By: Aaron Le Vey
When you enter Cathedral High School, the first thing your eyes land on is the St. John Baptist de La Salle statue. It reminds us at Cathedral High School of the 5 core Lasallian Principles. St. John Baptist de La Salle created these core principles when he created the Brother Schools. He believed everyone has the right to an education at no cost. He appointed brothers to help run and care for the schools and provide a top-tier education. These core principles are what make the LaSallian schools so special. Here in the Cathedral, we implement these core principles in our own traditions and cultures.
Faith in the Presence of God is the first principle. Every day at Cathedral, we start with a prayer, and in every class we begin with, “Let us remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.” This gives us a constant reminder that God is with us in every endeavor we undertake.
The second principle is Concern for the Poor and Social Justice. At Cathedral, we have service-led organizations like Student Council, National Honor Society, and Campus Ministry. These organizations plan drives and fundraisers to donate items or money for people in need. We also believe in leadership and serve in service projects to help out the community.
These are the 5 core LaSallian Principles.
The third principle is Respect for All Persons. In Cathedral, we have a culture of brotherhood. We are all in the same school and going through the same college process. We will always have an alum network to stay in touch and help each other, no matter the situation. We are all part of the same brotherhood, and we respect every Cathedral student, no matter their religious or personal beliefs and values.
Fourth is Quality Education. At Cathedral, we take pride in providing the best education in El Paso and helping each student prepare to attend college or university. Cathedral has a 100% college acceptance rate, and most students finish their college journey with a bachelor’s degree.
Lastly, the last LaSallian core principle is inclusive community. This ties in with respect for all persons. Here at Cathedral, we care deeply not just about our school, but about the communities around it that help support us. We have a lifelong alumni network that generously donates to our school, giving students the ability to excel academically.
We are a brotherhood as well, and we take care of each other instead of pushing each other down; we push each other up. When you enter Cathedral, a big sign on top says “Enter to Learn,” and as you exit the building, it says “Leave to Serve.” In Cathedral, we are here to prepare for college and to serve and prepare for the real world.