Catholic Schools Week celebrated across the archdiocese

Originally printed in the March 2025 issue

Each January Catholic schools all over the United States celebrate the richness of Catholic education. Our schools develop the whole person by teaching subject matter, addressing student struggles, and modeling healthy interaction through the lens of faith.  This year Catholic Schools Week was January 26 – February 6. Each school had a variety of activities including our

On January 30th at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral, Archbishop Bellisario celebrated Mass for our schools, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Lumen Christi, Our Lady of the Valley, and (though the miles between us kept them from attending in person), Holy Name Catholic School in Ketchikan who were with us in prayer and in spirit.

Lumen Christi

Lumen Christi’s Campus Minister, Doug Barry shares: “As I reflect on the recent Catholic Schools week, I am filled with fond memories. The students and staff warmly embrace this week each year.” The week kicks off in the halls as students carry in large amounts of canned soups, as each house competes in the Souper Bowl. By the end of the week our small community had brought in over 1800 canned goods, an average of 13 cans per student! The Brother Francis Food Pantry was elated.

 Students crafted questions that were posed to a Vocation Panel held on Wednesday afternoon. Insightful questions gave panelists much to ponder, and answers brought clarity to students. Father Arthur beautifully described how he could mentally hear all the other “doors” close behind him as he took his preistly promise. It was not a moment of sadness, but one of joyful clarity, because he no longer worried about those “doors” but 100% focused on the priesthood.

 At the All Schools Mass, Our Lady of Guadalupe was bursting with excitement as our Catholic schools came together to celebrate Mass. Watching students of every grade level participate in the liturgy was moving.

 Following Mass, Lumen students had lunch in the Lunny Center and offered House Skits. The skits were based on the lives of their House Saints. All were amazingly well done, but the 5 judges agreed that House of Thomas Aquinas was this year’s winner. This year’s? Yep, this will now be a CSW tradition.

To cap the celebration week off, on Friday, our Lumen School Board arrived early to meet parents as they dropped students to thank them with warm coffee and doughnuts!

Holy Name

Holy Name Catholic School kicked off CSW 2025 “Alive in Christ” with colorful posters displayed in the church sanctuary during Mass on Sunday, January 27th. We began the week celebrating our favorite sport(s) team(s) wearing our favorite jerseys to school and playing games during recess.

The students most enjoyed celebrating our community heroes as well as our Native culture with visits from local law enforcement officers and a local Native artist. Preschoolers loved the “fish” wrapped police car and the sirens, of course! The Native drums and Salmon dance was so fun to learn, and students even counted to 10 in Haida.

Principal Trish explains, “Students talked about how we were able to celebrate all these things in Christ as He lives in us, is always with us, and how we live for Him each and every day! “

The students are always quick to recite, “God loves us, and will always keep us safe, RIGHT?!”

Our Lady of the Valley

Our Lady of the Valley celebrated being “Alive in Christ” by focusing on thankfulness for the gifts of faith, excellence in academics, and in acts of service.

To celebrate our faith, students and faculty were excited to participate in the All Schools Mass with our Archbishop and the other diocesan schools. In the words of Principal Williams, “We were reinvigorated by joining with other Catholic students from the archdiocese.”

Excellence in academics was recognized in classroom spelling bees, handwriting and essay awards. The student essays centered on the themes of Faith, Excellence and Service, eloquently expressing the students’ gratitude for their experiences here at Our Lady of the Valley. Classroom spelling champs competed in a school wide spelling bee at the closing assembly for Catholic Schools Week.

Service, both within the school and reaching out to the community, was the highlight of Catholic School week at Our Lady of the Valley. Students were paired into teams with upper school students assisting our pre-k and kindergarten students in crafting CSW t-shirts for the end of the week assembly. All students were graced with the gift of visiting Pioneer Home and singing with the bell choir for its residents. With parents and teachers joining in as well, it was touching to see the joy and hope brought to the community at the Pioneer Home.

Our Lady of the Valley students and faculty are profoundly grateful for our gift of Catholic education celebrating our faith, growing in academic excellence and being able to serve our community.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was a flurry of activities during this year’s Catholic Schools Week. Our favorite activities revolved around our local and greater communities.

One of the most important events during Catholic Schools Week each year is the All Schools Mass with Archbishop Bellisario at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral.  It is an honor to celebrate this Mass with our sister schools, Lumen Christi Catholic High School, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School, and though they cannot be with us in person, faculty and staff of Holy Name Catholic School in Ketchikan.

There were two activities contributing to our community that our students especially enjoyed. Because our school is committed to care for the most vulnerable in our community, we worked on projects that engaged all grade levels. Through creating care kits and blankets for the homeless, even our youngest can grow in love and empathy for those in need.  While our goal was to provide for the vulnerable, it was exciting that KTUU featured this project on the news!  Another highlight was the annual “Souper Bowl”.  Students collected cans all week in a friendly classroom competition.  Our students loved the themed days and fun activities throughout the week.

Please remember our families, students, faculty, staff and administration in your prayers!