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Nine pastors came to the conclusion in the past three years that they were no longer able to operate a Catholic school in their parishes. I hope that no other pastors will conclude that they need to close Catholic schools in the future. However, the sudden growth in the number of charter schools in southeast Florida is proving to be detrimental to our schools, as it provides to parents who are suffering economic reversals the possibility of a safe “private school” education at no cost.

It is not only the parents of children who should be concerned about the Catholic Schools, but every Catholic who cares about evangelizing the next generation. In particular, this should be the concern of those who received a Catholic education and succeeded in life as a result. Unfortunately, it is often the case that those who have succeeded as a result of their Catholic education do not feel a responsibility to support Catholic schools today.

There are Catholic schools which are struggling against many odds to keep their schools open. Recently, the principals of those financially struggling schools gathered with me for a discussion. We all share the belief that every Catholic child should be able to receive a Catholic school education based on the following four-part reasoning.

1. The Catholic Church has a mission to evangelize every child baptized in the Church.

2. History has shown that in the United States, the Catholic school is the most effective way to evangelize. (The bishops of the United States set the goal in the l9th century that every Catholic child should be able to attend a Catholic school.)

3. Given recent parental choice programs in the state of Florida, a Catholic education is more affordable than most people assume.

4. Every parent owes it to their child to visit a Catholic school in their area to explore the options available to that family.

We hope that it will be possible to launch a media blitz with this four-part message. We will call this: "The Catholic School is Still Your Best Choice" campaign. We realize that such a media blitz will be very costly, but it is our hope that we can call upon individuals and foundations to develop a fund to support this campaign. Rather than raising funds for particular schools, the goal here would be to identify funds or persons who believe in the importance of Catholic education.

Related links: www.miamiarchschools.org

Comments from readers

Lilly Rangel-Diaz - 08/13/2010 09:36 AM
Dear Brother DeMaria,
Thank you for your passionate call to the truth that, as Catholics, we have an obligation to provide a Catholic education for our children. I have a beautiful plaque with a picture of Jesus and Mary surrounded by children that reads: "A Catholic Education is an Advantage for Life" and indeed it is - it is an advantage for this Life and for Eternal Life. I read recently in an article called "The Importance of Catholic Materials" that the Vatican in several occasions has declared that education in public schools is dangerous because of the lack of Catholic education, stating: "To the Sacred Congregation, this method [of public education] has appeared intrinsically dangerous and absolutely contrary to Catholicism. Indeed, because the special program adopted by these schools excludes all religious instruction, the pupils cannot grasp the elements of the Faith, nor are they instructed in the precepts of the Church…� This article also reads quoting Christian Education of Youth: �It is therefore as important to make no mistake in education as it is to make no mistake in the pursuit of the last goal, with which the whole work of education is intimately and necessarily connected. In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below in order to attain the sublime goal for which he was created, it is clear that there can be no true education which is not wholly directed to man's last end…. there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education... From this it follows that the so-called 'neutral' or 'lay' school, from which religion is excluded, is contrary to the fundamental principles of education. Such a school, moreover, cannot exist in practice; it is bound to become irreligious... Neither can Catholics allow that other type of mixed schools, where the students are provided with separate religious instruction, but receive other lessons in common with non-Catholic children from non-Catholic teachers... it is necessary that all the teaching and the whole organization of the school, its teachers, syllabus and textbooks of every kind, be regulated by the Christian spirit, under the direction and maternal supervision of the Church; so that religion may be in very truth the foundation and the crown of youth's entire training; and this applies to every grade of school, not only the elementary, but the intermediate and the high institutions of learning as well." The article concludes that "we cannot expect to raise practicing Catholics by teaching God only in religion class but ignoring Him in the rest of education." This reminds me of the words of His Excellency Archbishop Michael Miller in his keynote at the Florida's Catholic Administrators Conference when His Excellency reminded the participants of the most important ingredient in Catholic schools: true Catholic identity. Therefore, I wholeheartedly reject the idea of utilizing Charter schools as the answer to the financial problems. Charter schools are public schools and therefore religion can only be taught, if at all, after school. Charter schools are not the answer. We must remain prayerfully vigilant following the promptings of the Holy Spirit because the answer is in Jesus who is the way the truth and the life and who tells us: "Let the children come to Me, do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Mark 10:13-14). Please know that you can count with the support and prayers of many Catholic families who want to live the Gospel message. Thank you! May God continue to bless you and all who dedicate their lives to bringing children to Jesus!

Respectfully,

Lilly Rangel-Diaz
Juana Castillo - 08/11/2010 05:32 PM

Realmente estoy de acuerdo en que debemos hacer lo imposible para mantener nuestros hijos en las escuelas cat�licas, yo pude crecer en la fe porque me eduqu� en un colegio cat�lico y mis hijos tambi�n lo hacen ahora. Personalmente tuve la experiencia de venir a este pa�s el a�o pasado y eleg�­ un colegio cat�lico para mis hijos, pero comenzando el a�o escolar mi esposo perdi� su empleo y decidimos renunciar a otras cosas pero no sacar los ni�os de la escuela cat�lica. Aplicamos para una ayuda, a sugerencia del colegio, a trav�s de la Arquidi�cesis y la obtuvimos para pagar 2 meses de colegio. Me gustar�a saber que otras opciones de ayuda existen pues ha sido dif�cil mantenerlos en esta escuela. Gracias....

Neida D. Perez - 08/11/2010 05:58 AM
Do we have a similar effort to evangelize every baptized child who has to attend public schools? In a sense, are they not the poorest of the poor? Do we have a responsibility to the culture of life among them and their parents?
Marilyn S. Bimonte - 08/10/2010 04:43 PM
Well said!  We must continue to fight to keep our schools open.  Where there is a will there is a way.  We can make Catholic education available and afforable to all who desire it.  Please count on me to support your campaign.  We cannot spiritually afford to close another Catholic school.
Raul V. Guzman - 08/10/2010 03:18 PM
Everyone that is a Catholic fully agree that Catholic Education, in the average, is the best one could have, however, there has been an erotion in trust, because of the past 10 years of sex escandals, therefore the Catholic Church, that is the clergy and the secular, most work together in regaining that trust.
Brother Jay Rivera, OSF - 08/10/2010 12:31 AM
Catholic schools can be our best choice to cultivate the Culture of Life. To do this, Catholics must chnage the way that we view our schools. They are more than low cost centers of academic excellence. Together we must ensure that they remain credible centers for the formation of orthodox Catholics. Thank you Brother, for reminding us of the importance of our Catholic schools.
Jose R. Cruz PhD - 08/09/2010 11:33 PM
Brother DeMaria: I agree that Catholic Education is the best conceivable kind of Education for a Catholic, and of course for me. I also agree that Charter Schools, if let to their own impulse, cannot compete with Catholic Education. They are a let-down, and a big one. Some people cannot see it, but that does not mean the let-down is not there. However, I think that it is possible to make a Charter School that approaches the best Catholic school asymptotically, which means, no matter what, it will never get to be equal to it. Now, given the economic situation of the Country and the world, we Catholics should make of the old-into-the-new school process (a Catholic turning Charter school) the best there is and the closest one to the one that ideally we would have (of course, a Catholic one!). There is a way, based on the Pedagogical Paradigm of a group of Catholic Schools, and very similar to many other outstanding Catholic Schools in this country; yet, Charter. I am saying this here, running the risk of being misunderstood or silenced. My experience and my PhD studies attest to this possibility. There are some Charter Schools being run this way in a part of the Country, though these schools can accept a Miami-type of tune-up. These schools are run under the public value system, yet they, at the end of the day, have run every minute of the day, in the realization of the same values of any Catholic School in the Archdiocese of Miami, including Columbus, Belen, St. Brendan, St. Thomas or any other. I see you Brother DeMaria as so passionate about Catholic Education that I am sure you will consider this approach as an alternative to "leasing your school buildings" to companies not necessarily committed to give our children and families the best our Church can give. Jose R. Cruz PhD

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