By Currents News
Catholic teachers who work in public schools were honored Dec. 11 for their commitment to their students and their faith.
Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan started the evening at Russo’s on the bay in Howard Beach, Queens with a prayer and offered his appreciation for the people who teach in New York City public schools but remain devoted to their faith.
Each of the six honorees were selected by the Catholic Teachers Association based on their work as a principal, teacher, or union member.
While religion is typically not in the classroom at public schools, these educators say they are united by faith and that the event is a way to bond.
“Any time somebody wants to just take a moment to acknowledge anybody for the work you’re doing, it feels nice. It feels good,” Noah Angeles, Superintendent for the New York City Department Of Education at New Visions High Schools tells Currents News. “ I’m just appreciative of that, for the organization itself just to take a moment tonight not just acknowledge me, but other educators in the field for the work they’re doing.”
“If you think about it, the number of our children who are educated in our public schools is enormous, and so I want to be able to support the Catholic teachers who are serving in our schools and we want to be able to support them in their good work,” Bishop Brennan says.
“Although we may not speak to being Catholic inside our public schools we are absolutely modeling what it is to be a strong Catholic, which is to lead a good spiritual life, to live a life of caring about others, compassion for others, empathy for others,” adds Patrick Burns, President of the Catholic Teachers Association.