Sacrifice of a Lifetime

Growing up, I have always been taught to put God at the center of my life. Even though this statement stuck with me as the years went on, I truly did not realize the importance of God in my life until I was sent to a Catholic high school.

Throughout my childhood, my family and I encountered both emotional and financial hardships that made it hard to attend a Catholic elementary and middle school. However, my parents promised my sisters and me to always give us the best possible education, no matter the sacrifice.

When my parents divorced during middle school, my mother was devastated, as she was left with a financial burden and nowhere to turn. Since money was tight, my mother worked long and hard at her job and at home. I could only imagine the struggle my mother went through as she was still raising my sister and me during this long hardship. Regardless, my mother kept her faith and pushed through the obstacles, and after finishing middle school, I was fortunate enough to attend a Catholic high school as well.

Looking back, I remember the times my mother and I would pray for the blessings we have now such as financial stability, happiness and peace. Her sacrifice for us to attend a Catholic high school allowed me to truly learn about God in a different light and deepen my relationship with him. Now, I can sincerely say that I have grown so much closer to God through my Catholic education and am able to share my faith with others.

Because of my mother’s continued faith in God no matter what happens in life, I have learned that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and with God, anything is possible.

 

The Clarion Herald posed the following three questions to students attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans:

 1. What teacher has had an impact on your life, and how did that happen?

2. What blessings have you received from your Catholic school education? Was there a challenging situation that your school (teachers or fellow students) helped you overcome?

3. How inspired have you been by the example of your parent(s) who have had to sacrifice in order to send you to Catholic school?

The response was overwhelming. The Clarion Herald received more than 150 submissions from across the archdiocese.  The next few pages speak of the beauty of Catholic education more simply and poignantly than just about anything else we could dream of.

Thank you teachers, parents and students!