A Message from Fr. Cooper...
"Your gift allows us to say to children from many different backgrounds and with many different learning needs, 'Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'"
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Benilde,
Family and friends, good health, and the many other blessings God has given us—these are all things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. At St. Benilde, we are also thankful for the incredible gift of our Catholic school. This sacred place is making a lasting impact on the lives of children every day.
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I asked a few of our teachers, administrators, faculty members, and staff to share the things for which they are most thankful. Here is what they had to say:
Thanks to your generosity over the years, St. Benilde School has been able to develop an inclusive educational model that not only challenges students who have been assessed to be “gifted” but also meets the needs of children with special learning difficulties. The Second Vatican Council’s document on Christian Education, Gravissimum Educationis, notes that “all children, in virtue of their dignity as human persons, have an inalienable right to education, adapted to their ability.” Although the costs in human and financial capital are substantial in offering the necessary resources and services for such an endeavor, the need in our local Church to offer a Catholic education to children with special needs is even greater. It is my firm belief that students with special learning needs will flourish at St. Benilde Catholic School as we offer a nurturing, accepting, faith based environment with a focus on individual strengths and abilities to help each child reach his/her God-given potential. This important work of the Church has been made possible only because of YOU!
As I count my blessings, I am thankful to God for all who have partnered with me over the years to make Catholic education possible at St. Benilde. The Pastor’s Appeal on the #iGiveCatholic Day of Giving provides an effective and efficient vehicle for helping to fund the educational needs of our school community. Since we were founded in 1968, on November 27, 2018, (#iGiveCatholic Giving Day) we hope to raise $68,000 in 24 hours …. Will you be in that number?
All you need to do is visit https://neworleans.igivecatholic.org/organizations/st-benilde-school on November 27 to get started with your online donation. Advanced giving began on November 12th so between November 12 and November 27, you can donate online to our Appeal. Every gift of $25 or more will go further with $34,000 of matching funds provided by the Whitman Family Foundation! For questions or additional information, please contact St. Benilde principal, Thomas Huck, by email at thuck@stbenilde.com or by phone at 504-833-9894.
I know that many parishes and schools are asking for your support. There are so many worthy projects to fund. I am asking you to consider not giving to a project or a program but investing in the life of a child. So often, parents have been told that our Catholic Schools do not have the resources to meet the needs of their children. I have had parents cry tears of joy when they find out that with some extra layers of support and state-of-the-art resources, their child can flourish and grow with their classmates. Children who were once considered “outcast” in our educational institutions can now find a welcoming family that sees our differences not as obstacles to our mission but as a fundamental component of truly witnessing to the Good News of the Lord! And all of this, and so much more, is only possible because of your financial support for the Pastor’s Appeal for St. Benilde School on the #iGiveCatholic Day of Giving.
Sometimes it is difficult to envision how one donation can help, how it makes any real difference. But each donation does make a difference because of all the others who also make a donation. The gifts of many enable our school to form and shape the life of a child as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Your gift will change the life of a child! Your gift allows us to say to children from many different backgrounds and with many different learning needs, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” If you are not able to contribute this year, I certainly thank you for your past support and ask for your prayers for the success of our campaign.
Every gift, no matter the amount, will make a significant difference – and is deeply appreciated. On behalf of the children who will receive the benefits of your generosity, I say “thank you” for your faith and consideration. May God bless you for your commitment to His mission – and for partnering with me to make a difference in our children’s lives!
Family and friends, good health, and the many other blessings God has given us—these are all things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. At St. Benilde, we are also thankful for the incredible gift of our Catholic school. This sacred place is making a lasting impact on the lives of children every day.
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I asked a few of our teachers, administrators, faculty members, and staff to share the things for which they are most thankful. Here is what they had to say:
- “I am thankful for the awesome grace of sharing life and ministry with the most amazing collection of disciples on the planet! What a blessing it is!”
- “I'm grateful for the teachers and leaders at St. Benilde Catholic School who are each day finding new and creative ways to not only make God known, loved, and served inside our school, but are being forces for good in our community.”
- “I am thankful for the existence of our parish school. We tell children from all backgrounds, implicitly and explicitly, that they are loved and that they can succeed.”
- "I am so thankful for our children, all of whom are an immense source of joy in our lives—in our school, in our homes, in our world. Children provide us with the hope for tomorrow and the energy that we need for each day."
- “I am thankful for the privilege of seeing the incredible ways in which our graduates are using their many gifts in support of the Gospel through their diverse vocations. Thank you for being Christ's hands and feet to so many!”
- “This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the gift of children! To watch children grow both academically and spiritually at St. Benilde is truly a gift to all of us!”
- “I am thankful for the countless ways I have witnessed the Holy Spirit at work in so many students' lives through the service of our teachers, parishioners, and graduates, and I am grateful for the ways the Spirit is bringing so much renewal to so many in our community, and to our Church, through their witness.”
Thanks to your generosity over the years, St. Benilde School has been able to develop an inclusive educational model that not only challenges students who have been assessed to be “gifted” but also meets the needs of children with special learning difficulties. The Second Vatican Council’s document on Christian Education, Gravissimum Educationis, notes that “all children, in virtue of their dignity as human persons, have an inalienable right to education, adapted to their ability.” Although the costs in human and financial capital are substantial in offering the necessary resources and services for such an endeavor, the need in our local Church to offer a Catholic education to children with special needs is even greater. It is my firm belief that students with special learning needs will flourish at St. Benilde Catholic School as we offer a nurturing, accepting, faith based environment with a focus on individual strengths and abilities to help each child reach his/her God-given potential. This important work of the Church has been made possible only because of YOU!
As I count my blessings, I am thankful to God for all who have partnered with me over the years to make Catholic education possible at St. Benilde. The Pastor’s Appeal on the #iGiveCatholic Day of Giving provides an effective and efficient vehicle for helping to fund the educational needs of our school community. Since we were founded in 1968, on November 27, 2018, (#iGiveCatholic Giving Day) we hope to raise $68,000 in 24 hours …. Will you be in that number?
All you need to do is visit https://neworleans.igivecatholic.org/organizations/st-benilde-school on November 27 to get started with your online donation. Advanced giving began on November 12th so between November 12 and November 27, you can donate online to our Appeal. Every gift of $25 or more will go further with $34,000 of matching funds provided by the Whitman Family Foundation! For questions or additional information, please contact St. Benilde principal, Thomas Huck, by email at thuck@stbenilde.com or by phone at 504-833-9894.
I know that many parishes and schools are asking for your support. There are so many worthy projects to fund. I am asking you to consider not giving to a project or a program but investing in the life of a child. So often, parents have been told that our Catholic Schools do not have the resources to meet the needs of their children. I have had parents cry tears of joy when they find out that with some extra layers of support and state-of-the-art resources, their child can flourish and grow with their classmates. Children who were once considered “outcast” in our educational institutions can now find a welcoming family that sees our differences not as obstacles to our mission but as a fundamental component of truly witnessing to the Good News of the Lord! And all of this, and so much more, is only possible because of your financial support for the Pastor’s Appeal for St. Benilde School on the #iGiveCatholic Day of Giving.
Sometimes it is difficult to envision how one donation can help, how it makes any real difference. But each donation does make a difference because of all the others who also make a donation. The gifts of many enable our school to form and shape the life of a child as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Your gift will change the life of a child! Your gift allows us to say to children from many different backgrounds and with many different learning needs, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” If you are not able to contribute this year, I certainly thank you for your past support and ask for your prayers for the success of our campaign.
Every gift, no matter the amount, will make a significant difference – and is deeply appreciated. On behalf of the children who will receive the benefits of your generosity, I say “thank you” for your faith and consideration. May God bless you for your commitment to His mission – and for partnering with me to make a difference in our children’s lives!
~ Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
