AS WE CREATE TIME AND SPACE TO THINK OF JESUS THROUGH CATECHESIS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, WE ARE GIFTED WITH MANY PROFOUND MOMENTS AND QUIET ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD, WHO IN THIS PHOTO HAS JOINED US IN THE PERFECT TIMING OF THE SHADOW OF A CROSS! DID YOU SEE? THANK YOU FOR VISITING US DEAR JESUS. I KNOW YOU ARE HERE…
JESUS DIED AND IS RISEN!
FEY MAIPID BARLES
From Manila Roots to Wichita Catholic Schools
Growing Up in a Faith-Filled Home
When I reflect on my journey as a Catholic school principal in Wichita, my thoughts always return to my roots in the Philippines. I grew up in a home where Catholicism was not simply a practice but a way of life.
Family rosaries, novenas, Sunday Mass, and a home altar shaped my earliest memories. My parents’ unwavering commitment to Catholic education—despite financial sacrifice—ensured that my siblings and I were taught by inspiring religious communities: the Holy Spirit Sisters, the Pink Sisters, the Society of the Divine Word priests, the Dominican Sisters of the Order of Preachers, the Salesian priests of Don Bosco, and the Jesuits of Ateneo de Manila University.
Their witness instilled in me a conviction that education is never just about academics. At its heart, it is about leading souls to Christ.
Relating with Students Today
That same conviction guides me in my work today. As a principal, I find my vocation most alive in daily encounters with students—in the hallways, the lunchroom, and on the playground. It is in these spaces that I meet their authentic selves: their laughter, their questions, and sometimes their struggles.
In their searching, I see a reflection of my own childhood in Manila—a longing to be known, loved, and guided toward truth.
Meeting Needs Beyond Academics
Many students today come to school carrying burdens from home: fractured family life, economic hardship, or emotional struggles. Others have never experienced the steady rhythms of prayer or discipline that shaped my own upbringing.
For these children, Catholic schools often become a second home—a place of stability, affirmation, and belonging. They arrive with needs that go far beyond academics. They seek safety, guidance, and, at times, unconditional love.
Here lies the unique gift of Catholic education: the union of intellectual formation with spiritual formation.
Keeping Christ at the Center
Our best response is to keep Christ at the center of everything we do. Programs like Capturing Kids’ Hearts, Virtue-Based Restorative Discipline, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provide helpful frameworks, but the deepest impact comes from daily witness and the grace of the Sacraments.
When students see teachers and leaders praying, forgiving, persevering, and living their faith, they encounter Christ in a tangible way. This is the same witness that shaped me in the Philippines, and it is the witness I strive to embody today in Wichita.
Looking Ahead with Hope
The mission of Catholic schools is to form the whole child—body, mind, and spirit. This means honoring diverse learning styles, offering pastoral and mental health support, partnering closely with parents, and ensuring that Catholic identity permeates all learning.
My hope is that our schools form not only competent graduates but also faithful disciples—young men and women who will courageously live as witnesses to the Gospel. We are not preparing students only for careers; we are preparing them for sainthood.
A Spirit-Led Mission
Looking back on the golden thread woven through my life—from family prayer in Manila to leadership in Wichita—I see clearly the hand of God guiding me.
The words of Isaiah remain my constant prayer: “Here I am, Lord, send me” (Is 6:8).
In many ways, my vocation as a Catholic teacher and school administrator is a continuation of what began at my family’s altar in the Philippines: forming souls for Christ, one encounter at a time. This mission transcends cultures and generations, uniting us in the universal call to holiness. And it is in this mission that I continue to find both joy and purpose.
OUR FAMILY CELEBRATED THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF LOLA MOMMY FLORSEFINA MAIPID ON DECEMBER 18, 2024: 1ST ROW: FEY BARLES, FLORSEFINA MAIPID, FELICITAS LICUP, & RICHARD YU, 2ND ROW: LAWRENCE BARLES, AGNES PINEDA, ANNIE YU, GILBERT YU, & GIANNINA YU, 3RD ROW: RICKY MAIPID, LORENZO BARLES, MARIO BARLES, TJ BARLES, & FLOR BARLES.
About the Author
Fey Maipid Barles has served as Theology Teacher at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, Principal at St. Patrick Catholic School, and currently as Assistant Principal at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, the largest PreK–8 Catholic school in Wichita, Kansas. Originally from the Philippines, she has dedicated her vocation to forming students in both faith and academics, continuing the mission entrusted to her by her parents, teachers, and the Church.