Richard A. Sokerka
As you read this annual Back-to-School issue of The Beacon, teachers are preparing to welcome students back to class at Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Paterson. That makes it the perfect time to reflect on the dedication of all our Catholic educators.
Excellent scores on standardized testing year after year are testimony to the academic strengths of a Catholic school education.
But that’s only a small part of the overall success story of our Catholic schools. The real key to the great value of our Catholic schools can be found in teaching staffs, who look at their work as a ministry, not a job. They take great joy in being able to impart the teachings of Jesus Christ to their students daily in every course they teach.
Every Catholic school teacher makes a commitment to each student as a child of God, showing them how to live a values-based Christian life and making each child aware of God’s abundant love for them. That’s being a difference maker in the life of a child!
The dedication of Catholic school teachers in bringing the message of Christ to their students deserves not only the support of all in the Diocese but also our gratitude.