Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our annual Catholic Schools Week celebration gives me the opportunity to write to you about the treasure that our Catholic Schools are in the Diocese of San Jose.
Our schools teach, as this year’s theme tells us, the ways of peace and justice, which are inextricably bound. There can be no peace without justice and only through justice can we actively grasp the peace that Jesus promised.
Our schools teach the Gospels. They are centers of hope, of promise and of challenge.
I am filled with hope when I look into the eyes of a kindergartener, a middle school student or a high school senior; in each I can sense the wonder of creation, of the universe, lived out in his or her own unique way. Each is a living sign of the goodness of God, of an abiding Presence that imparts life, of a future yet to be dreamed.
Our Catholic Schools unfold the Lord’s promise “to be with you always.” In our schools, students learn of a love that endures and are taught how to be that love for one another. Yet, accomplishing this is not without its challenges, for in our time, the gift of Catholic Education remains beyond the reach of many families who desire it for their children. We seek to make our schools affordable, so that no family would ever be turned away for financial reasons.
We give thanks to all who devote themselves to Catholic Education in our Diocese: teachers, administrators, staff, parents and parishioners. Your daily sacrifices place our children and youth at the center of all that we do. In this, you place the Lord Jesus at the center of their lives, so that whether in academics, sports and all other activities, they come to know Him, to love Him and to walk with Him each day of their lives. God bless you all.
With every best wish and kind regard, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Patrick J. McGrath
Bishop of San Jose
