Catholic schools to celebrate Catholic education

During last year’s Catholic Schools week, students at Incarnate Word Academy wrote affirmations for each other on clothespins, which they could share/pin on each other. (Photo by Desiree Rodriguez)

HOUSTON — National Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated across the country and in Galveston-Houston from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5.

Sponsored by National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Secretariat of Catholic Education, Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States.

In the Archdiocese, 56 Catholic schools are observing the week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. The schools have different events planned to celebrate their communities, parents, nation, vocations and students.

Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) will mark the week with individual activities and themes each day, including chalking the sidewalk in front of the school with messages of Scripture, faith and encouragement. They will also honor the school’s founding order, the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, by creating spiritual paper flower bouquets. Each petal will have a word of thanksgiving.

“Celebrating Catholic Schools Week with these activities is a way to celebrate living our faith and our mission of incarnational spirituality, bringing the love of Jesus to our community and the world,” said Rachael Valka, IWA’s co-campus minister.

“These activities give our students a hands-on way to take ownership of — and grow in — their faith,” said Francesca Ybarra, IWA’s other co-campus minister.

Other planned activities will celebrate the sisterhood, which is an integral part of the school culture. These include a jeans day in honor of Mother Jeanne de Matel, the foundress of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, an all-school Mass with grandparents, and special treats for the faculty and staff in thanks for their commitment to the mission of Catholic education.

On Monday, to celebrate the community, Corpus Christi Catholic School in Houston students will donate socks on that day for the residents of St. Dominic’s Village.

School principal, Dr. Mazie McCoy, said she was excited about the day.

“Students will be encouraged to ‘share a pair and wear a pair;’ Bring a new pair of non-skid socks to share with the St. Dominic’s residents and wear their favorite ‘crazy’ socks to school that day,” she said.

St. John Paul II Catholic School in Houston will host a family bingo night on Monday night. They declared the evening a “No Homework” night to encourage students to spend time with their families tonight and play bingo. On Tuesday, the school will host Saint’s Alive Jeopardy.

Also on Tuesday, St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School in Humble will have a Parent Appreciation Breakfast with a meal prepared by the Knights of Columbus. St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Houston is joining with St. Pius X High School and the Houston Zoo to create a Bee Pollination Garden, which will break ground on the Tuesday of Catholic Schools Week.

On Wednesday, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Hitchcock students will enjoy taking part in a scavenger hunt called “What Would Jesus do.”

Also on Wednesday, St. Helen Catholic School in Pearland will host Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole to speak to grades third through eighth to commemorate and celebrate those who are “Called to Serve.” St. Mary Catholic School in League City will have students PK-3 through eighth grade move up a grade for 45 minutes to give students a taste of things to come next year.

On Thursday, St. Anne Catholic School in Houston will have a Parade of Prayers for faculty and staff. St. John Paul II Catholic School will host their student council talent show.

St. Thomas More Catholic School in Houston, to celebrate faculty, staff and volunteers, will host “Catholic Squares: A Tic-Tac-Toe Style Trivia Game Show” on Friday. Our Lady of Lourdes will be hosting a picnic lunch and then have a “Kick Sin to the Curb” Friday game of kickball.

During the week, Catholic schools plan to share their CSW celebrations on social media using #CSW22. The NCEA and the USCCB education secretariat also will highlight Catholic education’s strengths, successes and stories on their Twitter profiles: @NCEATalk and @USCCBCatholicEd.

To learn more about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, visit www.choosecatholicschools.org. †