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Bishop Silva's letter for Catholic Schools Week 2023

January 23, 2023

Memorial of St. Marianne Cope

Aloha Pastors, Religious Educators, and School Administrators,

Peace be with you!

January 30 through February 3 is designated “Catholic Schools Week” in celebration and recognition of the importance of Catholic Education.  We ask ALL parishes to include a prayer and/or petition during the weekend masses and throughout the week for our Catholic schools and Catholic faith formation.  For example, you can include this petition: “For all Catholic schools and those who support religious education, that the Lord continue to guide the hearts and minds of all who participate in this important educational ministry.” Or you may wish to use the prayer below, which was written by our very own Deacon Raffy Mendoza, who was inspired by an address of Pope John Paul II to Catholic educators. This prayer can be recited at all Masses from January 29 through February 4.  It can also be prayed in classrooms and school assemblies.  However you celebrate this week, this is a time to make a concerted effort to recognize our support and commitment to provide a quality Catholic education through our schools and religious education programs in Hawaii.  Join me during Catholic Schools Week in celebrating this important ministry!

May God bless you all, and especially those who support our Catholic schools in so many ways!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu

 

Prayer for Catholic Schools (by Deacon Raffy Mendoza)

Almighty and Loving Father,

Your Son, Jesus Christ, taught his apostles how to pray and shared with the world the Good News of Salvation with stories, parables, examples, and lessons. And with his own life and death, he taught us the greatest lesson of all.

May our Catholic schools be a home where your kingdom here on earth is experienced and lived by all. Open our hearts to realize that the Catholic school is a community effort and that we cannot be faithful to our mission without the cooperation of all concerned - the students, the parents, the teachers, the principals, and the pastors.

Guide the hearts of the school board members, administrators, teachers, and staff to see themselves as the Church’s co-workers in helping to fulfill Christ’s mandate, transmitted through the Apostles: “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Send your Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of our parents; they are the first witnesses to and teachers of their children. We pray that parents inspire their children to grow in faith and love, by the example of their own life.

We pray for the students. In a world of conflict and hostility, of greed and injustice, of poverty and despair, may the students be eager to find solid and enduring value in believing and following Jesus Christ, sharing his strength and love, responding generously to love, and serve him, as he has loved and served us.

Bless our Catholic schools with the gifts we need to accomplish the mission you ask of us.

Grace our Catholic schools with Your divine presence.