Catholic Schools: Character, Compassion and Values

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK BEGAN IN 1974 AND IS CELEBRATED BY CATHOLIC SCHOOL SUPPORTERS NATIONWIDE, BEGINNING ON THE LAST SUNDAY IN JANUARY. THE THEME FOR 2006 (JAN. 29 THROUGH FEB. 4) IS “CATHOLIC
SCHOOLS: CHARACTER. COMPASSION. VALUES.”

“This year’s theme is truly a reflection of our times,” says Dr. Karen Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). “Parents are choosing Catholic schools for the strong values they provide. Our schools emphasize good character and encourage compassion, and these three words are key to our Catholic identity.”

Dominican Sister Glenn Anne McPhee, secretary for education at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which co-sponsors the week with NCEA, says the themes during the past 30 plus years often mirror current issues or concerns.
“Educational choice was very much in the forefront when we urged ‘Support Catholic Schools: Your Choice for Education’ back in 1994. The 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival on these shores helped us launch the National Marketing Campaign umbrella for Catholic Schools Week in 1992 with the theme ‘Discover Catholic Schools.’”

Sister McPhee adds that the marketing campaign was designed to encourage Catholic educators to market and showcase their schools year round — not just during Catholic Schools Week.

National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools, which is Feb. 1 this year, was established to encourage supporters nationwide to showcase the great accomplishments and contributions of Catholic schools to our country.

In Washington, a delegation of more than 150 Catholic school students, teachers and parents will visit Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders to promote Catholic schools.

As part of their marathon day, they will hand-deliver letters from chief administrators of Catholic education to their representatives and provide a background package on Catholic schools to every congressional office.

Daniel Curtin, executive director, Chief Administrators of Catholic Education (CACE) at
NCEA, said that distributing letters from superintendents gives Catholic leaders an opportunity to tell Congress about the Catholic schools in their localities.

“Many of our superintendents use this initiative as a timely reminder to reach congressional leaders directly with a united message about our priorities for Catholic education.”

National Appreciation Day For Catholic Schools is an important day in communities
around the country as well. Governors, big-city mayors, and small-town councils have joined in to issue proclamations in support of Catholic schools. Many civic leaders also meet with students, parents and principals to celebrate Catholic education on this day.

The National Marketing Campaign For Catholic Schools was established by USCCB and NCEA to promote Catholic schools year-round. The week’s theme and logo are used throughout year. The marketing effort was launched to help create awareness of the value of a Catholic education and to increase enrollment.

RAISING MONEY FOR KATRINA

Children in Catholic schools and religious education programs nationwide joined with
students around the nation to raise more than $1 million to assist students affected by the recent Gulf hurricanes.

Through “Child to Child: A Catholic Campaign to Aid Education,” the young people of the country’s Catholic educational programs united with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) initiative to collect dollar contributions from students locally to help children in areas ravaged by the storms and in other areas impacted by large numbers of evacuee students. By Dec. 2 the contributions totaled $1,040,000 from 1,254
schools and religious education programs.

On December 8, Dr. Karen Ristau, NCEA president, and Daniel Curtin, executive director, Chief Administrators of Catholic Education at NCEA, presented checks from the campaign to Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans, along with superintendents
and directors of religious education from other dioceses that received the funds.

The NCEA president praised the exceptional charity and initiative of the students, “Students truly captured the spirit of the Child to Child campaign,” says Dr. Ristau. “Through their personal gifts and fund-raising efforts they reached out to their counterparts in areas devastated by the hurricane. Their contributions went beyond money; they gave solidarity and support when it was most needed.”

She adds, “Students nationally put the concepts of social justice into practice in a tremendous way. This truly was a positive example of one student helping another.”

Dan Curtin noted that many schools and parishes across the country also reported making substantial contributions directly to local charities or to national organizations such as Catholic Charities and the American Red Cross. Other schools and religious education programs adopted parishes impacted by the hurricanes, providing monies and supplies. According to Curtin, campaign monies were distributed to the following
archdioceses: Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Biloxi, Galveston-Houston, Houma-Thibodaux, Jackson, Lake Charles, Little Rock, Memphis, Mobile, Nashville, New Orleans, San Antonio and Shreveport.

“We are supporting those areas most affected by the storms,” says Dr. Ristau. “While we wish we could have given monies to all dioceses that applied, in the end we were able to help those in the most need.”

The NCEA president adds that all monies collected from students would go for the educational needs of students. NCEA is contributing the necessary administrative services to implement the program.

“While one million dollars can’t begin to cover the losses incurred by our educational organizations,” Dr. Ristau says, “it can help a recovering school replace destroyed computers or textbooks or help a host school provide uniforms, books and tuition for displaced students. It can enable a parish to purchase educational materials.”

Dr. Ristau adds that the most compelling gift was the Christian charity that motivated young people to give to the Child to Child campaign and other humanitarian endeavors. “As Catholic educators, we strive to teach our students to reach out to those in need. The response to this catastrophe underscored that our students have gotten the message.”

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