This week we begin Catholic Schools Week with lots of celebration and prayer here at St. John Vianney Catholic School. The national theme this year is Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.

Saint John Paul II addressed U.S. Catholic school teachers in 1987:

“The ultimate goal of all Catholic education is salvation in Jesus Christ. Catholic educators effectively work for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom; this work includes transmitting clearly and in full the message of salvation, which elicits the response of faith. In faith we know God… and in faith we truly come to know ourselves.”

We are very blessed in our parish to have a wonderful school and are grateful to our principal Mr. Doug Weivoda, his assistant principal Mrs. Letty Sotelo, and the amazing faculty and staff. This year there are 491 students from Pre-Kinder through 8th grade and their parents are very supportive of the religious, academic, athletic, cultural and fundraising efforts of their children in school.

Indeed, we remember that during the Catholic Wedding Rite the couple is asked “Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?” and again at their child’s baptism, “You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith…Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?”

Our parents take these commitments seriously and many choose our school as a means to bring their children up in the knowledge and practice of the Catholic faith. Since 1991 thousands of children have grown up to To Know Jesus and to Make Him Known thanks to their Catholic education at St. John Vianney Catholic School.

We have also relied on the generosity of this parish community in doing so, both thanks to your collection gifts and the Arizona tax-credits you direct to Catholic Education Arizona (CEA). Thank you!

Your prayers and support help us to that ultimate goal that Pope St. John Paul II spoke of - salvation in Jesus Christ! God bless you all and have a great Catholic Schools Week,

Fr. David

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