Catholic school personnel invited to seek Christ in every student
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Father Tony Ricard insists that everyone who works in a Catholic school is a theology instructor and promoter of the faith.
“If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, then no matter what my academic discipline is, it’s all about God,” said Fr. Ricard (twoknights.org), pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in New Orleans and campus minister at St. Augustine, an all-black Catholic high school for boys.
“May you never — ever! — take for granted the privilege you have of being in a Catholic school,” the priest told educators and administrators of the Jefferson City diocese. “May you never, ever take for granted the honor it is to be given the chance to teach the children of God.”
The priest, who goes by “Fr. Tony,” gave a keynote presentation at this year’s personal development day for Catholic school personnel.
“We all have equal importance in the eyes of our children, from as high as the custodian as low as the principal,” he said. “Everybody in the building is important. We must never, ever forget that.”
The March 10 event was held at Father Tolton Regional Catholic High School in Columbia.
Students of the diocese’s 37 Catholic elementary schools and three Catholic high schools had the day off so their teachers could attend.
In addition to Mass with Bishop W. Shawn McKnight and keynote presentations by Fr. Tony and musical evangelizer Jenny Williamson, participants got to choose from breakout sessions on a broad range of topics.
They gathered first for Mass and the opening keynote.
“Prepare yourselves for the experience that is Fr. Tony,” said Erin Vader, Ed.D., diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools.
She advised her colleagues in Catholic education to visit St. Augustine School and see “one of best examples of people serving Christ in this world,”
“Their students are amazing,” Dr. Vader stated.
With haunting strains echoing throughout the gym, Fr. Tony moved seamlessly from a Gregorian chant to a ponderous spiritual that had been sung by his ancestors.
He talked about the generations of people who were enslaved in this country, many who worshiped God in secret out of fear of angering their slave masters.
In the woods, out of earshot, “they would start singing and preaching and dancing,” said Fr. Tony. “When they would have church in the woods and the Spirit was in them, it was some of the most authentic church we have, with good music, good preaching, and friends.
“I’m gonna’ take you to church!” he told them. “I want you to realize what a joy, what a privilege we have as Catholic school teachers.”
Fr. Tony said his earliest seminary formation consisted of teaching elementary school in New Orleans.
“That laid the foundation for who I am as a priest,” he stated. “I could have been very happy teaching third grade for the rest of my life, but God had a different plan.”
Fr. Tony discovered that plan by working, praying, asking God for guidance and opening himself up to the guidance he received.
In like fashion, he stated, every teacher needs to ask God for help bringing to the table every day the unique gifts they’ve been given.
“If God sends these children to us, it is our job, it is our role, it is our vocation to make sure we’re connected to each one of them,” he said.
Woe to the teachers who do not recognize the presence of Christ in every student God entrusts to them.
“I live by a very simple mantra,” Fr. Tony stated. “I believe it is better that we treat every child of God as if she or he is the Christ come back again, than to risk standing before the judgement seat and find out we treated Jesus as if he or she was nobody!”
Thanks be to God
Bishop McKnight, in his homily at Mass, urged teachers and administrators to foster a culture of Eucharist — derived from the Greek word for thanksgiving.
He encouraged them to do everything they can to instill a sense of deep gratitude in their students.
“We have a great privilege of sharing in the work of the Lord, to help form their hearts to be grateful, to recognize all God has done for them,” he said.
From that recognition comes a life of service and of joyfully giving back, “because of our love for God and all he has done for us,” the bishop stated.
Sharing wisdom
Topics for the breakout sessions ranged from the effects of artificial intelligence on Catholic education, to parish-school relationships, to inclusion, to vocations, to teaching against the dominant culture, to fostering Catholic identity.
Deacon John Schwartze of Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish and the diocesan diaconate office presented on “Learning the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Beatitudes in Light of each other.”
“The Beatitudes offer us both a pathway forward on our spiritual journey and a map to help us discern where we are in the journey,” he stated.
Diocesan Women’s Ministry coordinator Barbara Prasad talked about the positive effects that empowering women can have on families, parishes, communities and individuals.
Paula Wekenborg, director of the Vogelweid Learning Center at St. Peter School in Jefferson City, spoke on inclusion.
She noted that in any typical Catholic school classroom, nearly half of the students have some need that affects their learning.
“To meet these needs in your classroom requires understanding the concept of inclusion, identifying and removing barriers, and implementing educational practices that provide access to learning,” she said.
Zachary Rockers, campus minister at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City, wove scenes from the hit TV series “The Chosen” into a discussion about how Catholic educators, like Jesus’s early followers, have a unique calling to share and teach the faith.
“It is truly a vocation that God has called us to and one that has a ‘Kingdom’ impact,” he said.
Megan Markway, a teacher at Immaculate Conception School in Loose Creek, offered ideas for getting students engaged in religious learning and reflection during Lent.
Suggestions included the Catholic Madness program, a “March Madness”-style bracket for saints and other religious concepts, as well as other activities to help students pray, fast and give in the classroom and at home.
Mike Aulbur, principal of St. Pius X School in Moberly, and Heather Schrimpf, principal of Immaculate Conception School in Jefferson City, spoke to teachers who might want to be principals someday.
Spencer Allen, principal of Helias Catholic, alerted teachers to emerging artificial-intelligence technology, including ChatGPT, and its effect on how students do homework.
He offered remedies, such as a return to learning and practicing writing in a workshop culture in the classroom, rather than outside of school hours.
The day’s activities closed with an uplifting keynote by Jenny Williamson (arisonrecords.com) on the power of music to touch students’ souls when words fall short.
