With Sincerest Apologies - - -

I hesitantly begin this post.

...Because I KNOW it's a gonna be cheezy.

I blame it on hormones (only women themselves are permitted to blame ANYTHING on hormones -)

Keeping this in mind as you continue....

Here we go.

On Friday morning, after my second incident of 'there's something caught in my eye, that's why you see tears welling up, up in there...I swear!!!', I decided I have become even more of a sappy sap than I've ever been.

And to know me is to know I was always so cheezy and gooey that it was almost on the brink of gross.

 So here's my post about why I love love love teaching in the Catholic system.

 And no - this is not being written in the hopes that the 'powers that be' become enticed and or inspired and or persuaded that Catholic Education is important.

It's a post for me - yup, selfish old me.

Oh. And You of course! If you are interested.

So at our little small town school, we have a mass every first Friday of the month and also during any other important religious celebration and/or school celebration.

Friday was my first school mass and it was AWE-SOME.

I've always loved mass - mostly for the singing aspect. It's embarrassing to sit with me, really. I sing like I am a pop star. All emotional and expressive and Celine Dion-like. You may even catch me beating my chest with purpose. It is THAT embarrassing.

But I love school masses for a different reason: it's still the community aspect of it - but it is the MY SCHOOL community of it. It's like we're all in this secret little martyr-y club...That's the energy I feel, anyhow: The teachers doing good for the students and the well-behaved students there to impress the teachers. Oh and we're also all there to pray (of course)!

There's just a vibe to Friday school masses that cannot be explained. It's a moment in time when everyone is calm and peaceful and together.

And then the class that was putting on the mass sang Michael Row Your Boat Ashore - and never mind who was putting the mass on - those children just got me all choked up!!!

I never realized how special it is to hear children singing. (Well when it sounds good anyhow). And I never really appreciated a song like Michael Row Your Boat Ashore until Friday.

And there I was - my students at my side. The school gathered and holy - and I am pathetically tearing up. Oh man. Embarrassing.

I am springing eye-leaks all over.!!! Just the day before I went to watch our Glee Club (oh yah we are THAT up with the times) singing a song and I teared up then too! Good Lord (and I say that with the greatest of respect).

But I just love that we can all stop for a moment and join in a mass together as a school. And actually admit that school is just so much more than subjects and curriculum. It is a COMMUNITY. Together in there we are ONE. And when my teacher-colleague hands me the host and we exchange looks that say something only WE understand (and we smirk) and I continue along feeling a part of something much greater than myself - I know - that there's something to this keeping religion in our schools, thing. 

Because so often we as teachers don't get to stop and think outside our immediate profession. We don't get to step back from our classroom and our students and look at them as part of a community of people rather than the little (sometimes) stinkers whom we try to mold but are often stubbornly un-mold-able...

And while so often behaviour in schools can be an issue, more often than not, in mass, we're all calm and collected. (That is, both students and teachers!)!

AMAZING!!

It's a miracle, really.

And I love it...

And after mass, when we all leave the church and head out to recess, and I am singing the hymns down the hall merrily, I realize just how happy and day-altering the mass was...For me, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. 

And when I catch another teacher or student humming Michael Row Your Boat Ashore I know - I KNOW I am not the only one who was cheezily and most positively affected by the morning at mass.

I heart church. I heart the community. I heart the music. And I heart how the students become so amazingly peaceful.

And I heart teaching in a Catholic community - regardless of all the politics. 

Amen.

*ps. I heart the guitar-club teacher the mostest *wink*

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