An Invitation to Belong: How Catholic Schools Encourage Community
When Jesus asked His disciples to follow Him, He planted the first seeds of Christian community.
Two thousand years later, this community continues to grow as people accept the ongoing invitation to follow Jesus.
While students in public schools can experience the community that comes with participation in band, choir, sports, and public service initiatives, students who attend Catholic schools are invited to participate in the same community Jesus started two millennia ago.
Think about that for a second. That’s a community that’s more than eight times older than our country!
While the collective thrill of winning a state football championship eventually fades for public school students, the invitation of Jesus endures. The joys of Christian community that come with a Catholic education resonate into adulthood, lingering longer than the sound of any school bell.
But how do Catholic schools encourage community in everyday student life?
Let us count the ways.
- Through Shared Faith and Values
Catholic schools cultivate community by teaching students about the Christian faith and striving to instill values grounded in the teachings of Jesus. In doing so, they invite students to embrace a shared understanding of the world and their place in it.
When students are united by a shared identity in Christ and propelled by a common purpose as His followers, they have the opportunity to become active participants in a vibrant, faith-filled community that seeks truth, promotes justice, and reflects God’s love in the world.
- Through Regular Worship and Prayer
Catholic schools offer students regular opportunities to worship and pray together. The phrase, “The family that prays together stays together,” which Father Patrick Peyton popularized, applies here.
When students worship and pray together, relating to their Heavenly Father communally, they begin to think of one another as members of the same community, too. The result is a tightly-bonded body of believers who recognize that they belong to the family of God.
- Through Service-Oriented Culture
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (NABRE). Catholic schools provide students with countless opportunities to join Jesus in service through food drives, volunteer work, and projects that benefit the community.
As students follow the example of Jesus in serving others, they grow in their love for one another. They also begin to develop a deeper understanding of their connection to the wider community and their capacity to contribute to its well-being.
- Through Strong Student-Teacher Relationships
People refer to Jesus as “teacher” many times in the New Testament, and we have already written about the community of believers he started over two-thousand years ago. It should come as no surprise, then, that teachers play a vital role in fostering community at Catholic schools!
These instructors seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus by encouraging students, helping them realize their potential, and affirming their identities as beloved children of God. Through their daily interactions and instruction, these educators help students recognize their worth and see themselves as cherished members of a Christ-centered community that can change the world.
- Through the Involvement of Families and Parishes
Students and teachers are not the only ones who contribute to the formation of community in Catholic schools. Families help shape students into the kinds of followers of Christ who understand the importance of loving their neighbors—both inside and outside of school—as themselves.
Parishes provide students with opportunities for social and spiritual growth, and for community involvement and service. In this way, parishes and families join Catholic schools in helping students flourish in faith and discover the joy that comes with loving others as Jesus does.
If you want your child to enjoy education that emphasizes the importance of community, now is the perfect time to enroll them in Tuscarawas County Catholic Schools.
In the past, a private, Catholic education was cost-prohibitive for many families. With Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship, however, anyone can now afford this life-changing educational experience. We cannot wait to welcome your children to our schools and introduce them to our thriving community!
Consider this your invitation to contact us today. Click “Enroll Now” here to schedule a tour of our schools, start the enrollment process, and/or get answers to your questions about financial aid through EdChoice. We look forward to hearing from you—and to showing you what community looks like that Tuscarawas County Catholic Schools.
The invitation of Jesus continues—join us in following Him today!