According to the Conference Board research group only about 45 percent of Americans find satisfaction in their jobs. There are only 51 percent who have an interest in the work that they do. These numbers are the lowest polled in more than 22 years of conducting the study.

I can honestly say that I am not a part of those statistics because not only am I satisfied with my job, but I love it. It has taken me some time to get to that point as a teacher where after a lot of ups and downs on my life’s journey I have found my dream job. When I left religious life for the second time I was crushed, and my whole world got turned upside down. I was not even sure that I wanted to return to teaching after four years of being in the convent, and knowing that public school was no longer a suitable place for me to teach as a practicing Catholic.

I had never considered teaching in a Catholic school since all of my teaching experience and even my years of being a student was in the public school system, but my heart was still drawn to teaching, and I had a strong desire to teach our Catholic faith. One day I felt an incredible pull to send my resume to the local Catholic school that I knew was solid and authentic in its teaching of the Catholic faith, and I remember feeling so nervous when I finally clicked the “send” button, but deep down I knew God was pulling me in that direction.

Fast forward two years later and I am teaching theology in that high school, and I would not trade it for the world. There is something so special about being able to teach our young Catholics about the faith. Every day I go into work and I can’t wait to be in front of the classroom, and teach our students about all of the love that God has to offer to them, and about how we are able to return our love to Him by being faithful Catholics. I enjoy our discussions and their questions each day, and it truly invigorates me knowing that they seriously do want to learn about our Faith, and even how to defend it. Teaching in a truly “Catholic” school is an incredible blessing.

Teaching our faith is not simply a job, but a calling by God. I am grateful for the incredible gift that God has given me to be able to teach our beautiful Catholic Faith to our children. I have come to realize over the years that teaching for me has become a significant part of who I am, especially when it comes to teaching the Faith, and I love it in a deep and profound way that leaves me with true contentment in my job.

Despite the financial hardship of working in a Catholic school, the reward that I receive each day in the classroom by being surrounded by students who are truly eager to learn about Catholicism is so much greater than any monetary value. It is not easy and it is definitely a struggle when I wish that I could afford to have a nice place of my own, but I love being a Catholic school teacher and it is definitely worth the sacrifice. I truly do love my job.