Have you ever considered how much is sacrificed for you to receive a “Catholic Education”? Just in terms of money, the one-year tuition at St. Mary’s is more than $12,000. Given that so much is being invested in your education at St. Mary’s, two important questions come to mind: “What is meant by the term Catholic Education?” and “Does St. Mary’s offer a good Catholic education that challenges students to become the people God is calling them to be?” In other words, is a St. Mary’s education worth the investment?
Certainly, the first question is – or should be – tied to matters of faith. At the very least a school that claims to offer a “Catholic” education should promote and demonstrate active devotion Jesus Christ and His Church in both its curriculum and in the daily life on its campus.
Several times each week, St. Mary’s students have opportunities attend Mass and to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. St. Mary’s President and Rector Fr. Robert Bolding explains that the Mass is very important at our school because “It is how we worship as a Catholic community. Mass is the most important thing we can do as Catholics; and since Saint Mary’s is a family, it is important that we pray as a family.”
In addition to these sacraments, St. Mary’s offers a robust four-year theology curriculum, numerous retreats, a variety of faith-related clubs, and devout and spirit-filled faculty members who provide an environment where students feel comfortable exploring some of the BIG questions and growing in their faith.
As senior Sofiah Mata says, St. Mary’s provides students “a good opportunity to be closer to God every day.” In fact, many St. Mary’s students who were not actively involved in the Catholic religion before coming to the school have found that they wanted to receive the sacraments of initiation into the Church.
One student notes that being at St. Mary’s “and around the strong Catholic environment, I started to become more interested in Catholicism and wanted to grow more in my faith life.” Without school masses and confession, students might find it harder to get closer to God.
While attending St. Mary’s, a student will also receive an education built on a rigorous Catholic curriculum. That means, in addition numerous courses on language arts, math, science, music, history, physical education, etc., students will also complete four years of theology courses covering such topics as scripture, Christology/Ecclesiology, sacraments/vocation, and moral theology/church history.
As Fr. Bolding explains, “We can only love what we know, so theology helps us learn about God so we can love Him. Hopefully the more we know about God, who He is and what He is like, the deeper our love for Him can grow.”
But besides “a good Catholic education” and a faith-filled community, what else draws families and educators to St. Mary’s?
Many people say it’s the school spirit. Math teacher Mr. Teo Ruiz explains that he chooses to teach at St. Mary’s because “I like the environment here, the spirituality of the people. I like that the students come from all different backgrounds.”
Overall St. Mary’s provides a solid Catholic education that brings people closer to their faith. If you want to get closer to God, St. Mary’s is a good place to achieve that goal. In other words, you’re worth the investment.
