Alliance for Catholic Education
"The Church will have to initiate everyone . . . into this ‘art of accompaniment’ which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Ex 3:5). The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates, and encourages growth in the Christian life.” (Evangelii Gaudium §169) Pope Francis
Catholic schools are sacred spaces. They aren’t only or even primarily sacred because of the Crucifixes on the walls or paintings of Saints in classrooms. They are sacred because human persons are present and where they are present, so is our loving God. There is a risk with our Remick value of Advocate for Justice that we see it applying to specific circumstances or even specific people. But the truth is we are called by God to treat all whom we encounter with love and respect, to ‘remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other.’
This is not easy to do! One of the prayer reflections that has been most powerful to me over the years is to realize that you love God as much as you love your least favorite person in the world. God is equally present in every human heart and our interactions with others should reflect this sacred truth. Our human nature will often attempt to cloud this reality but it is through our prayer and forgiveness that we are challenged to live in such a way to do justice to our faith. The Constitutions of the C.S.C. put this in context of the work of relationships:
119. Resurrection for us is a daily event. We have stood watch with persons dying in peace; we have witnessed wonderful reconciliations; we have known the forgiveness of those who misuse their neighbor; we have seen heartbreak and defeat lead to a transformed life; we have heard the conscience of an entire church stir; we have marveled at the insurrection of justice. We know that we walk by Easter’s first light, and it makes us long for its fullness.
Seek and celebrate those daily resurrection moments and appreciate the inherent dignity and beauty of all those within your Catholic school community, in particular those whom you find it difficult to love.
Kevin Baxter
Director, Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program