by Communication Director | Aug 14, 2025 | From Our Pastor
Saturday, 20 September, 9a-12p in Croghan Hall
Join Sister John Dominic Rasmussen, O.P. and Fr. Christopher Smith to explore how Open Light Media’s free tools for all Prince of Peace families can help your children grow in character, emotional intelligence, and spiritual life—both at school and at home.
Why Virtue Education Matters More Than Ever
In education and parenting circles, “Social Emotional Learning” (SEL) and the “education of the whole person” have become buzzwords. But long before SEL was a trend, the Catholic Church gave us a roadmap for human flourishing: the virtues.
Open Light Media recognizes that Virtue Education is Catholic Social Emotional Learning. SEL and interpersonal neurobiology research have separately arrived at principles that align perfectly with the Cardinal Virtues:
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Self-Management → Temperance & Fortitude
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Responsible Decision-Making → Prudence & Fortitude
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Relational & Social Awareness → Justice
Through the virtues, the Church provides timeless guidance for our journey toward Heaven.
A Partnership for the Whole POP Community
Beginning this fall, all members of the Prince of Peace community—school families, Religious Education families, homeschoolers, and parishioners—will receive free access to Open Light Media’s engaging video-based resources.
The “Cultivating the Virtues” program invites participants to Learn, Live, Witness, and Pray about a new virtue each week. The bulletin will feature the “Virtue of the Week,” and both our school and Religious Education programs will integrate it into lessons. Parishioners and homeschool families are encouraged to watch the short, 2–3 minute videos from home to grow alongside our community.
Tools for Parents, Educators, and Caregivers
Open Light Media offers a rich library of programs designed to help Catholics of all ages live out the virtues:
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Raised in Grace – Foundational concepts of childhood development through the lens of interpersonal neurobiology and Catholic tradition.
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Learn the Virtues – A deep dive into the theological and cardinal virtues and how to cultivate them.
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Arise – A program for middle and high school students combining neurobiology insights with the call to holiness.
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And more – Opportunities for growth in virtue, vocation, and holiness for the entire family.
Don’t Miss This Special Event
We are excited to welcome Sister John Dominic—founder of Open Light Media and member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist—to share the beauty of educating the whole person: body, mind, and soul. She will unpack how the virtues and insights from interpersonal neurobiology work together to form resilient, faithful young people.
📅 When: Saturday, 20 September
🕘 Time: 9a-12p
📍 Where: Croghan Hall, Prince of Peace Catholic Church
Come be inspired and equipped to help your children grow in virtue—because raising saints starts with living the virtues together.
by Communication Director | Mar 1, 2025 | From Our Pastor
Parents have the natural right to make the best choice for the education of their children. The Church imposes upon parents the obligation of providing a Catholic education for their children, and pastors provide schools as the principal apostolate of the Church for the handing on of the Catholic faith. That means that, if a child does not attend a Catholic school, home must work closely with the parish to make sure that formation is imparted. The religious education program in the parish is one way to do that but RE does not exhaust everything needed to impart the faith. Even going to a Catholic school is not enough, especially if the family misses Mass on Sunday, does not pray in the home and parents don’t give good example of regular confession and learning their faith.
As you are looking to make the decision for schools, there are some questions I think you should ask yourself:
- Am I basing my decision on what helps me in my vocation to raise my children in the faith or on other factors?
- Are Catholic identity and academic excellence the first things I am looking for in a school for my children or am I privileging secondary characteristics like extracurricular activities, practical considerations or a comfortable lifestyle?
- Am I strong enough to ensure that my children receive everything they possibly can to grow in their faith, or do I need help in that regard?
- Do I want my children to go to heaven, or Harvard? What is ultimately the goal of how I want my children to be educated?
- How am I going to protect my children’s innocence and virtue as long as I can, while also equipping them to be able to handle a world hostile to our faith?
- What am I not seeing, and am I being naïve, about what is going on in schools today, and the use of technology and social media by my children?
There are also some questions I think you need to ask school administrators and teachers, no matter what the school:
- Do you believe that there is such a thing as objective truth and moral norms? How does the experience of the school approach truth and ethics questions?
- How many Catholics are in the student body? The faculty and staff? Are the Catholics actively practicing their faith or not? Do you have people who have left the Catholic religion or lead lives at variance with the Gospel who are forming young people?
- What tools for academic aptitude, achievement and growth are used to measure what is going on in the classroom? How does the data compare with competing schools? What is the point of education for you as a teacher/administrator?
- Is there a respect for the Western intellectual tradition as well as a respect for authentic multicultural diversity, or is the curriculum designed to challenge the Judeo-Christian intellectual foundation of my own culture?
- How is language used in the school? Is language weaponized to further agendas that are not compatible with my values as a Christian?
- Is the Catholic religion respected, tolerated, or denigrated in subtle or obvious ways?
- What is taught in the classroom about sex, marriage and family life? How are questions of gender identity and sexual orientation handled by teachers and administrators?
- Do you see the parents as the primary educators of their children and the school as a secondary role in that mission, or do you see your school or the state as the primary educator?
- Is there full transparency and consistent and complete communication about what is going on in the classroom?
- How are technology and social media used in the classroom and what are the policies regarding their use outside of the classroom when they affect my child?
Written by Fr Christopher Smith
