Principal's Desk
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March 3, 2008 - Called to Be Church |
First, let me assure you that our school is not closing or merging.
It will not happen while I am here, nor while you are here. Change
at St. Thomas may happen when your children's
children are attending Catholic school. As parents, we will be
grandparents, and our children will be parents. Over the next 20
years, it is likely our understanding of Church will change
dramatically, and so will our Catholic schools. Think about the
changes that have occurred in the past 20 years in Catholic schools?
Change is inevitable, so we must plan for it.
As many of you know, our diocese is in the middle of a pastoral
planning process titled Called To Be Church. This planning process
is necessary for our diocese because we are facing a dramatic
decline in the number of priests who can serve the faithful, as well
as changing demographics with regard to the Catholic population. It
will change our way of thinking about Church.
When people hear about the pastoral planning process and some of the
changes that are being proposed, Catholic schools get mentioned, and
questions are asked.
The fact is: Catholic schools will be here as long as we want them
and support them. This has been true since the French missionaries
came to North America in the 17th century and founded this
continent's first Catholic school in what is now New Orleans. It
was true in the 18th century when the first parish school was
founded in Philadelphia. It was true in the 19th century when all
parishes were required to have a Catholic school, and into the 20th
century when the Church's teaching required all Catholic children to
be enrolled in Catholic schools.
All of this changed in 1965 with Vatican II because our Church
changed. It is no coincidence that Catholic school enrollment in
our nation peaked in 1965, and that it has declined for the past 42
years just as the number of priests and women in religious orders
have declined during that time.
So, where does that leave us today? Right where Vatican II tells us
to be: WE ARE THE CHURCH! I want Catholic schools. Our teachers
want Catholic schools. Our families want Catholic schools. Our
parish wants Catholic schools. Therefore, OUR CHURCH wants Catholic
schools. This is CHRIST'S SCHOOL, and as members of the Body of
Christ, it is OUR SCHOOL.
Called To Be Church is a plan for when change happens. It makes
sense to be prepared. It is our calling to BE THE CHURCH.
Recommendations will be presented in the coming months. Get involved
in reviewing these recommendations. Make your voice heard. YOU are
the Church and the Church needs you now.
Thomas J. Kane
Principal
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