Catholic Schools Week 2011 is over, but the celebration continues thanks to many schools who posted videos of their activities. From flash mobs to bishops’ homilies, the following videos show how schools around the country celebrated this national event.
Faculty-staff Flash Mob at Totino-Grace High School:
Homily by Bishop Michael Burbidge of Raleigh:
St. Joachim Catholic School Celebrates Catholic Schools Week:
Reflection by Resurrection School Principal Linda Knox:
An Appreciation Video to the Faculty and Staff of DePaul Catholic:
An old Russian proverb says that God writes straight with crooked lines. Anyone who has taught in Catholic schools knows the truth of this. You can spend hours and hours on a lesson, only to have it fall apart in front of you in the classroom. And then the next day, after a lesson which you quickly pulled together with string and baling wire, a student will come up to you and say, “That was a great class. I never really thought about God like that before.”
It’s like trying to bowl a strike, but ending up doing what this guy did on his third throw:
You just never know what you’re going to hit. It may not be what you were aiming for, but with God’s grace, you’re going to hit something.
The Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has connected 37 of it schools with a wide area computer network. According to the diocesan website, Harrisburg Bishop Joseph McFadden launched the network by hosting a videoconference in which students from 10 diocesan schools were able to ask the bishop questions.
In an interview on Pennlive.com, Diocesan superintendent Livia Riley said “the new technology will allow students to perform science experiments with their counterparts in Australia or immerse themselves in virtual images of the Serengeti.”
If you’re looking for a fun and interesting way to connect your class with other students around the world, think about joining the Advent 2010 Project, launched by Catholic educator and social media maven Barb Gilman.
Gilman, known to her online community as Barb in Nebraska, is asking her third grade students to take digital photos of the Advent wreaths and nativity scenes in their homes. She then plans to post the photos on a special website hosted by Wikispaces.
Barb is inviting Catholic teachers everywhere to participate in this project. For information, follow Barb on Twitter @BarbinNebraska.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy; it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 2300). I’ve never seen a more poignant demonstration of this corporal work of mercy than the movie Taking Chance. Kevin Bacon portrays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl as he escorts the remains of fallen Marine Chance Phelps to his final resting place.
The honor and respect Phelps receives as his remains travel across the country culminate in the following scene as Strobl and the hearse travel from Montana to Wyoming:
As Veteran’s Day approaches, I humbly offer this suggestion: take 77 minutes during the next few days to watch this powerful film. If it is appropriate to your classroom situation, perhaps you can even share it with your students (as always, be sure to preview it first). I show it to my students for three reasons:
To remember and honor the sacrifice of those who serve our country in the military.
To give students a concrete example of our duty to bury the dead.
To show students a model of the following idea: “Character is what you do when you think no one is watching.”
Both of my grandfathers served in World War II, both of my parents served in the US Navy, and I have several relatives currently serving our country in various branches of the military. To them, and to veterans everywhere, Thank you for your service.
Catholic Schools Week 2011 is over, but the celebration continues thanks to many schools who posted videos of their activities. From flash mobs to bishops’ homilies, the following videos show how schools around the country celebrated this national event.
Enjoy this wonderful food court flash mob this weekend as we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King:
Fun! Inspiring! Don’t miss this incredible video, the Mercy Pink Glove Dance from the students at 