Sheila Sims Iding
I am one of those people who pretty much know what I want. I try to keep an open mind but once I know what I want…I am determined (some say stubborn) to keep that train of thought. So when the boys were little and Pat was talking to me about putting the boys in a Catholic School I had an open mind…kind of. But I knew what I wanted…and what I didn’t want.
I am a convert and I had heard the horror stories of Catholic Schools…some Catholic Schools. I heard about the nuns, the rigid rules and the forced beliefs. I knew that Catholic Schools were not for our boys. When Joey was to start kindergarten Pat asked again if I would consider St. Gerard School. My stand was firm. I knew what I wanted and didn’t want. I didn’t want him in a school where everyone wears the same uniform, where kids don’t talk in the hallway and where religion is crammed down their throat.
Pat could have argued that the uniforms serve a great purpose of leveling the playing field and actually save parents a lot of money (and time and effort and tears). He could have pointed out that the quietness in the hallway is out of respect to the other classrooms studying and not some rigid rule. He could have talked about the high expectations of administration, teachers and parents. And he could have persuaded that the religion is not crammed down their throat but it is studied every day, in every subject, in every class…because they can…and because they do.
So off Joey went to kindergarten in a public school and it was wonderful. His teacher was wonderful. His friends were wonderful and the experience was wonderful. Except it was the year he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. He missed a lot of school and was in and out of the hospital. That made for a hard year emotionally, spiritually and academically.
Then came first grade. Tim was off to the Young 5’s Program (a great public school program) and Joey would stay at his public elementary school. Since they were going to be in separate schools anyway, Pat asked one more time…could we at least try St. Gerard School? Well I gave in mostly because I knew I was right. I knew Joey would go there in first grade and it would not be for us and then both he and Tim would be together the following year back at public school. I gave Pat one year. I gave St. Gerard School one year. ONE year. That’s it!
So, with the waiting list, Joey barely got in and he was a new first grader at St. Gerard School. The first day he came out after school all the boys were dressed alike and it was hard to find him. A-ha! My uniform argument was paying off. The next day he had to have sinus surgery and would miss school. Still newly diagnosed with CF and still trying to manage and stabilize his treatments, he missed a lot of school in first grade too.
This is when I got it. I really got it. When he was sick, they prayed for him. When he had surgery they made cards for him and prayed for him. When he was in the hospital in Minnesota, on his birthday, his teacher sent him a bouquet of balloons and devoted a religion class to praying for him. When he had another surgery and another hospitalization, the whole school prayed for him. THAT is the difference of a Catholic School. They PRAYED for him. THAT is when I got it.
The public school was wonderful…amazing. You will never hear me say a bad word about it. To this day I know MANY amazing public schools, public school teachers and extremely successful students who have graduated from public schools. Please know this isn’t about NOT going to a public school. This is about Catholic Schools Week and celebrating all that Catholic Schools have to offer…things public schools couldn’t offer…even if they wanted to. They may have made cards for Joey in kindergarten but they couldn’t have prayed for him, had religion class devoted to him and gathered for mass with extra prayers for him. That was the difference.
Do they even know the difference that first grade teacher and his class made for Joey? Do they know of the comfort of their prayers? Do I even dare think where Tim might be on his faith journey without the opportunity to fall in love with the saints at such a young age? Do I even think he would have returned to St. Gerard School teaching the saints to others? Adam’s faith was not only nurtured in every class…it was nurtured in every sport…every game. The simple reason for choosing a Catholic School…faith.
Faith in praying for a classmate fighting a disease. Faith in a future theologian falling in love with the saints in first grade. Faith in an athlete praying with his team before every game. Faith in the money spent is one of the greatest investments a parent can make. Faith in a father who knew best all along (Thanks, Pat!). And even more faith in a Father who knew best before that. (Thanks, God.)
That one-year deal I made with Pat turned in to 25 years at St. Gerard School. Monday morning we will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week at St. Gerard school and I will start the school day like we start every day…we will gather for prayer in our prayer circle. I may talk about the 12 Disciples during math, or the miracles of God during science. We may talk about God-given talents during art and, maybe, during religion class we will pray for a classmate who is sick. There was a day when I thought I wouldn’t be part of Catholic Schools Week. This week I will not only be part of Catholic Schools Week, I will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week. I will be celebrating faith.