We Teach Virtue.
The Christian faith is not a collection of “thou shalt nots.” It’s an invitation to arete or virtue; the excellence of a fully human life as God intended it. In the Catholic tradition, virtues divide into two basic groups; moral and theological. Moral virtues are firm, habitual dispositions to do the good. We acquire moral virtues through human effort aided by God’s grace. The theological virtues, faith, hope, and love, are free gifts from God.
Just as a muscle weakens without exercise, so too virtues go soft without constant practice. Moreover, each child is uniquely prone to certain virtues and more alien to others. This is why the daily, intimate presence of parents and teachers in a child’s life is so vital.
How our unique Education in Virtue Program works
Each month, at St. Francis School, our students learn one of 10 virtues that fall under the parent virtues of Justice, Temperance, Fortitude and Prudence.
When our children study obedience, for example, they learn its definition, what it looks like when it is practiced and what it sounds like when someone does it. Then, students make the long journey from head to heart by considering how they can cultivate it in their daily life – on the playground, in class and at home with you.
