ARTICLES

Catholic schools said to ‘make a difference’

By Barbara Hughes
Special to The Catholic Virginian

About 125 Catholic business leaders, educators, government officials and members of the media came together at Town Center Club in Virginia Beach June 13 for an opportunity to “meet the Bishop” in a casual setting.

The event sponsored by Bon Secours Health Systems and organized by John Langlois of Televideo Productions was an example of Catholics working together for the good of the community.

The goal of the evening was to provide an opportunity for Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo to talk with Catholic leaders from the South Hampton Roads area and provide an update of initiatives, particularly in regard to Catholic education.

The program included a brief presentation by Bishop DiLorenzo and Annette Parsons, Chief School Administrator for the Diocese of Richmond, and remarks by Sr. Rita Thomas, C.B.S., President of Bon Secours Health Systems in Hampton Roads.

Referencing data that was gleaned from surveys from around the diocese, Bishop DiLorenzo told leaders, “We would be remiss if we got involved in political issues and all other themes without getting involved with the youth.

“Young people and the future of young people was a major recurring theme. We are a church that has morphed since 1931 as a whole body of people and we must make sure that on every level we are supporting marriage and family life and young people through Catholic schools, parish religious education and campus and young adult ministries.”

“That doesn’t sound all that spectacular or get a lot of attention in the news so we have to keep pushing,” said the Bishop. “We can’t make Catholic schools better without help from people in the community. Through your time, talent and treasure, you are contributing to this effort.”

Expanding on the importance of Catholic education, Bishop DiLorenzo explained that young people with Catholic values make a difference in the community and that they become part of a qualified labor pool whose integrity enhances the workplace and community.

“Catholic schools provide healthy competition for the public school system, not in a cut throat way, but as a way for the public and private sector to develop and grow,” he said.

According to Annette Parsons, “There’s a great deal of good news in regard to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Richmond. Test scores place Catholic schools in the top 10 percent of the nation and seven schools in the diocese have received Blue Ribbon status.”

Ms. Parsons explained that the United States Department of Education awards 250 Blue Ribbons annually, with 50 reserved for private schools.

Of the private schools awards in 2007, two of them went to schools in the Diocese of Richmond — St. Gregory the Great in Virginia Beach and St. Bridget in Richmond.

“The mission of Catholic education is to nurture children in faith and morals and to bring them closer to Jesus Christ every day,” pointed out Ms. Parsons.

“The challenge is affordability,” she said.

“Tuition outstrips people’s ability to pay which resulted in a $1.3 million dollar shortfall between what families qualify for in terms of assistance and what was available.”

She noted that the 35 percent increase in tuition over the past six years is due largely to the increase in teachers’ salaries.

To insure competitive salaries and maintain programs that insure quality education, the diocese’s McMahon/Parater Foundation has been established and to get it started the Diocese has contributed $4.5 million to the fund.

Ms. Parsons also reported that the Office of Catholic Schools was awarded a grant from the Raskob Foundation and that Amy Kallenbach from Christ the King School in Norfolk is working on an initiative that would provide busing students to Catholic schools in Norfolk if the district is willing.

Questions from the audience ranged from the priest shortage to whether regional schools would become more normative than parish schools.

Bishop DiLorenzo pointed to the increase of young men studying for the priesthood in the diocese as a hopeful sign and said that he continues to be in dialogue with bishops in the Philippines and Africa to loan their priests to the diocese to augment the priest shortage.

Regarding regional schools, Bishop DiLorenzo said there is no reason to alter the present status of parish schools where it is working. He has had no evidence that would require a change.

Those who attended the event found the evening informative and enjoyable.

“Bringing Catholics together to meet one another and have an opportunity to talk with the bishop was well worth the effort,” said John Langlois. “It was a good mix of people.”

Maureen Flanagan, retired educator from Old Dominion University and a member of Ascension parish in Virginia Beach, found the evening informative.

“This was a chance to speak with the people who see the big picture and not just the slice that we in the parishes normally see,” she said. “I think it was important for these decision-makers to be able to hear from the public and for us to look at situations from their perspective.”

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