"Oh where, oh where has the supernatural gone?".

(C.I., Jan. 2007, pp. 18-19)

It was with some disappointment that I read Catherine Slovak's article on the lack of the supernatural in our Catholic grade schools. As a supply teacher for a Catholic school board in the GTA, I have had far more positive experiences in the elementary classrooms I have visited. One Grade 5 class I recently taught said not only the prayers on the morning announcements, but also the morning offering, Act of Contrition and Memorarae. They also said their own grace at lunch and concluded the day with the Serenity prayer. They couldn't wait to play the "Books of the Bible" and prayer challenge games the teacher had left. In a Junior Kindergarten class, the students had no trouble at all predicting who the visitor was going to be in a story entitled "Who is coming to our house?"

Students have been generally very well behaved and responsive during liturgies and prayer services. Students are more often interested in asking pertinent and thoughtful questions than in giving flippant responses (as in Mrs. Slovak's student's response of "the lady in the office" for Our Lady of Grace). Our local school displays at the bottom of its illuminated sign the motto of our board: "Collaborative learning inspired by Jesus." Rather than questioning the intent of the Board in selecting this motto, I applaud them for having the nerve to proclaim in every neighbourhood that our schools are "inspired by Jesus."

In these times when even a Christmas tree is a contentious symbol, how courageous it seems to let everyone know who lives near, walks or drives by our schools that we follow Jesus. Are there problems in the Catholic school system? Of course. But as Catholic educators surely our time is better spent in bringing solutions into the classroom rather than criticizing the efforts of the so many teachers and administrators who make it their job every day to provide students with a Catholic education.

Aurora, ON