On October 13th, the Catholic Schools Foundation held their Pastor and Principal Reception at PwC's offices in Boston. CSF's Board of Trustees invited staff members of CSF-sponsored schools out for a night in recognition of the work they do. Their commitment to education helps change students' lives, and the evening was a chance to show appreciation to them.

Lubens Benjamin, Saint Joseph Prep Boston class of 2019, was chosen as the guest speaker for the evening because of his academic achievements and for having been a CSF Scholarship Recipient.

"What made places like St. Catherine's and Saint Joseph Prep so special were the mission that they live out day in and day out," said Lubens in his remarks. "I couldn't imagine myself going to a public high school or elementary school. The way [my] schools shaped me and the way my mentors shaped me really is second to none." 

Lubens is currently the undergraduate government president at Boston College and is working towards his degree in marketing.

"At Saint Joseph Prep, a Sister [of St. Joseph] school, we had a motto: 'Loving your neighbor without distinction,' said Lubens. "When I was choosing colleges I ended up going to BC, a Jesuit school, and I didn't know it at the time a lot of my teachers at Saint Joseph Prep were BC alum. I didn't know they were teaching in 'BC ways' before I was even going." 

Reflecting on how his Catholic education prepared him to excel in college, Lubens shared: "We had a great writing program at St. Catherine's. In high school we had to give Chapel Speeches to a hundred students in your grade, which made me a better public speaker now than I was when I was a freshman in high school. It really set me up for BC."

Lubens shared his thanks for the Catholic Schools Foundation and his Catholic education at Saint Joseph Prep. "When I feel lost or don't know where to go, it's faith that grounds me. It's going on a service trip, or leading a Kairos retreat, doing things like that that really remind me of who I am as a person someone who is about love, integrity, faith, community, and having poise, taking that time to pause."

Listen to his full remarks on YouTube.

Thank you to the Catholic Schools Foundation for their generous support.