When someone believes in something, he or she wants to profess that belief out to the world so that others can believe in it, too. That is the thought behind Catholic Schools Week, which ran from January 27 through 31, celebrating Catholic education.
According to David Masters, one of the theology instructors at Monsignor Edward Pace High School, “The week is meant to showcase unique aspects of Catholic education and to have students appreciate the high-quality learning they receive coupled with a spiritual aspect.”
The director behind Catholic Schools Week at Pace is Campus Minister Andres Novela who is passionate about his faith and spreading it.
He organized a Fair Trade Bazaar that sold a variety of Haitian hand-crafted art work, sweatshop-free American made t-shirts, fair-trade organic coffee, and other items throughout the week. The Mission Club performed skits about human rights and justice in celebration of Catholic doctrine and morality. There were also dress-out themes, presentations, music, and all sorts of fun activities.
All the profits from the week’s events go toward a very special cause. Pace has two sister schools in Northern Haiti, in the cities of Moulin and Perou, and all the funds raised during the week pay the salaries of the teachers of the two schools and also help with building construction and maintenance and nutritional programs.
Haiti is a large part of everyday life at Pace, where students are encouraged to become aware of those less fortunate than them who share the same God, the same faith, and the same heart.
One of the highlights of the week was Thursday, solidarity day. On that day, the students wore black as a symbol of being in solidarity with their Haitian brothers and sisters. The faculty and staff were encouraged to participate – no AC, electricity, or technology, just as the teachers in Haiti conduct their classes without those things. At lunch, a meal of rice and beans was provided for $3, a representation of the simple hot meal available to the students in the sister schools.
The theme that tied the week together was “troublemakers." In the words of our Pope, everyone is encouraged to be a troublemaker and spread the Good News. Everyone is encouraged to challenge society and its ideals and to take a stand against the injustice that still exists in the world. You can even be a troublemaker in the church by taking control of being a Christian…taking control of your faith and how you express it.