by Michael Morrisey
By the time you read this column, the current school year will have come to a close for most and our CEF fiscal year will end on June 30.
Many things are ending, while other things start anew. This is life. This is a special time of year for many, so I felt the need to provide a special writing.
For clarification, “special” means the following to me: especially important or loved, held in high esteem.
I want to give a complimentary and appreciative shoutout to several special groups of people: CEF board members past and present, CEF committee members, CEF volunteers, thousands of CEF donors, the archdiocesan school office, school presidents, school principals and, last but not least, our dedicated CEF staff who work tirelessly to assist in providing scholarships for children in need.
Archbishop Naumann is a CEF board member, but deserves a special acknowledgment for his undying support of our Catholic schools.
These special people have collaborated to accomplish many things in the most recent past. For our business people who are interested in budget numbers, most notably, there has been more than $19 million raised and more than 11,000 scholarships provided for children living in poverty.
On the subjective side of the ledger, we should be proud of CEF for the promotion of Catholic education. There are many good school choices in our world today. However, I strongly suggest to you that the ability to talk about God in the classroom trumps all others! Just ask our CEF parents.
Speaking of our CEF parents, they are a very special group indeed. I want to recognize and applaud them for making Catholic education a priority for their kids and thank them for allowing us to serve them through the CEF mission.
As I close out my column, I want to share some Bobby Helms (really old singer) “Special Angel” song lyrics (with a Morrisey flavor) that I believe are appropriate for this writing. Please feel free to sing along with me:
You are special angels, sent from up above.
The Lord smiled down on us, and sent angels like you with love.
You are special angels, through eternity.
You were sent down from above to watch he and she.
You are special angels, and will never be forgot.
You are a blessing to those around you; God knows you have done a lot.
You are special angels, and will be forever more.
Never forget the less fortunate, and the kingdom of heaven will be yours.
Please know that by helping CEF, you are positively changing the lives of children living in poverty. Your caring about our CEF kids will forever be appreciated!
Thank you!
