This week, Cathedral Catholic High School joins 6,568 other Catholic Schools around the country in the celebration of the 41^st annual Catholic Schools Week. According to the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), Catholic Schools Week is the nationwide commemoration of the “value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our Church, our communities and our nation.” Cathedral students and faculty hope to embody this year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service”, by reaching out to our San Diego Diocese’s Catholic schools and to one another.

On Tuesday, students will join their LIGHT group for a meeting focusing on understanding the importance of Catholic Schools Week. Mr. Kevin Dunn, Director of Service, said that students should look forward to a meeting full of “fun games and community building activities” and hopes that all Cathedral students will strive to “put their faith in action.”

Campus Ministers will be doing just that when they visit local parochial schools on behalf of the Cathedral community. On Wednesday, students will return to their alma maters with gifts from Cathedral Catholic and will provide service to the elementary school students and faculty.

“I’m super excited to return to OLG, because without the education I received there, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said junior, Cailan Healy, who will be visiting her alma mater Our Lady of Grace School.

Students will have another opportunity to connect with their Catholic elementary schoolmates as Cathedral is hosting a week of intramural flag football. Students are encouraged to form teams of seven and “in the spirit of Catholic Schools Week, form a team with former parochial classmates, current religion or LIGHT group classmates, or just a group of friends.” The flag football games will be played at lunch, Monday through Friday.

Despite all these festivities, Catholic Schools Week is not just for students. The National Catholic Education Association also recognizes Catholic schoolteachers and faculty for their dedication to fostering “communities of faith, knowledge, and service.”

Mrs. Sandy Blackstone-Gardner said, “I feel so blessed to work at a school where so many other educators are choosing to help students develop and practice their faith.”

As Cathedral joins thousands of other Catholic schools across America in celebration of Catholic Schools Week, Mr. Dunn hopes that students will “…actively develop, grow, and practice their faith alongside one another.”