If you went to a Catholic feeder school, you remember the excitement of Catholic Schools Week, including themed dress up days, fun activities, and school spirit. St. Pius X is trying to bring back this excitement to celebrate our school this week, January 29-February 3.

Started in 1974, Catholic Schools Week is a nationwide celebration recognizing the importance and value of Catholic education. 

Director of Campus Ministry Ms. Susan Baker described Catholic Schools Week as the “Celebration of Catholic schools, Catholic school culture, the unity of all the Catholic schools throughout the world, and the education that you get at a Catholic school in addition to growing and learning your faith.”

One of the main focal points of Catholic Schools Week this year at St. Pius is how diverse our Catholic faith is.

“Catholic, meaning universal, we want to highlight the diversity of our student body, our faiths, our backgrounds,” said theology teacher Mrs. Lindsey Farrell.

Counselor Mrs. Mary Pat Martin added that at St. Pius, “We have 34 different languages spoken in our homes, we represent over 71 countries and territories, and we have connections to all 50 states, including Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin islands.”

St. Pius kicked off the celebration early at an all-school Mass on Friday, January 27, which included readings from students in different languages, decorations in front of the altar representing various cultures, and even singing a hymn in traditional Latin. There will also be an international saint of the day throughout the week, and the cafeteria will feature food from that saint’s native country.

The week will end with a pep rally on Friday to showcase our school spirit and celebrate our winter sports teams. St. Pius will also hold its annual Heritage Day on Friday. Students will be allowed to come out of uniform for $10, and all money raised will go directly to the four religious orders who staffed the school when it opened in 1958 as the first co-educational high school in Georgia: the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and the Religious Sisters of Mercy. Each order staffed a different department in the school, in addition to the lay teachers and diocesan priests.

There are currently 5,938 Catholic schools throughout the United States. Compared to public schools and other faith-based schools, Catholic education leads the way in several categories, including graduation rates, percentage of students who attend four-year colleges, and various standardized testing data points.

“I want the students to realize how lucky and blessed they are to be able to go here,” Mrs. Baker said.