Share the Vision: A School Choice Testimony

My wife, Nancy, and I have been blessed with seven kids…so far. It’s not very likely God will send us any more, but he’s known for doing weird things, and we’re always open to the prospect, so who knows? If he does decide the world needs more Beckers in it, then you can bet they’ll end up in Catholic schools, although we didn’t begin there.

Back in the day, we started off homeschooling – rather, Nancy started off homeschooling – but for a variety of reasons, we decided to transition to more traditional educational venues along the way. My older kids put in some time at a private Montessori school, and my oldest son did junior high at Trinity on Greenlawn, but, eventually we opted for Catholic schools for everybody – St. Matthew Cathedral for grade school, and then Marian for high school. We have five Marian grads, and two on the way. Go Knights!

I went to public schools growing up, but my wife received a Catholic education, so it was certainly natural that we’d consider that option when it came time to make a decision about where to send our own kids. But there was a lot more to it than simply going with the flow and carrying on a family tradition. In the case of St. Matt’s and Marian, there was the appeal of clearly demonstrated academic excellence along with so many opportunities for engagement with athletics, the arts, and other co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

But, really? When it came down to it? It was the integrated faith perspective that Catholic education afforded – the opportunity for our children to be educated in an environment in which faith is not only tolerated, but actively promoted and nurtured. We sent our kids to Catholic schools to learn chemistry, Latin, and sculpting, but also to be immersed in Scripture, the liturgy, and the lives of the saints. We knew that they would receive a fine intellectual formation at St. Matt’s and Marian, but, more than that, we anticipated that they’d also be formed spiritually and morally, to be supported in building strong character as well as a strong academic resume.

That’s true for all seven of my kids, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t draw special attention to my son, Nicholas – a senior at Marian High School, a soon to be graduate! I single him out because Nick has Down syndrome, and he’s part of the first cohort of Bernadette Scholars at Marian – a special certificate program for young folks with developmental disabilities like Nick that incorporates modified coursework with the general student population as well as focused formation for the Bernadette Scholars cohort in life and vocational skills.

What a tremendous gift Marian’s Bernadette Scholars program has been to Nick and our family, but it is evident that the Bernadette Scholars have themselves been a tremendous gift to Marian. Nick plays on the drumline, he has a part in the spring musical, he serves and reads at school Masses, and he’s an energic Marian booster all the time.

Plus, he’s just Nick – he’s a walking icon of God’s love. He’s a living reminder that all of us, no matter what, are put here for a reason, for a purpose. The Marian community has been an ideal place for Nick to grow into that purpose and be part of helping others grow into theirs.

Speaking of Nick, today happens to be World Down Syndrome Day, and I can’t think of a better way of marking it than being here with you – sharing with you about the rich, full life that my son is living, a life that has been unquestionably been enhanced and augmented by his time in Catholic schools. My wife and I are so, so grateful for our state’s support of school choice and for the many ways it has benefited Nick and all of my children. I truly hope it continues to expand in Indiana and beyond.
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These remarks were presented at the South Bend Share the Vision Rally on March 21, 2023. The rally was an opportunity for school choice advocates and recipients to share from their experience and support the expansion of school choice throughout Indiana. For more information and ideas on how to get involved, contact the Indiana Non-public Education Association (INPEA).

St. Sebastian – Pray for Us!

If you have (or ever have had) children in Catholic schools around here, chances are good that they played sports at some point. And if that’s the case, then the chances are even better that you know the Inter-City Catholic League (ICCL) Athlete’s Prayer by heart. It’s recited before every Catholic school match-up, and it ends with this enthusiastic invocation: “Saint Sebastian, pray for us!”

Why St. Sebastian? If you didn’t already know, your student-athletes would’ve filled you in long ago: Sebastian is the patron saint of athletes, of course!

We know very little about the real St. Sebastian except that he was a martyr and that he was buried in the Roman catacombs. St. Ambrose, the 4th- century bishop of Milan, confidently wrote that Sebastian originally hailed from his city and that he perished under Emperor Diocletian, but all other stories about Sebastian date from the 5th century, and, while edifying, are entirely fictitious. Fictitious as well are the many depictions of a muscular St. Sebastian riddled with arrows – a popular Renaissance artistic theme.

What’s not fictitious is the value of St. Sebastian’s intercession – for safety, for sportsmanlike conduct, for maximum effort. Plus, as a martyr, Sebastian is certainly an excellent role model for our student-athletes (and all of us), regardless of the actual details of his story. “Every Christian is called to become a strong athlete of Christ,” Pope St. John Paul II observed, “that is, a faithful and courageous witness to his Gospel” – just like the real St. Sebastian. And Pope John Paul, himself no stranger to athletics, followed up his observation with some advice: “To succeed in this, he must persevere in prayer, be trained in virtue and follow the divine Master in everything.”

Those are the rules of the Christian game, according to the Holy Father. Moreover, as St. Paul insisted, “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Tim 2.5).

This is the first weekend of Ordinary Time, and it coincides with the feast of St. Sebastian (January 20). He’s an ideal companion for us in our ordinary routines, day in and day out, as we follow the rules, strive for holiness, and seek the crown of heavenly glory.

Game on.
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This meditation originally appeared in the Sunday bulletin of St. Joseph Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana.

Nick’s First Two-Pointer (with assists)

I need help, ladies and gentlemens
I need someone to stand beside me
I need someone to set a pick for me
at the free-throw line of life
~ Cheech & Chong, Basketball Jones

“We want Nick to play on the 5^th-grade team this year.”

Todd Mowers was speaking with my wife, Nancy, about our son Nicholas. Todd knew well that Nick has Down syndrome and would have difficulties on the court that the other boys wouldn’t face. Still, he was adamant – along with his high-school son, Connor, who would be doing the actual coaching for the team and who went his dad one better. “I want Nicky on the team, and I’ll start him every game,” Connor insisted.

Now, you have to understand that our Nicky is an athlete and a fiery competitor. In fact, he wants to play football for Notre Dame – and I’m not about to discourage him. On the other hand, because of his Down’s related underdevelopment and delays, we know Nick’s unlikely to make the cut. Still, nothing stops him from keeping up on the game, practicing outside with his brother Crispin, and competing on the electronic field thanks to EA Sports. Nick’s eager to get out there and mix it up.

Consequently, I’m embarrassed to say that it never occurred to me – or Nick – that he might play basketball for his school. He prefers football, it’s true, but he does enjoy shooting baskets in the backyard, and Crispin has drilled him in the basics. Even so, basketball sign-ups weren’t even on our radar when the Mowers men approached us, and so I’m grateful that they could see Nick’s potential and the contributions he’d make – and then acted on what they saw.

And that brings us a recent Saturday and Nick’s first two-pointer in competition – an event worth celebrating for sure! Here it is, as recorded by our friend and fellow Nick-fan, Chris Quinn:

There are lots of videos showing kids with special needs making baskets and touchdowns and goals – and they’re so inspiring! I think Nick’s triumph is similarly inspiring, and Chris’s rough-cut video highlights some key features that all such moving athletic accomplishments have in common.

1. The coaches: In Nick’s video, you’ll see Todd sitting on the bench, and his son, Connor, standing near the officials’ table. Needless to say, this whole event wouldn’t have taken place without their initiative and mentoring, and it’s to their credit that they had a vision for their coaching well beyond merely winning games. Their cheers are totally for Nick, no question. Two more points was just a bonus. It’s also noteworthy – and not so obvious on the replay – that the coach from the opposing team cheered as well. Apparently, just before Nick’s basket, Todd briefly consulted with that other coach and pointed to my son. In other words, it was a conspiracy – everybody was in on it, both sides! It’s edifying to see that a broader vision of coaching is not a rare commodity after all.

2. The players: The coaches’ vision for Nick and the game was contagious it seems, and the players on both sides picked up on it. Note in the video how they all kept playing, but at a modified pace to allow Nick to set up his shot. Special recognition goes here to Keegan Quinn, Chris’s son and Nick’s good buddy. Do you see how Keegan not only tosses Nick the ball, but also directs him to center court? And then – *swish!* – it’s in! Keegan is first congratulate his pal, slapping him on the back as they run together to take up defensive positions. Even then, he’s reaching out to Nick, reminding him of his assignment and offering encouragement.

3. The referee: The coaches? The players? Even from both sides? I get that. There’s something about a kid like Nick that elicits goodness from people, and, frankly, what happened on the court that day is what you’d expect in a Catholic sports league – at least at the 5^th-grade level anyway. But the ref, too? You’ll see in the video where he gives Nicky a low five at the other end of the court. Technically, that has to be some kind of violation of referee objectivity and decorum, right? Not here, though – and there’s more. I was told after the game that even the ref was in on the set-up for Nick’s shot – that it was even kind of his idea. I didn’t have a chance to thank him, but I’m guessing that the sight of Nick’s beaming face and fist pumps after the basket were plenty gratifying in themselves.

Coach Connor and his dad would deny that they had any extravagant motives in including Nicky on the team – that it was some kind of charitable exercise or good will gesture. Instead, it’s clear that his welcome participation – to the degree that he’s able – is in continuity with the solidarity that Nick has enjoyed from his first days at our parish school, which is itself in continuity with the spirit of the Gospel. “We are able to live this journey not only because of others, but together with others,” Pope Francis has reminded us. “In the Church there is no ‘do it yourself,’ there are no ‘free agents.’” Put another way, assists are the norm – on court and off.

Go team!
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