Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Pamela Biehl shared these comments during the presentation entitled “Catholic Education is Not Just a School Thing’. See previous post.
Last year at this time I retired from my ministry as a Pastoral Leader of two parishes. Today part of my ministry is working on a grant out of the St. Clare Center at Cardinal Stritch University that will produce a document to present to the Bishops of the United States showing them that this model of parish leadership works; that it is an effective way to keep parishes without a resident priest open, and thriving. (Along with that project I have also been giving talks and workshops for parishes in the Green Bay diocese.)
With that ministry of parish leadership in mind I read sections 33-35 of the document we are discussing today which is titled “a global compact on education.” The words relationship and participation struck me as being of primary importance. This section of the document tells us that everyone needs to be actively involved in the task of education no mater what our situation or responsibility. And being in parish leadership provided me with the opportunity to collaborate with schools and families in offering the spiritual wisdom that is needed to help them work and grow together. That collaboration not only strengthened the parish relationship with the schools but also helped us to support each other and reach out together in supporting projects in the local community.
