The “Vision for Catholic Schools” calls us to share our journey of faith as followers of Jesus Christ, through making disciples, serving each other and the wider community, and living our faith in partnership with our families, our schools, and our parishes. The four pillars of Catholic schools are written in “The Mission of Catholic Schools.”
The Catholic schools of the Diocese of Biloxi work with the parish on the faith formation and faith journey of the student, faculty, staff, and their families. The partnership between the students, teachers, families, and parish is vital to the mission of forming intentional disciples of Jesus Christ. Our Catholic schools recognize the importance of a strong pastoral relationship with the parish.
Each student in our Catholic schools will have a faith formation plan that is part of the parish plan. This plan will follow each student throughout his or her school journey. Each plan will be as unique as the student completing it. The first part of the plan will be the curriculum for that school year. The second part of the plan will be the goals for the student, family, and parish regarding their faith formation journey. Goals are powerful tools that can focus efforts in a specific direction. Teachers and pastors will work with the student and the family to write the goals and discuss them during parent conferences throughout the year. These goals should be written with the assistance of the pastor (or a representative from the parish) and should outline how the student and the family will participate in the life and ministry of the parish and in their personal journey toward becoming a disciple and a disciple-maker. Each student should have a faith companion as they walk through the journey of faith. The goals should include attendance at Mass, parish functions, and age appropriate faith formation training. Incorporating students’ interests and passions into these goals will be beneficial to their success. Students will be able to take ownership of their goals and experience success in reaching them.
Our Catholic schools working with our parish communities will adapt the WIN-BUILD-SEND approach as outlined by Tim Glemkowski in Made for Mission pages 95-120.
Our Catholic schools and parishes exist to form disciples and disciple-makers of Jesus Christ. The vision and mission of Catholic schools and parishes are focused on that goal. Everything that happens in the classroom, athletics, extracurricular activities, or in any part of the Catholic school and parish program must be geared toward that end. Families who choose Catholic education enter a partnership with the parish and the school to form disciples and disciple-makers of Jesus Christ. In the Catholic schools and parishes, we desire to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. We prepare our students to selflessly serve the community and the church and to passionately share the life-changing message of Jesus. Our most important charge is to form disciples and disciple-makers. This mission is what makes Catholic education distinctive from other types of schools.