Throughout the year, I have been focusing on the vocation of Catholic school teachers. When our teachers gather for our weekly prayer services, the "theme" is our mission as teachers in a Catholic school.
We came back from Christmas vacation a day earlier than the students for workshops and meetings and I thought it would be nice to start the new year with a movie on a Catholic school. Together we watched "The Street Stops Here" which chronicles Saint Anthony High School in Jersey City, NJ and its basketball team led by Hall of Fame coach Bobby Hurley.
The movie is mainly about the team but the arc is the mission of the school and Hurley to help these students, many of whom come from dangerous living situations and could very easily fall into a life of crime and drugs. The movie is very motivational and a reminder to all of us about why we do what we do. Hurley has had offers to coach college, in the NBA, to be a scout, etc. but he's turned it all down to help the kids of Saint Anthony's. Like Hurley, many of our teachers could be making a lot more money somewhere else. But they stay here...not because of the money or the amazing benefits. They stay here because they have been called by God to carry out His mission in this tiny corner of His vineyard. What could be more rewarding?
As a former catholic school teacher, I know the sacrifices the THS teachers are making to help our children develop into not only high achieving students, but spiritual beings as well. Many public schools offer the same academic courses as Trinity, but the piece that brought us here is the amazing faith community. THANK YOU! We appreciate those sacrifices!!
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