Community

The theme for this year's Catholic Schools Week is ‘Community, Care, Compassion.’ This theme encourages us to work together to become a strong and faithful community, committed to living out the Gospel. Catholic Schools Week is also a time to celebrate our schools and to give thanks for the gifts, sacrifices and passion that we, as educators, have given to establish that community. 

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Each of us was created by God to have a different role in His community, and to use our gifts to help each other grow in holiness. God asks us to be good stewards of our gifts, and to bring our gifts to the community in order to glorify Him. God doesn’t give us anything just for our own benefit, but to use in service of our community. There is a place for all of us in the body of Christ.

Fr. Mark-Mary speaks on community for Ascension Presents, describing three practices that we can exercise to build a loving, thriving community:

1) Commitment - God makes covenants, or long-term commitments to community. A committed community is where holiness grows and it is essential for us to become the people that God is calling us to be.

2) Communication - We need to do more than have good intentions. Communication is the key to resolving conflicts, to encourage each other, and to call each other higher. Listening is just as important as talking.

3) Courage - Confrontation and conflict can be very difficult. Sometimes we have to enter uncomfortable situations when it comes to building community, but when we speak from a place of love we can draw closer to each other and to God.

With these practices in mind and as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, let’s become the holy men and women the world needs by building caring and compassionate communities through commitment, communication, and courage.