In our world of instant gratification, patience is tough. Even tougher is finding the fortitude to charge ahead not knowing if the sacrifices we make will one day be worth it. A prime example: choosing Catholic education for our children. Many parents wonder if Catholic education is worth the financial cost. Yes, it is worth it. It is the best investment we can make in the future of our children.
By definition, to invest in something is “to make use of for future benefits or advantages.” By investing in Catholic education, we provide our children with an academically-excellent, character-building, faith-focused education that simply cannot be matched in other academic environments. We equip students with a foundation that continues to influence them well beyond their grade school years. As a Catholic school graduate myself, and as a parent of Catholic grade school graduates, I have watched this unfold not only in my children’s lives, but also in my own life.
Graduates of Catholic schools will become the virtuous leaders of tomorrow — leaders who seek greatness, show mercy, serve others and walk humbly with God. As Archbishop Bernard Hebda stated in his homily at our all-school Mass of the Holy Spirit in September, Catholic education guides students beyond “good” to “great.” And how great is our God who continues to bless our pre-K through eighth grade Catholic schools! What a valuable gift we can choose to pass on to our children — the blessings of faith, the truth of a Catholic worldview and the beauty of a heart that seeks God.