Thank God for Principals

By DEACON SEAN COSTELLO

It was 1984, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in Mrs. Garnsey’s classroom, and I heard the worst news that any third grader could hear, “Sean Costello, please report to the principal’s office.” This was the first time I had ever been called to the principal. What have I done? I racked my brain trying to figure out what criminal act I was involved in. I wasn’t aware of breaking any major laws or starting riots, but this was going to be bad. Being called to the principal’s office meant that you were now Public Enemy #1. There was no escaping this reality for my classmates or me. Mrs. Garnsey excused me from class, and I could have sworn a student uttered under his breath, “Dead Man Walking.” We all knew that no good could come from this, and there was probably a chance that I might never return to our classroom alive again. I could feel my feet getting heavier and heavier as I walked to his office, only to have him meet me at the door to tell me that I needed to bring this packet of envelopes to my mother when I got home. This was the first time I realized that principals were not just the judges and executioners of students. Sometimes they’re just the person who is trying to make sure the school fundraiser is successful.

To be honest, it wasn’t until I began to work under a Catholic school principal as an educator that I began to realize just how complex and difficult their role is. We often forget how the principal, who is usually the first person to school everyday and the last to leave, has a hand in everything that is going on at school. They are responsible for ensuring that our students are formed and ready to take the light of the Gospel out into the world. They coach-up teachers to ensure that they are up to the great task of forming our students to be disciples. They have the responsibility to hear everyone’s complaints, concerns, and questions regarding everything that takes place, often being the last to find out. They are also asked to make real decisions in real time with limited information about the circumstances. As my father would say, “Nobody bats a thousand, but we sure expect them to.” Being a principal is a demanding profession that has become increasingly difficult over the last few years. It’s no wonder why fewer and fewer people are willing to step into this profession.

However, after having been a school leader for many years, I can also assure you that it is a role that can be tremendously rewarding. It is a role in which you can have an incredible impact on our society, our community, and in the life of every student that we serve. Principals are often Christ for many with whom they interact, and they direct others to His Church. It is a position in which people share some of the most private parts of their life, seeking counsel, and principals are there to serve.

It is a profession that is privileged in the ability to change lives, both for the students served in the building and through leading the community as a whole. This rare breed, that holds this title of principal, ought to be held in the highest of esteem, but often is not remembered by many. We often forget that in all those great memories we have of our school years, there is a principal in the background of those memories who made sure that we had the opportunity to live those experiences.

This February, for the first time in our diocese, all the principals will be coming together at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, MN, for two days. This will be an opportunity to spend time with our Lord growing in their relationship with Him through prayer and grace, and to spend time together as colleagues. This is meant to be an opportunity for them to step back from the burdens of their labors and to just be present to the One who has called them to this work. In your charity, I ask you to please remember them in your prayers daily throughout the remainder of this month, and if you have the opportunity, please take a moment to reach out to one of our Catholic school principals and thank them. Show your appreciation for these men and women who work so hard to ensure that the Faith is passed on to our next generation, so they are ready to set the world ablaze with the love of our Lord.

Deacon Sean Costello is the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester