10
community in support and service to the needs of
the family. It unites families and educators with a
shared educational philosophy to form students
for a relationship with God and with others."
4
The
Catholic school exists to partner with parents for
the education of their children, including helping
them to grow as disciples of Christ.
As a place of transformation and daily encounter
with Christ, the Catholic school is uniquely able to
introduce students gradually and more deeply to
the love that alone will satisfy their hearts. This un-
folding of the vast treasure of knowing, loving, and
serving the Holy Trinity allows students the time
and space to learn how to live the Christian life. It
also enables them to "taste and see the goodness
of the Lord" (Ps. 34:8) in their own lives; a neces-
sary first step toward evangelizing others. Catholic
schools are thus centers of mission, existing to
hand on of first importance what was received: the
good news of Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection,
and ascension (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-5). Everything about
the Catholic school is oriented to the fulfillment of
this purpose, summed up beautifully in the Bene-
dictine motto of education: to form scholas servitii
Domini, schools in service to the Lord.
4 Cardinal Newman Society, Principles of Catholic Identity in
Education: Parent Guide, Nov. 6, 2017, newmansociety.org/
parent-guide/.
