Each January, a week is dedicated to having seminarians, priests and religious sisters go to each of our high schools to talk about vocations. This was a great tradition that started while I was a seminarian. Unfortunately this year due to the pandemic, we had to cancel our visits. However, the joy and love of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life continue to shine through the priests and religious sisters that minister in them.
I grew up going to public school, so my first real Catholic school experience came from the seminary. As we began to visit our schools here in the Diocese of Camden, I saw something special as we went from class to class. Our day began with a schoolwide prayer, and each classroom we visited also began and ended their period with a prayer. The Catholic faith was celebrated from the moment we began until the moment the day ended, and throughout the day, it is constantly shared in the light of each subject taught.
These gifts of our Catholic schools would not be possible without the hard work and vocations of parents. Many families are making great sacrifices to ensure that their children can have an opportunity to know and live their faith – now and in the future, as they listen to where God is calling to them to serve. This is not an easy thing for families to do. However, their desire to have their children in an environment where the faith is shared and celebrated encourages them to make those sacrifices for the future of the Church.
Our directors of Catholic Identity and campus ministers do amazing jobs in helping our young people navigate the obstacles and challenges our world throws at them. They have a tremendous responsibility as they make sure the faith is alive in the schools and students. Along with their fellow teachers, these directors are also there to encourage students to pray about their vocations. They teach students about the importance of asking God where he is calling them to serve with their lives after they graduate. They have a great effect on their students, and we can see the fruit of their work in the number of priests and seminarians who are proud alumni of our Catholic schools here in the Camden Diocese.
This year, Catholic Schools Week was Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, and throughout January, we celebrated two great champions of Catholic schools: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Saint John Neumann. They saw firsthand what a Catholic school could do, and worked hard to organize and build Catholic schools for our country. Saint John Neumann tells us, “True education aims to give people a formation which is directed toward their final end and the good of that society to which they belong and in which, as adults, they will have their share of duties to perform.”
Catholic Schools Week may be behind us, but we continue to pray that our students will always be open to the great formation our Catholic schools provide. We hope that many will hear God’s call to serve him as priests and religious brothers and sisters, so they can continue to share the gifts they have received and help many more young people to see just how God has created them to do so many amazing things. May we pray that the hard work done by all of our Catholic schools continues to bear good fruit for our Diocese for many more years to come.
Father Adam Cichoski is director of vocations for the Diocese of Camden.
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