During the first week of February, DePaul Prep welcomed back Catholic Schools Week. However, this year was pretty different from years past.  There was no all-school Mass, which was cancelled due to COVID-19 guidelines.  Additionally, all the activities were integrated into passing periods and during the school day, in order to prevent after school crowding.  And, this year, Catholic Schools Week brought some exciting new festivities, such as Vinnyfest, a tradition started at DePaul University. 

During Vinnyfest, students celebrated our Vincentian heritage by integrating stories about St. Vincent DePaul, St. Louise  De Marillac, and other members of our Vincentian family in different parts of the building.  The week was capped off with a fun trivia contest, “An additional goal of the festivities is to lift our spirits and raise morale,” Ms. Merkl-Deutsch, Director of Mission and Ministry says.

Catholic Schools Week was a little different from what students might have experienced in elementary and middle school.  In younger grades, Catholic Schools Week is packed with activities like dress up days or special lunches.  At the high school level, there is a focus on helping students grow in a more mature and meaningful way.  Therefore, there were prayer experiences offered in the chapel, along with a food drive that all students were encouraged to participate in.  

Overall, Catholic Schools Week was a way to celebrate our community and members of all faiths.  As Ms. Merkl-Deutsch said, “Our goal at the Office of Mission and Ministry is to engage with people wherever they are with the spectrum of belief and practices and to pass on the treasures of the Catholic tradition.”

Above all, Catholic Schools Week allows the DePaul Prep community to come together and celebrate its Vincentian heritage.

“Every student at DePaul Prep, whether they are Catholic or not, is a member of the Vincentian family and we will celebrate that during Catholic Schools Week,” Ms. Merkl-Deutsch said.