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Shared responsibility for the future of Catholic schools

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PROVIDENCE - The Catholic School Office has produced the first annual Catholic School Report, which provides indicators of the effectiveness of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Providence. The report also identifies the challenges we have begun to address to ensure that Catholic schools will be viable and accessible to people throughout the diocese in the 21st century

I use the word "we" because the Catholic bishops in the United States affirmed in Renewing Our Commitment (USCCB, 2005) that "It is the responsibility of the entire Catholic community ¬ bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laity ¬ to continue to strive towards the goal of making our Catholic elementary and secondary schools available, accessible, and affordable to all Catholic parents and their children, including those who are poor and middle class." (p. 1).

This is a challenge that will be met in the Diocese of Providence with the enormous effort and charity of the Catholic community and all those who have an interest in high quality educational options in the State of Rhode Island.

The foundation for Catholic schools is their vital role in the evangelizing mission of the Church. The Church, through Catholic schools, evangelizes and educates young people for a full human life, which involves effective participation in the life of the Church and society. Catholic schools provide young people with a well rounded education reflective of Catholic values. Of course, Catholic school educators are always working to enhance mission effectiveness and improve educational outcomes with the direction of bishops and in collaboration with other stakeholders, especially, pastors and parents.

Catholic schools promise more than a private school education alternative to public schools. Catholic schools are about education with a point of view concerning the good life that is at the heart of our Church. The bishops say, "Therefore, we must provide young people with an academically rigorous and doctrinally sound program of education and faith formation designed to strengthen their union with Christ and his Church. Catholic schools collaborate with parents and guardians in raising and forming their children as families struggle with the changing and challenging cultural and moral contexts in which they find themselves. Catholic schools provide young people with sound Church teaching through a broad-based curriculum, where faith and culture are intertwined in all areas of a school's life." (p. 3).

Catholic schools ought to be a real option for all Catholic families, the poor, middle class and wealthy, with school age children. Catholic schools exist to support families that want to educate their children in close collaboration with the Catholic Church. It is heartening that some families belonging to other faith tradition also want this kind of education for their children.

Certainly, parents and students have a personal interest in Catholic education. It is also true that the entire Church has an interest in Catholic schools because they prepare young people for active participation in the life and mission of the Church. Civil society has an interest in Catholic schools because they prepare young people for effective and principled participation in commerce, culture and society. As such, the entire Church and society have complementary interest in ensuring the future viability and accessibility of Catholic schools.

The costs of Catholic education continue to rise. The Diocese and parishes that sponsor schools are faced with rising operational and maintenance costs with limited resources that must also support essential parish ministries and programs.

We are making strong efforts to raise money to support Catholic schools through the Catholic Charity Fund Appeal and the Anchor of Hope Scholarship Fund. The Diocesan Catholic School Office recently convened a Catholic School Financial Task Force comprised of thirty-six pastors, principals and other stakeholders with the competence to develop recommendations and strategies that address: (1) parish assessments for Catholic schools, (2) the maintenance needs of Catholic school buildings, (3) endowments in support of Catholic schools, and (4) financial aid for Catholic school students. The recommendations of the Task Force with the approval of the Catholic School Board have been given to Bishop Tobin for further review, approval and eventual implementation.

A new Rhode Island law that allows corporations to receive a substantial tax credit for providing tuition assistance to economically disadvantaged children will help Catholic school students. There are many indicators, in the face of enormous challenges, that it is reasonable to believe in the future viability and accessibility of Catholic schools.

The Diocesan Catholic School Office, with the leadership of Sheila Durante, superintendent of schools, and the support of the Diocesan School Board will lead our shared efforts to ensure the future of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Providence. It is my hope that the first annual Catholic School Report will encourage diocesan wide dialogue about our shared responsibility for the viability and accessibility of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Providence.

(David M. Beaudoin, D. Min., is Secretary for Catholic Education, Spiritual Formation and Evangelization.)

(This story originally published in The Providence Visitor)