Relationships Are the Heart of Every School

Sep 4

Bro. Dan Wisniewski, OSFS, at Nativity Preparatory School, Wilmington, DE after giving a presentation to the faculty and staff on St. Francis de Sales and the Little Virtues.

Before a new academic year begins, many schools reserve time for a faculty/staff retreat day. This provides the opportunity for educators to focus their thoughts for a new year of teaching and learning after summer days of well-needed rest and renewal. Recently, I was privileged to spend a retreat day with each school community at Mount Aviat Academy (Childs, MD) and Nativity Preparatory School (Wilmington, DE). Also, as a member of its Catholic Schools Board, I attended the Spirituality Day given by the Diocese of Wilmington, an annual event for those who work in the diocesan elementary and secondary schools.

During all these gatherings, the topic of building relationships – among colleagues, with students, and in the larger community – emerged as something essential upon which to reflect. There are so many individuals with whom we relate throughout a school year, and how we do this makes a big difference in providing the most impactful educational experience for young people. During his presentation on the mission of the Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wilmington at the conclusion of their Spirituality Day, Superintendent Dr. Lou De Angelo highlighted how relationships, specifically through one’s time, presence, and focus, are key to providing a vibrant future for Catholic education.

Captivated by what I heard, I recalled how relationships are the core component of schooling. It is easy to overlook them or take them for granted. I remember telling a colleague when I first began teaching mathematics at North Catholic High School in Philadelphia that I was surprised by how much I had to deal with people as a teacher. Seems silly for me to say this because people are an obvious component of teaching and learning. However, it took time for me to realize the various sectors that form the web of the school social network: administrators, teachers, support staff, students, parents, coaches, and alumni. As a fledgling teacher, I soon recognized how every person, who comes from a different corner of the school community, was essential to delivering a quality education. As the saying goes, “It takes a village…”

As Dr. De Angelo continued, I also reflected on how much the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales cultivates and supports human interaction and engagement. His “heart-to-heart spirituality” is recognized for the way the bishop-saint guided people to develop genuine heartfelt relationships with friends, family members, colleagues, and themselves, but also, with God. Francis tells us that by living the “little virtues” of gentleness and humility, our relationships with others are integrally connected with our relationship with the Divine: “Humility perfects us with respect to God, and gentleness with respect to our neighbor” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 8). We strive to do this so that we may “live Jesus” who as Teacher, instructs us: “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matt 11:29). When this is put into practice, I recognize that the center of this relational web is the Heart of Jesus. May we mirror His loving presence in how we interact and form connections with others – whether we do so as a teacher, co-worker, parent, or friend.

This new school year, I share this message with myself, as I embark on a new journey working with our seminarians at Brisson Hall, our house of formation in Washington, DC. As their classes begin again, I pray that we will learn from each other how to best be the Oblates who share the gentle and humble Heart of Christ with the world.