On the outside, Bishop Carroll Catholic High School may look like any other school, but it is much more than that. Faith drives the life at Bishop Carroll. The religious atmosphere and sense of community here welcomes one immediately. As a school, we say many prayers each day. It may be the prayer led by the Head of School, Mr. Cotchen, during homeroom, the Latin prayers my religion teacher, Fr. Andriy has us say, or the countless other prayers we say before class. The faith aspect of life at Bishop Carroll is not just saying the prayers, but also fulfilled through our actions.
St. Catherine of Genoa said, “If you wish to know how much a person loves his God, see how much he loves his neighbor.” Bishop Carroll emulates her words. Walking through the halls, it is a rarity to not get greeted by someone. A student never leaves another student struggling. At Bishop Carroll, we are all there for each other and choose to be children of God. The same goes for the faculty and staff. If a staff member notices someone is having a bad day they are quick to say things like, “If you need anything, we are always here.”
The key word in that statement is “we”. This proves a student can go to any faculty or staff member because they all care about the students and choose to be people of God.
Having priests available on campus creates an open space for the faith. The vitality they possess brings a positive atmosphere and a constant yearning for more knowledge. The ability to ask questions about the faith and receiving thoughtful answers helps further our relationship with God. Fr. Andriy, Fr. Jeremiah, and Fr. David are ideal resources for the students that need answers to tough questions about the faith. They each offer a different aspect of the faith and make it easy to understand. As outstanding role models, they shape our school to be a family in God.
The faith aspect of Bishop Carroll does not have a beginning or an end. The students take on the responsibility to live out the Catholic faith all day and every day. For example, outside the classroom our faith is nurtured constantly. It is not uncommon to find Bishop Carroll students volunteering around the community and most are active members at their parishes. It is also apparent that we are students of strong faith by the way we treat opposing schools during our extracurricular activities. Our goal as a school is to spread the goodness of the Lord and it is evident through our actions. As St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.”
Our faith filled school is the reason I show up every day. The valuable knowledge of the faith presented at our school keeps my faith in God going. I am proud to say I am a student at Bishop Carroll, but I am even more proud to say I am a student of God.