By Fr. Victor Feltes
Each year, our La Crosse Diocese surveys all its Catholic school eighth graders about their religious views and attitudes. In order to encourage sincere responses these surveys are anonymous, but schools do receive a report indicating what percentage of its students affirmed various statements. Following this year’s assessment, we received word that our eighth graders had some of the most faithful answers in the entire diocese. For instance, 100% of you ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ with these statements (among others):
• I believe that God knows and loves me personally.
• Sin offends God and harms me.
• There is a heaven and hell.
• It is important for me to be with God in heaven.
• Living a faithful life is the path to becoming happy and fulfilled.
• I am proud to be a Catholic.
• Belonging to the Catholic Church is an important part of my relationship with Jesus.
• I believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist.
• I am willing to speak up to defend my faith.
• I have a duty as a Christian to help those in need.
• I believe that God has a calling or vocation for every person.
Jesus told his students, his disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” St. Paul’s School exists so that the joy of Christ and his Church might be in you and your joy may be complete. Your teachers and I—all of whom could probably be making much more money doing something else somewhere else—are at this school to help gift to you the great treasures of Christianity, so your responses give us joy. Your answers also reflect something of the good influence and priorities of your parents, for they have made sacrifices to send you to this school and 100% of you agree that you ‘enjoy spending time with your family.’ I wished to begin my words to you young people tonight with this praise, but now I must also share a word of warning, challenge, and calling.
Jesus gave his disciples this important message: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.” Graduating from our school and entering another leaves behind the close, sheltering Christian community of this school. Even if you go on to enroll in a Catholic school, your faith will be challenged. Remember that Jesus loves you and that you must remain close to him.
You will remain in his love if you keep his commandments. He commands us to pray daily, to worship at the Eucharist on Sunday, to approach him in the Sacrament of Confession as needed, to always be striving to grow in faithful friendship with him. If you are doing this, keep it up. If you neglect this, pick it up. Simon Peter was very fond of Jesus but his triple failure during the Passion of Christ caught him by surprise. Realize that you are called to be faithful friends of Christ even in a hostile world. Give us joy and make us proud. Jesus loves you. Remain in his love. If you strive to love him and keep his commandments, you will remain and live in his love.
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May 23, 2025 at 10:02 am |
Congratulations, Father, on a job well done :)!
This is awesome :)!