The first day of school has arrived for thousands of Catholic students across the Archdiocese of Mobile, which spans roughly half of Alabama and counted more than 6,000 students in 18 schools last year. Many of those students attend schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
Teachers Celebrated at Back-to-School Mass
Teachers and staff gathered Tuesday for the annual back-to-school Mass, where Archbishop Thomas Rodi reflected on the outsized role educators play in young lives — noting that teachers spend nearly as much time with students as their parents do, and in some cases even more.
Rodi said students may not remember every lesson years later, but they will always remember how their teachers made them feel about themselves.
“There are teachers who made me feel good, gave me confidence, made me know that I was worthwhile,” the archbishop said.
Faith Alongside Academics
Catholic school officials point to their blend of strong academics and Christian values as a hallmark of the system. Rodi also had a message for parents heading into the new year: make sure a child’s achievement in school is never overshadowed by the need to put faith first.