by Vincent Anch

At the Catholic Education Foundation, we have much to be thankful about, including more than 1,400 people who joined us for Gaudeamus and pledged more than $1.2 million for scholarships through that event.

The $1.2 million — a record amount — will allow more than 1,000 students with financial need to attend Catholic schools in our archdiocese. We are deeply grateful to our Gaudeamus sponsors, donors and guests who made those results possible!

We are thankful, too, for the 212 volunteers who helped make Gaudeamus a success for the students we serve.

Led by event chairs Patrick and Shannon Lillis and our board of directors, the Gaudeamus committee and a dedicated team of volunteers helped create an event that will provide the gift of Catholic education for so many students who couldn’t otherwise afford it.

We also give thanks for the more than 1,000 people in the archdiocese who provided feedback to us in our recent survey project.

Their thoughts on the impact of Catholic education are inspiring to read and will help shape our work in the coming months and years. Here are just a few of the thoughts they shared with us:

“Catholic education fortifies the soul for a lifetime pursuit of joy. Each faith-centered learning experience shapes our soul. A student may question, ‘Why do I need to know this?’ about math facts, but they will never ask, ‘When will I ever need to know God?’”

“Faith formation for my children is essential. And I feel that I need the support of the Catholic school system in conjunction with our domestic church to prepare my children’s minds and souls for heaven.”

“Catholic education instills values, morals and the sense of a greater purpose to attain the ultimate goal of everlasting life. Catholic education teaches us who we are, why we exist, learning about our purpose and how to live. It allows us to see the joys of each moment God has blessed us with and how to learn from the Gospel.”

“This society is increasingly difficult for our children to navigate with their faith intact. We need to support them as much as we can. I see Catholic education as a big piece of this support.”

“There is a lot of uncertainty and temptation in this world, but I feel as though a Catholic education gives our children an opportunity to develop something bigger beyond these immediate gratification choices. It creates a community, a strong faith foundation, a purpose within us, an obligation not only to ourselves but to others and God himself.”

We are immensely grateful for our supporters who provide these gifts of Catholic education for students who could not otherwise afford it. Thank you for your generosity!