How faith formation has taken root inside Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools

This piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

Bishop Donald DeGrood’s vision of Lifelong Catholic Missionary Discipleship has taken root in Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

From small-group discussions with the central office staff to visits before the second graders’ first reconciliation, the students, staff and families are being formed in their call to be missionary disciples. Central to the Christian life is the call of Jesus to “go, therefore, and make disciples” — Matthew 28:19.

This lifelong call was not limited to the first 12 apostles but rather has extended through the Catholic Church for over 2,000 years. Now, with the New Evangelization, the need for active missionary disciples is more necessary than ever.

Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools’ discipleship formation mission is to support our schools and teachers in their faith formation of students and to encourage our students to grow in their friendship with Jesus through prayer by bringing practical tools and age-appropriate activities to make faith fun, personal and relatable.

Each elementary school has the opportunity to create bridges of faith within their student body. At many of the elementary schools, students of all ages are grouped into faith families, who meet throughout the year to explore topics of our Catholic faith. The fourth through sixth grade students have a special session with the Pro Ecclesia Sancta sisters to learn about their important role in these groups as the older students.

In addition, the PES sisters meet with each grade level sharing the good news of Jesus in an age-appropriate way. These opportunities foster a personal connection between students and Jesus Christ through meaningful encounters, experiences and the integration of Catholic-faith principles within the school environment.

At their own school, junior high students are leading their peers in the faith throughout the year. The peer ministers led a seventh grade lock-in for over 100 students, where they engaged in activities, served at Mass, led small groups and gave their own faith testimony.

“I believe this year, our peer ministry program that the chaplain, sisters and campus minister lead has really taken off,” said Wade Charron, principal at O’Gorman Junior High.

“I really like to see the peer ministry students take on leadership roles, not only at the junior high but with outreach opportunities. When you have to teach about Christ, you really get to know Him.”

Peer minister students also have visited the elementary schools to help teach prayer stations and lead mini-retreats for the sixth graders.

These students also led Stations of the Cross throughout the Lenten season, speaking in front of the entire student body. These visible witnesses of the faith have changed the culture of the school, Charron said.

“When kids see other students stepping out of their comfort zone, others might be more likely to do the same, so if they can look to their classmates and see that they are having a relationship with Christ, that they’re in the chapel, that they’re leading other students, they think, ‘I want to be like that,’” he said.

“The entire culture of the school has been transformed into a more joyful and faith-filled environment, driven by students and staff boldly sharing their personal testimonies and embracing their call to be missionary disciples with Christ at the center.”

At the high school, the freshmen helped lead their younger peers in the eighth grade retreat, sophomores are facilitating bimonthly small groups at the junior high and upperclassmen are leading at the fifth grade retreat and giving their personal testimony of faith. With such a range of opportunities, many students are now volunteering to take part in these activities and, as a result, their own relationship with Christ is blossoming.

Brenna Kestel, a senior at O’Gorman High School, said she has lived out her call to missionary discipleship by being a part of the campus ministry team, leading a small group with underclassmen, helping at The Well, giving a talk at the fifth grade retreat and sharing her testimony with the confirmation class at her own parish.

“Being involved with the (PES) sisters has given us many opportunities to be missionary disciples. In sharing my testimony, I was able to reflect on how much I have grown in my faith since confirmation, and hopefully that helps other people in their faith journey too,” she said.

The Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools staff are not excluded from living out their call to discipleship and learning more about how they can share their faith in all areas of their lives.

Rochelle Lauret, O’Gorman High School theology teacher, facilitates a faculty faith sharing twice a month where all staff members have an open place to grow in their relationship with Christ. Additionally, monthly spiritual formation meetings are provided for the principals, cabinet members and central office staff who not only are learning about how to be missionary disciples but also are putting it into practice.

“I think it speaks volumes of the environment that there is a lot of trust and feeling like we can call each other higher and point each other back to Jesus,” enrollment coordinator Becca Thiry said. “Having a space where we can talk about faith is so unique to a workplace.”

The central office small groups have allowed co-workers to share about their faith, ask for prayer intentions or simply mention a Bible verse that is on their mind, she said.

Other staff members also are witnessing the missionary call to live out the Gospel in each of their work areas and beyond.

“Missionary discipleship has shaped St. Michael Elementary into a faith-filled family,” Principal Teresa Hulscher said. “Staff and families share a mission for their students, and every student is seen as a gift.”

Al Costanzo, art teacher at the junior high and high school, shared that he sees staff members living out the missionary call in “modeling the virtues and holding students to the highest standards.”

Regan Manning, principal of Holy Spirit Elementary, witnessed a greater bond between Holy Spirit Parish and Holy Spirit Elementary through the various relationship ministry opportunities available.

“It appears that more of our families are participating and realizing the importance of attending Sunday Mass,” he said.

“We are all missionary disciples,” wrote the late Pope Francis. “Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and true but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendour and profound joy” — Evangelii Gaudium, 129.

The faith journey of our students and staff within our schools incorporates the importance of community in living out our faith. The opportunities presented through our Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools help our community carry out being Lifelong Catholic Missionary Disciples. From our youngest learners to graduating students and the dedicated staff who guide them, the joyful proclamation of their faith is changing the culture of the learning environment and workplace. May this example encourage each of us to also respond to the missionary call: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” — Mark 16:15.