“We do have faith in our future,” says Archbishop Timothy Dolan in the following 2007 video. Dolan, the new archbishop of New York, speaks about Catholic education in this message to Milwaukee Catholics:
Archbishop of New York on Catholic Education
Catholic School News for March 13, 2009
Here’s the good word in Catholic schools around the world this week:
- Priest Receives Award for Support of Autistic Catholic School Children: Fr. Andrew Umberg of St. William Parish in Cincinnati, OH, will be one of thirteen recipients of the NCEA Distinguished Pastor Award.
- Catholic School Teacher Flirts with Supermodel Status: Austin, MN Catholic school teacher Tina Rosenthal decides to stay in teaching in spite of a successful photoshoot for Supermodels Unlimited Magazine.
- Robot Wars: Middle school students at St. Luke Catholic School in Temple City, CA create robots to compete in the VEX Robotics Championship of the Americas.
Catholic Students Building Robots - Buzzer-beating 7th Grader: Tray Elliot of Prince of Peace Catholic School in Plano, Texas, hit an amazing full court shot. Follow the link to see the video footage.
- Students Serve Lenten Meals: Students at Holy Family Catholic School in Keighley, West Yorkshire served food in order to raise money for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- $2.1 Million Expansion for Elementary School: St. Mary’s Catholic School in Vineland, NJ is about to enjoy a new wing of classrooms, a new stage, and a new indoor basketball court.
Evangelizing the Privileged
A common myth about Catholic schools is that they cater to the elite and wealthy. While this is not true, there are in fact many Catholic schools whose students come from privileged families. If you happen to teach in such a school, be sure to read Laura’s post at Catholic Teacher Musings, “Signs That I Might Be Doing Something Right.”
The Catholic Church has always taught about a preferential option for the poor, but that doesn’t mean the fortunate don’t need evangelizing as well. As Laura’s friend prophetically said, “Who is going to teach the fortunate to care for the less fortunate?”
Fourth Grader Inspires Catholic Classmates
Yesterday I wrote that the hallmark of any Catholic school is its sense of community spirit. That community spirit is no more evident than in the story of fourth grader Kyle Shiotani and the impact he made on his classmates and teachers at Visitation Catholic School in South Tacoma, Washington.
Celebrities Pray the Rosary in New DVD Release
What do World Series pitcher Jeff Suppan, NFL wide receiver Chris Horn, Transformers star Matthew Marsden, and Bella star Eduardo Verástegui, have in common? They’re all featured in a new DVD from Family Theater Productions titled Rosary Stars: Praying the Gospel.
This production looks like it will be a powerful new resource to encourage families to pray the rosary. According to the Family Theater Productions web site, the DVD will include a rosary tutorial, a history of the devotion, and a complete rosary led by celebrities from various fields.
The rosary is a great way to transition young Catholics into meditative prayer, because it blends the memorized prayers of their early years with contemplation on the life of Jesus.
Other stars include Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza, “Doritos girl” Ali Landry, and major league baseball All-Star Mike Sweeney. Take a look at the trailer:
To order the DVD, visit the Holy Cross Family Ministries online store.
Thanks to Jean at Catholic Fire for the tip.
Top 5 Reasons to Send Your Child to a Catholic School Now
With the economy in rough shape, the National Catholic Education Association recently asked the question, “Why send your child to a Catholic school in these difficult economic times?” Here are the top five answers from the Elementary Department’s Executive Committee:
- It’s all about value. Nowhere else can you get Catholic tradition and academic excellence in a caring community.
- While other schools may be cutting programs, Catholic schools do not sacrifice art, music and sports programs.
- Our technology is often more advanced than in surrounding schools.
- We have a higher graduation rate. Our students are well prepared for high school and college.
- Our students are treated like individuals and helped to reach their highest potential.
Is it just me, or do some of those seem dubious and a bit on the lackluster side? Here are five I would suggest:
- In these tough times, we need to be reminded that this life is only the beginning; Catholic schools prepare students for eternity, and not just the here and now.
- Our neighbors are in trouble and need help; Catholic schools teach service and social justice better than any other educational institution on the planet.
- We got into this economic mess through greed and materialism; Catholic schools teach moral values without compromise.
- To get out of this mess and avoid it in the future, we need strong leaders who are not afraid to speak the truth; Catholic schools teach Jesus Christ, the most courageous speaker of truth the world has ever known–the Son of God Himself.
- Finally, in difficult times like these, it is easy and tempting to play the blame game, to step on others to get ahead; Catholic schools remind their students that we are brothers and sisters, that we all belong to the same family. The hallmark of any Catholic school is its sense of community spirit, united by belief in one God who is constantly forming us into His body.
There has never been a more urgent need for Catholic schools. There has never been a more critical time to enroll a child in a Catholic school. Yes it costs money; yes we’re already paying taxes to support a public school system. Yes, many people have lost jobs and are already stretched to the breaking point.
In response, schools and systems around the country are freezing tuition: Resurrection High School, Notre Dame High School, St. Thomas More High School, Unified Catholic Schools of the Pike’s Peak Region, to name a few. Many schools offer a “fair share” program where parents who cannot afford the full tuition pay what they can, or pay on a graduated scale.
Now more than ever we need Catholic education. Catholic schools offer what our world needs most right now: hope in a future that lasts eternally.