Which is called “caving in”, so odds are the “Catholic” school will have teachers still happily pushing positions contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.AR Spade, do take a look at the news coming out of San Francisco. The teachers and the Archdiocese came to an agreement Wednesday and signed the contracts. The morality clause did not make it in. No ‘ministerial’ language.
Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, formerly Sacred Heart High School, was an all boys school run by the Christian Brothers. That being said… it was not always inclusive. " No Girls Allowed".That’s a good question. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the word ‘diversity’ means very concrete things. In the case of the schools, they are proud of families that are multi-religious, multi-cultural, from different financial backgrounds, non-traditional families, LGBT students as well as families.
Inclusive = pro LGBT
Sacred Heart is known for being a solid academic and inclusive, diverse school.
It’s a wonderful school, and has been, pre-merger and post-merger. I know many families who have sent their children there. To me, it represents the best of San Francisco and it’s cultural mix.Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, formerly Sacred Heart High School, was an all boys school run by the Christian Brothers. That being said… it was not always inclusive. " No Girls Allowed".
The school was diverse, in that it went through ethnic trends. It originally attracted low income Irish Catholics because it had the lowest tuition of all the Catholic boy’s schools in the city. Hence the name “Fighting Irish”. Later the student body shifted to a majority of Italian boys. (Hey, DeMartini…how come you’re wearing a shamrock?") My last contact with Scared Heart showed an increase of Asian students.
This “diversity” was a natural ethnic progression. It was not fostered. All students were “students.” All were “Fighting Irish”. And all were “educated” in Christian Brother’s fashion/tradition.
There were always non-Catholic students in attendance. Jewish and Asian parents who could not get their son into Lowell H.S. were happy to pay for the academics offered by Catholic schools. Other non-Catholic parents liked the discipline and order provided by the Brothers. All Catholic students were required to take four years of Religion. Non-Catholic students could opt out for a study period. Or they could take Religion classes and increase their grade point average. Most college bound did.
The merger with Cathedral High School, the girls school up the street, was inevitable. Enrollment at both schools was down and costs were rising. So Sacred Heart Cathedral was established.
No. I have been away for quite awhile now.It’s a wonderful school, and has been, pre-merger and post-merger. I know many families who have sent their children there. To me, it represents the best of San Francisco and it’s cultural mix.
It is one of the four schools that the Archdiocese has named for contract revision. I would like to see the year ahead being fruitful and drama-free. Let the schools do their job! They have in the past and it has always worked well.
Do you know people who are a part of SHCP?
All you have said is very true. I would imagine that most Catholic secondary schools across the US are in similar straits. As people are calling for a return to the time when nuns and priests taught classes, we have to be quite realistic. I doubt that will ever happen again.No. I have been away for quite awhile now.
The major problem facing Catholic schools is not multi-cultural, non-traditional families, and LGBT students and teachers.
The problem is enrollment. There are just not enough bodies in the classrooms. Sacred Heart and St Ignatius HAD to go co-ed because they could not afford to operate. Most of the girl’s high schools closed. Archbishop Riordan College Prep remains the last all boys school only because it now offers a boarding program aimed at wealthy Asian students.
Operation costs have skyrocketed due to teacher salaries. There are no more religious orders providing teachers. Tuition has risen to the point that only wealthy people can afford a Catholic education.
Catholic schools simply MUST attract more students. They cannot afford the Springfield Diocese’s method. The dilemma occurs with the inclusion of non-Catholic teachers and students as well as those who object to Catholic values.
If the schools are to remain CATHOLIC a strong stance for our values and the teaching of our Church must be maintained. Otherwise they become expensive private schools.
Wichita… And it has 57 seminarians to show for it.All you have said is very true. I would imagine that most Catholic secondary schools across the US are in similar straits. As people are calling for a return to the time when nuns and priests taught classes, we have to be quite realistic. I doubt that will ever happen again.
So what is the answer? How do you create a religious school that is not just an expensive private school? Where are the models? Who is doing this? Perhaps some of the Orthodox Jewish schools in NY. I don’t know who else.
That is impressive. Are they mostly from the high schools in the area?Wichita… And it has 57 seminarians to show for it.
There are 26 in 2nd-4th theology and 18 of them attended one of the tuition-free Catholic high schools in the diocese. As long as the family tithes, the children can attend the Catholic schools. This provided great opportunities for the lower income families who wish for their children to receive a great Catholic education. This certainly isn’t a perfect system, but it seems to be working very well. The seminarians also have their schooling paid for by the diocese. Dedication to stewardship leads to great opportunities.That is impressive. Are they mostly from the high schools in the area?
Interesting connection, the recently appointed Bishop Carl Kemme was Vicar General of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois prior to becoming Bishop of Wichita. He was a much beloved Monsignor in my diocese who I happen to know well. He could not have walked into a better situation than he did in Wichita.Wichita… And it has 57 seminarians to show for it.
I’m no longer living in the diocese, though my wife and I fully intend to move back once we both finish all our schooling. We just can’t think of a better place to raise our children especially with the sharp rise in secularist ideology.Interesting connection, the recently appointed Bishop Carl Kemme was Vicar General of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois prior to becoming Bishop of Wichita. He was a much beloved Monsignor in my diocese who I happen to know well. He could not have walked into a better situation than he did in Wichita.
I don’t think we’ll see anything much more than a gradual transition of some Catholic schools to private, essentially secular, very expensive, academies. I, for one, do realize the lack of sisters has something to do with the lack of affordability, but one has to realize that many the dying orders left teaching a long time ago for “other ministries”.All you have said is very true. I would imagine that most Catholic secondary schools across the US are in similar straits. As people are calling for a return to the time when nuns and priests taught classes, we have to be quite realistic. I doubt that will ever happen again.
So what is the answer? How do you create a religious school that is not just an expensive private school? Where are the models? Who is doing this? Perhaps some of the Orthodox Jewish schools in NY. I don’t know who else.
Here they are:Wichita… And it has 57 seminarians to show for it.
I agree with everything you say Ridge…but I have to mention something about generosity.I don’t think we’ll see anything much more than a gradual transition of some Catholic schools to private, essentially secular, very expensive, academies. I, for one, do realize the lack of sisters has something to do with the lack of affordability, but one has to realize that many the dying orders left teaching a long time ago for “other ministries”.
All the same, one also needs to realize that those schools that were magnificent in their day, along with the sisters’ residences, very impressive churches, etc, were all built by the contributions of Catholics that were far less prosperous than Catholics today. Catholics, by and large, didn’t enter the middle class in numbers until after World War II.
And yet, they managed even so to support the sisters with good housing, medical, food, clothing, money for their essentials, as well as the physical plants themselves.
I don’t think it’s entirely because of lack of teaching orders, though that’s part of it. I think it’s because American Catholics are less generous than we once were. I’m not saying it’s a good excuse, but some Catholics in America are wary of donation because too many have seen their money go to outfits like ACORN, abortion-promoting organizations and purely political organizations, as well as church tear-downs and replacement with warehouses-in-the-round.
But it varies. I realize this is elementary school, but in the parish where my grandchildren attend, tuition is $500/semester, and the education is better than in the public schools. The people in the parish are mostly rural people; some well-off, some not. They do have a lot of fundraising events.
They don’t need to go recruiting well-to-do protestants or homosexual “couples” just to keep it open, and don’t. Now and then a protestant couple will send their kid, and the parish accepts that, but at a higher tuition. It’s usually a Lutheran, as I understand it, and they go to Mass too. But I don’t think Lutherans mind that.
While I’m not in a position to know on my own, I would not disagree with a thing you have said.I agree with everything you say Ridge…but I have to mention something about generosity.
For several years I have been aware of private foundations, trusts and individuals. All Catholic…who have made offers to build Catholic High Schools or purchase existing schools from different dioceses and operate them at no cost to the local bishop. The schools would remain under the authority of the bishop with one requirement…
The school would be operated as a Catholic School. Essentially Catholic morality and family values as well as academics would be stressed. Teachers and administrators could not engage in same sex relationships nor promote anything that conflicts with Church teaching.
Because of this, these generous offers are turned down on a regular basis. Major arch-dioceses seem to have enough gay sympathizers to influence the Arch Bishops’ decisions. There also seems to be a level of dissent among teachers and administrators who do not want to include the Church’s teachings on various social subjects. These are the ones who would be happy to secularize Catholic education.