Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “Knowledge is power.” I was told this several times when I was young,
usually by a teacher or parent who was trying to encourage me to stop procrastinating on my homework or to stop complaining about classes or subjects I didn’t enjoy. This saying is true in some sense, especially in the context of our schools. The more we know, the more informed we can be about our choices. Also, increasing our knowledge usually increases our capabilities, including our relationship with God. Knowledge about God is very powerful!
However, during my nearly nine years as a chaplain at three of our Catholic high schools and middle schools, along with almost five years as the pastor of a parish elementary school, I have been guided by a more fundamental principle: “Being known is power.” The experience of being known, seen, understood and loved by someone you trust is immensely powerful. Studies regarding the mental health of teenagers have shown that one of the most important factors influencing their mental well-being and academic performance is whether or not the teens have a meaningful connection with at least one adult at school.
I have had the privilege of being the chaplain and spiritual father for over 1,000 high school and middle school students in the past nine school years. In this ministry especially, it makes all the difference when a young person—or an adult for that matter—knows that you genuinely care about them and see them as someone beloved by God. This is the secret to effectively serving Jesus and His kingdom, particularly among our young people, who are starving to be seen, known, understood and guided by someone who loves them unconditionally. And, boy, they sure know if you are faking it!
Although God has worked through me to bring His grace to those who attend our Catholic schools, I am also still learning. The question of whether I have impacted others is not my primary concern. As St. Paul says, “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12) I am still learning how to be comfortable with “knowing partially” and what it means that I am “fully known” by God.
True power comes from my students and fellow staff members being known not only by their spiritual father but also by their Heavenly Father. Perhaps, this truth was the first lesson in the curriculum Jesus gave to the disciples when He commanded them, “Go, and teach all nations…”
When someone realizes the truth that they are fully known by God, it changes everything. Knowing that God knows, understands and loves me, despite my failings and faults, is perhaps the most impactful truth I have come to believe. It is truly good news!
Story by Father Daniel Sedlacek, Pastor, St. Charles Borromeo Parish and School in Genoa, Chaplain, Aquinas High School in La Crosse
Published in the January/February 2025 issue of Catholic Life Magazine