Over 50% of the 2018-19 parent survey respondents indicated that some aspect of the faith formation that Everest Collegiate High School & Academy offers is what their family most values about the school. As students returned back to school last week not only did they learn new schedules, meet new teachers, and review discipline guidelines, they also started the year focused on what matters most: beginning the year by entrusting it to God.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the Eucharist as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (#1324). A recent article in Crisis Magazine talked about lack of faith among young Catholics in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The article went on to highlight how schools including Everest are making a difference in restoring this belief. The 2019-20 school year began no differently.
When faculty and staff returned to work on Monday, August 12, they began the day – and every day of their meetings that week – with the celebration of the Eucharist.
That Friday brought Everest’s back-to-school event. One of the items on the checklist for the families to complete was to stop by the chapel and entrust the year to God with school chaplain Fr. Thomas. Families wrote their intentions down and prayed for a moment with Father. On Sunday, international students gathered with local day student student ambassadors and their families for Mass before saying goodbye to their parents.
Christ in the Eucharist is a central part of the daily lives of Everest students, faculty and staff, and families throughout the year. During the first week of school, teachers took time to bring their classes to the chapel. While religion and theology are specific courses as a part of the curriculum, each Everest teacher knows their role in keeping Christ at the center of the students’ education.
The same is true for athletics. EC fall athletes gathered at the optional parent and student optional Mass held on Thursday afternoons before their first competitions of the year. Everest coaches make prayer a central part of each sports season.
Formal opening Masses for the year were held on Friday, August 23 for both academy and high school students.
The Archbishop released a bold vision for Catholic schools in Detroit this past January. Through the vision which aligns the ministry of Catholic schools to the Unleash the Gospel movement in the archdiocese, the first aspect is Catholic identity. “To unleash our Catholic schools, we will first and foremost be proudly Catholic. We are committed to our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ in his Catholic Church.” Everest Collegiate High School & Academy is proud to be an authentic Catholic school of distinction in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
