Michael Morrisey is the executive director of the Catholic Education Foundation. You can reach him at (913) 647-0383 or send an email to him at: mmorrisey@archkck.org.
by Michael Morrissey
It is that time of the year when shoppers are out looking for the perfect gift.
I hope you did not spend a lot of money on your gift for me. I can assure you, I did not spend a lot on you. But it is the thought that counts, right?
Speaking of gifts and thoughts, a thought-provoking question that fits this conversation is: “Why get an education?” I will get back to the gift thinking in a second.
There have been many great people over the years who have supported the importance of education. To name a few: John Dewey, the educational reformer, shared, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” How about Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of our country, advising, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” And then there was Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa, who so eloquently stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
A very diverse group indeed, all with the belief that education can be a life changer.
The list goes on and on, but I will just give you two more for the sake of brevity. This is one of my favorites, coming from a CEF eighth-grader: “I would not be learning here without you. I’m really glad that there are people like you. Thank you very much for your scholarship help. My family may not live in the best house, or drive the best cars, but my sister and I can go to a school we love. Not everyone has this opportunity, so thank you. You will be in my prayers.”
Pretty insightful coming from an eighth-grader, don’t you think?
The last quote I will share with you comes from a scholarly gentleman (that person being me): “Education allows our CEF children the opportunity to eradicate the cycle of poverty they are currently experiencing.” So, we have Dewey, Franklin, Mandela, a kid from one of our CEF schools and Morrisey helping us understand the importance of education.
Now add in our “Catholic school” component and the sky is the limit. In case you don’t get it, the sky reference here is “heaven.”
So, during this Christmas season, I encourage you to give the present that can last a lifetime, the gift of a Catholic education. It is the gift that just keeps on giving. You can do that by sponsoring a scholarship for one of our CEF kids. When you read this article there will be less than a week left to sponsor a scholarship during this calendar year.
On behalf of our CEF schools, families and kids, thank you for understanding “Why Catholic education?”
