Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
National Catholic Schools Week, an annual celebration of Catholic education, will take place the week of Jan. 31 – Feb. 6. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service. We have much to celebrate in our Catholic schools. Due to the ongoing pandemic, our schools will celebrate in different formats this year. The events will focus on the value a Catholic education provides to young people and its contribution to our diocesan church and local communities.
People have been referring to the year 2020 as an “unprecedented time.” It is a year that will be forever associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, social and political division, and racial injustice. Given the brokenness of our world today, this is an unprecedented time for our Catholic schools to share the light of God’s love and thereby plant seeds of faith that will grow and produce fruit for generations to come.
The early years of a child’s faith formation are critical. Catholic schools help make the child’s foundation even stronger. It is a beautiful thing when students can pray, study the faith, receive the sacraments, and do charity work together within an academic setting.
Catholic education would not be possible without the unique partnership between parents, educators, clergy, volunteers and benefactors. Thank you for your support of Catholic education and the young people of our diocese.
Please know that in my role as Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, I pray for the ongoing success of our Catholic schools and faith formation activities. I invite you to pray for them as well. May the Lord continue to look kindly upon us.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Rev. Thomas R. Zinkula
Bishop of Davenport
