When we moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2012, one of the first things my husband and I learned about our new parish of the Church of St. Agnes was that the parish school that had been open since 1888 had recently been saved from closing down. Now, in 2025, the pre-K-to-12 school boasts of nearly every grade level at capacity and draws from more than 80 zip codes in the Twin Cities. The turnaround is credited to the school’s focus on an integrated Catholic vision in education, and formation is embedded in all aspects of school life. 

Many Catholic parents in our area want to send their children to a school that will foster their children’s lives of faith as well as give them a truly Catholic education. As a parent, I am so thankful to the administration and the teachers for making the Catholic faith the central part of my children’s days, showing how their studies are compatible with the fullness of truth. 

The following is a list of seven things St. Agnes School does — and that any Catholic school can do — to promote and maintain its Catholic Identity:

 

1) Have a clear Catholic philosophy of education. 

Jesus tells us, “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock” (Matthew 7:24). A solid, lasting Catholic school will build itself upon this rock of Christ’s words and his Church. This can be done through having a written philosophy of education based in Catholicism. From this basis, a school can ground every aspect, from curriculum, to aesthetics, to athletics, and to the fine arts offerings, in Christ. Having the mission clearly laid out helps the administrators, teachers and staff of a school stay focused on forming Catholic hearts and minds in faith, reason and virtue. 

2) Use a curriculum that is both Catholic and classical. 

A Catholic school ought to be teaching children the fullness of truth in all things, rooting every subject, from math and science to history and literature to art and music, deeply in Catholicism. Curriculums that are centered on a classical education recognize that part of what makes something classical is that it embodies the truth. Teaching them classic morality on the virtues, based in Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, will help them be mindful of how every action influences who they become. Having students participate in seminar discussions beginning at the age of reason in second grade up through 12th helps them to learn to think carefully and speak clearly about their ideas. Teaching children Latin from an early grade develops their intellect and makes it easier for them to participate in prayers in the language of the Church. Having high schoolers study philosophy and logic will help them grow into adults who use their intellect and reason properly and think things through.

3) Hire teachers who are “witnesses” who will follow through in the classroom.

Having teachers who are on board with a Catholic philosophy of education and are serious about their own lives of prayer and growth in virtue is crucial to sustaining a Catholic environment. Further, having the teachers of theology and religion make a pledge of fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church every year helps ensure that the students learn the truths of their faith in their classrooms. 

4) Have religious vocations present in the school.

The presence of holy priests and religious sisters penetrates the whole school environment, fostering vocations to every state in life. The teaching orders of sisters that are growing in America today are a joyful witness to the devout life, and they give students a model of studiousness as well. And young priests today are an inspiration for young men, showing them how to lay down their lives for others.

5) Have school Masses regularly and offer the sacrament of confession.

The support of a beautiful parish that curates the tradition of the Church’s liturgy is crucial to a Catholic school’s identity. The most important thing we do as humans is worship God, and Holy Mass is the highest form of worship that we can offer God. When it is incorporated into students’ school week, they are able to see the value of the liturgy. Offering the sacrament of confession regularly for students, both during the school Masses (when possible) and during religion class once a month can help lay a foundation of regular reception of confession for a lifetime. These graces penetrate the whole school environment, as students and teachers are intentional about living a sacramental life.

6) Encourage the practice of personal prayer and growth in virtue.

The only way for children to learn how to pray is to be given the time and space to do it. Taking younger students daily before the Eucharist for quiet prayer in a church chapel fosters the interior life within them. Giving middle and high schoolers freedom to stop in the chapel in the morning, after school and during their lunch hour helps them make their prayer life their own. And making it available to faculty and staff in their free hours builds the community of faith, giving them strength to persevere. 

7) Practice liturgical living at school.

Living the liturgical seasons of the Church is a beautiful way to strengthen a school’s Catholic identity. Seeking the intercession of the saint of the day every morning connects the students to the universal Church. Marking solemnities and the feast day of the parish or school with a more solemn liturgy (try having the new Mass in Latin!), fun activities in the classroom, and a dessert make these days more special. Holding off on Christmas celebrations until after Christmas break and using Advent wreaths and Jesse trees in the classroom help students learn the importance of preparing for Christ’s coming. Intentionally talking about Lent will help recover the lost practice of fasting and penance and make Easter that much more glorious. Schools that do these things both catechize the students and their parents. Another beautiful practice is that of processions, such as a Rosary procession on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary or a Eucharistic procession through the school every year during Catholic Schools Week. What Catholic child will forget when their pastor processesed with the Eucharist through the cold of a Minnesota January to the school building, flanked by altar servers and engulfed in incense, carrying our Eucharistic Lord to every room of the school where students kneel down and receive a blessing?

What do your Catholic schools do?