We can demonstrate academic excellence by test scores and vibrant, quality learning experiences and programs.  But how do we demonstrate the lifelong learning associated with faith formation since it's an ongoing and continuous process?

     Perhaps we need to look at what we do, and how we do it.

     Many schools have a group or groups of students that get together and provide service - visits to soup kitchens, neighborhood clean-up days, trips to disadvantaged communities.  But if we're a Catholic school, why is there only a "group" that does those kinds of things?  The entire school should be able to put the commitments of its faith into action, and walk the talk.

     Impossible?  Don't think so.  Recently, Conn Area Catholic School in Connellsville, PA received a service award from its local county government's Chamber of Commerce.  More correctly, the award was presented to "The Students of Conn Area Catholic School."  That would be all the students, and not just the community service group.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2008 (Original Publication Date: 20080303)

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