While public schools have been struggling to bounce back from over a year of virtual learning, Catholic schools have been gaining territory. An article in America magazine connects a 3.8% increase in enrollment in 2021-22 with the commitment to in-person learning. This uptick breaks a 20-year skid in enrollment and is a possible indicator of widespread resurgence in private education.

Americans aren’t used to thinking of Halloween as a religious holiday. With all the horror movies, the skulls and gory figurines on peoples’ lawns and the – well, spookiness – the Catholic roots of Halloween now generally lie six feet under people’s minds. This is precisely why it’s time to dig up these roots.

Schools across the nation reported that students fell behind due to distance learning during the COVID pandemic. Not so with Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Since October is the month of the rosary, it may be helpful to reflect on what this powerful prayer means for us and our families. How can the rosary help us grow in our relationship with our Blessed Mother? How can devotion to Mary help form students in and out of the classroom? Three themes come to mind: meditation, service and love.