ACROSS ORANGE COUNTY, all 37 Catholic schools closed on a Friday so teachers and principals could gather together for a new school year and deepen their understanding of how to ensure their Catholic faith permeates all aspects of their teaching.
The 1,350 Catholic educators gathered at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana on Sept. 12 for the annual Educator Convocation. The day featured a keynote speaker on “Making Every Class Catholic,” Mass with Bishop Kevin Vann and breakout sessions for elementary and high school teachers.
BISHOP VANN INSPIRES TEACHERS AND STAFF WITH HIS HOMILY DURING MASS AT THE EDUCATOR CONVOCATION. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
“We are so blessed here in the Diocese of Orange, and it’s a particular special blessing for me to be here with all of you as we celebrate this wonderful special gift of Catholic education and the mission that has been entrusted to each one of us in a very particular way,” said Superintendent Dr. Erin Barisano.
In his homily, Bishop Vann remembered his own experiences starting a new school year and how it was a great time of making new friends, starting anew and meeting all the possibilities God had for him.
Life is light and shadows, Bishop Vann said, and teachers are the light that will overcome the shadows and teach their students to do the same.
TEACHERS AND STAFF FROM ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN PLACENTIA GATHER DURING THE EDUCATOR CONVOCATION HELD AT MATER DEI ON SEPT. 12.
“Who you are and what you do with your ministry is transformative for the life of the world and the life of the Church,” Bishop Vann said. “I thank you for all that, and I’m thankful to be here at the beginning of this new school year.”
The keynote address, “Making Every Class Catholic,” was given by Brett Salkeld, Ph.D., an archdiocesan theologian from the Archdiocese of Regina in Canada. He earned his doctorate in systematic theology from Regis College at the Toronto School of Theology.
Salkeld shared how the Catholic faith shouldn’t be taught just during religious studies and Mass, but across all subject matter.
Salkeld did a great job explaining why teachers are not just explaining facts, but the reasons behind them, said JSerra Catholic High School Principal Eric Stroupe.
This idea has been a conscious focus at JSerra, said Stroupe, who added that he appreciated that Salkeld gave examples about how to integrate Catholic teachings not just in subjects like English and art, but the more challenging ones of science and math.
“Getting teachers to think about why teaching in a Catholic context should be different is something teachers don’t think about sometimes,” Stroupe said.
“They just think, ‘I know my subject and I’m going to teach my subject.’ But when you consciously ask them to think how you are going to teach it differently in a Catholic school, it gets them to be more intentional about what they are doing. It puts more purpose behind their endeavor as an educator.”
The oft-heard student refrain for teachers, “Why do I need to learn this?” is another way of asking, “What’s the point of human existence?” Salkeld challenged the audience to consider. He contended that while there is value in attaining education toward economic prosperity, gaining skills and knowledge for the job market, they are not enough.
“Kids naturally want to ask the big-picture questions,” Salkeld said. “They want to know not just how it works, but why it matters and what it means.” He added, “In a Catholic school, we are free and privileged to be able to make a beautiful proposal about the nature of the world, of reality, of God and of our students’ place in it.”
St. Irenaeus Catholic School Principal Stella Costello said the talk was exactly what they needed to hear as Catholic educators; it was a message they can bring back to their parish. The idea that school is about more than just good grades is a conversation Costello and her staff have been having amongst themselves and their St. Irenaeus families.
“We tell parents that when we can put aside all the things we think are successes in the world, and we can truly help children understand who Christ already knows they are going to be,” Costello said. “Then, they will find success as individuals. We just know the world tells us it’s things like money, things like status, but God has a place for all of us and when we know what that is, then that’s where you find success.”