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Waiting for Superman?
That's You and Me!
The movie “Waiting for Superman” has taken the country by storm, igniting conversations in homes and work places about the state of education in the United States. If you haven’t seen it - and I hope you do – it chronicles the struggles of families who want a better opportunity for their children. In some of the film’s most dramatic moments, we see moms, dads, and kids waiting for the luck of the draw as they sit through an excruciating game of “will my name be called?”
Advent is a good time to consider the idea of “waiting for Superman.”
The readings at Mass, especially during the first three weeks of Advent, point our minds toward the second coming of Christ and an eternal era of justice and peace when every tear will be wiped away. This is the ultimate source of our hope, and it puts the Superman of DC Comics to shame!
But what about between now and then? Anybody who reads the newspaper may be less inclined to be filled with hope, at least for the short term. And the statistics facing Catholic schools might leave you downright despondent: We’ve lost 500,000 children from our schools over the last decade, and 1,000 Catholic schools have closed over that same timeframe.
You may be asking: When will our Superman come? Well, I think he could already be here!
The American Catholic school system was built by a community of immigrants who believed so strongly in the value of their faith and the promise of their children that they poured the little they had into their dream of a school system that served their unique needs. They believed that line from Psalm 127: Unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain. It was the Lord’s work, but they steadfastly accepted their responsibility as co-creators.
We have much more to do in order to reverse the trends facing Catholic education. But the American Catholic community surely has been blessed with the talent and resources needed to sustain and strengthen our schools. What we lack at times is the conviction of our immigrant forebears. That’s where we come in.
Today, ACE Advocates across the country continue to animate the movement in service to Catholic schools. Advocate regions are bringing people together to increase access to our schools, individuals are leveraging their expertise and energy to make our schools even more excellent, and people of goodwill everywhere are recognizing the value that Catholic schools offer to children, families, communities, the nation, and the Church.
“Superman” is you and me. Jesus sends us into the world to be His hands and feet, to stand up for the marginalized, and to preach good news to the poor. As a Church – and as an American community – we are responding to Christ’s call when we sustain and strengthen Catholic schools. Thank you for being a part of this movement.
Have a blessed Advent!
Chuck Lamphier
Director, ACE Advocates for Catholic Schools