Is Catholic education worth all the trouble we have today?
Is it necessary? After all, our community has fine public
schools, operated by fine intelligent people. We pay for it with
our taxes. Why not use them?

Well, let’s start at the beginning and look at a few principles that we ought consider in view of forming answers to the Questions:

1) your child is made up of a body and soul.
2) the child’s soul is a spiritual thing, it will never die, and has the power of thinking and willing.
3) your child was made to know, love and serve God here on earth, to see God present in His fellow man in His creations.
4) And then finally, to be happy with HIM in heaven. In reality it means that the powers of thinking and willing BOTH must be centered on God.

I think it is apparent to everyone that a child is not just a body, so the development of its physical skills is not enough. Obviously, the child is not just a mind, so training the mind alone is not enough. And finally, the child’s real purpose in life. Heaven, is not here on earth, so education for earth ALONE is not enough.

The best education, then, is that which aims to develop the WHOLE MAN, body and soul, in all its powers and skills; and which does this, in the light of his real purpose in life — to know, love and serve God on earth in his community and be happy with Him in heaven. It is an education that will teach the child to see God in all things, particularly his fellow creatures. It is an education that will develop a will to DESIRE for these things for God.

The motive for living is of tremendous importance. The motive for learning is of the same importance, no only WHAT a child can learn to do, but WHY he does it. Making a living, acquiring some of the goodies of our society, providing for one’s family and community are all important, but they must be seen in their proper context. They must be seen in their proper perspective, with a view into the hereafter. This world is important, no one can deny that, but more important is OUR LIFE, a life that is not terminated with a final expiration of breath but continues in another form for all eternity.