Catholic Education Foundation presents TTHHEE CCAATTHHOOLLIICC EEDDUUCCAATTOORR Volume 17 | Fall 2015 In This Edition A Word from Our Editor Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas Page 4 Vince Lombardi: How the Catholic Church Derek Leaberry Page 5 Formed One of the Greatest Coaches of all Time Disappointing Day for Equal Educational Darla Romfo Page 6 Opportunity in NY A Complete Education: It's Catholic Fr. Christopher George Phillips Page 8 ‘Darius, Follow Me’ Patti Armstrong Page 10 Vatican to Address ‘Educational Emergency’ at Justin Petrisek Page 13 World Congress Marking Key Anniversaries U.S. Bishops’ Leader Says Catholic Schools Page 16 ‘Exist to Proclaim Good News of Jesus Christ’ Kimberly Scharfenberger Diocese Launches Multimedia Campaign in Page 18 http://www.dioceseoftrenton.org Support of Catholic Schools Two Programs Help Students Most in Need Archbishop Charles J. Chaput Page 19 The Goal of Classical Education Is Truth Tom Jay Page 21 The Catholic Educator 2 Fall 2015 Catholic Schools Are ‘Vehicles’ of Pro-Life Justin Petrisek Page 25 Movement, Say Pro-Life Leaders Cincinnati Superintendent Defends Notion of Kimberly Scharfenberger Page 26 Catholic School Teacher as ‘Minister’ Pope's Address to Italian Catholic Teachers Pope Francis Page 28 Union (UCIIM) Pedaling Catholic Education Joseph Pronechen Page 30 China Loves Our Catholic Schools Bill Donohue Page 34 Omaha Archdiocese Unveils $2 million 'Awaken Greatness' Marketing Campaign for Catholic Julie Anderson Page 35 Schools Parents Fight Back Against Teachers' Union Brittany Corona Page 37 Suing Florida's Largest School Choice Program Book Review: Ten Practices of Effective Boards: Ken S. Coley Page 39 A Unique Tale about Board Governance Why I Send My Kids to Catholic School Ramona Denmark Page 40 Cardinal Newman and Pope Francis: Catholic Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas Page 42 Schools as Key to an Educated Laity Catholic Schools Need ‘Strong Priestly Beth Griffin Page 58 Presence’ The Catholic Educator 3 Fall 2015 A Word from Our Editor This issue of The Catholic Educator makes text is also offered here for what I hope will its appearance at the outset of a new be for your edification and enjoyment — academic year — always a moment of great and potential use. hope and joy for teachers – and parents! By accident, I have had occasion to peruse On August 18-19, the Catholic Education dozens of parish bulletins and websites Foundation sponsored a seminar, The Role recently, where I have made a most of the Priest in the Catholic School of disturbing discovery. In those important Today. Although not much advance notice means of parochial communication, I have was possible, this “maiden voyage” of CEF found that most parishes which do not have into clerical education was a rousing schools do not list on their bulletin covers or success, bringing together priests from websites where Catholic schools are fourteen dioceses. Their evaluations of the available. Even stranger, that is often the program were uniformly positive, resulting case even with parishes that do sponsor in numerous invitations for us to provide schools! So, let me assign you some similar workshops in their dioceses of homework: Check out the bulletins and origin. The event was covered by Catholic websites of parishes with which you are News Service, which subsequently associated; if they fail in this regard, take as published an extensive article on the your task the duty of raising the matter with seminar; that piece is included in the present the pastor. issue. Finally, as the Synod on the Family gears Likewise during the summer, I was able to up, I ask that you pray that the Synod present a paper to the Newman Association Fathers this time around (unlike last year’s of America at their annual conference: gathering) would devote significant attention “Cardinal Newman and Pope Francis: to the role which Catholic schools can, do Catholic Schools as Key to an Educated and should play in building up the Christian Laity.” The theme of the talk dealt with the family. profound appreciation of both Cardinal Newman and Pope Francis for the mission Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., and accomplishments of Catholic S.T.D. elementary and secondary schools. The full Executive Director The Catholic Educator 4 Fall 2015 Vince Lombardi: How the Catholic Church Formed One of the Greatest Coaches of all Time In the middle of winter, between Epiphany the Manhattan’s Meatpacking District with and Ash Wednesday, a secular ritual of his brother, Eddie. He had three siblings. nearly fifty years has become part of the Matilda “Mattie” Lombardi, one of thirteen American cultural scene. It is called the children born to Antonio and Laura Izzo, Super Bowl, the championship game of the took care of the family home. interminably long National Football League season. Two weeks of incessant television Sunday Mass was compulsory for all the extravaganza lead up to the game itself, Lombardis. Following Mass were long which ends with the winner being awarded Sunday dinners shared with several of the the Lombardi Trophy named for a man now Izzo family and other relatives, friends and, 44 years dead but still considered by many on occasion, local priests. These dinners to be the greatest football coach in the were never shorter than two hours and could history of the game. last deep into the night. The food came out of the kitchen in waves. Antipasto. In nine years as head coach of the Green Minestrone soup. Spaghetti and meatballs. Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi transformed Ravioli. And the Izzo family favorite, an inept team into the powerhouse NFL spinach pie. The wine was homemade from dynasty of the1960s, winning the NFL grapes grown in the backyard. The food was championship five times and winning the cooked my Mattie and her four sisters in a first two Super Bowls. Lombardi was also demonstration of culinary teamwork. This intensely Catholic, a man who went to daily Italian-American Sunday routine, combining Mass. The Catholic Church was Mass with an extended family meal, was instrumental in forming the football harmonious for all those who experienced it coaching great. and was vital to the upbringing of Vince Lombardi. Born in 1913 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Vince Lombardi was the oldest of five June 7, 2013 children. His parents were part of the great Derek Leaberry southern Italian diaspora, specifically www.vatican.va Salerno in Campania. Enrico “Harry” Lombardi was a butcher and ran a shop in The Catholic Educator 5 Fall 2015 Disappointing Day for Equal Educational Opportunity in NY For the last several months, the New York Under pressure from the New York State legislature has been debating a tax credit United Teachers and the New York City scholarship bill that would have increased United Federation of Teachers, many charitable funding to help more children Democrats in the Assembly abandoned their from low- and moderate-income New York support for the Education Tax Credit and families obtain a quality education in both blocked its passage, even though every one public and non-public schools. of them represents many families the Unfortunately, this week, we learned it did legislation was designed to help. not make it into the final agreement reached by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and our state’s Ironically, the teachers unions must have legislative leaders. been okay with giving $250 million to private schools directly. The problem they This disappointment comes despite forceful clearly have is with empowering parents advocacy from Gov. Cuomo, who with expanded private scholarship barnstormed the state in support of the plan, opportunities for their children — even and the backing of 150 organizations that though it would have come at a lower cost to spanned the political spectrum and included the state. police, firefighter, construction, and other trade unions. The arguments that the tax credit would benefit the “wealthy and Wall Street” and This was the first time anywhere in the “take away” from public education are country that such a diverse group joined a completely bogus to any person who takes Democratic governor to support a program even a moment to look a little more closely aimed at helping disadvantaged students at the issue. attend the same private schools as their better-off peers. The real beneficiaries of the Education Tax Credit would have been the mostly low- Instead, legislative leaders approved income children who could have used tax spending $250 million to reimburse non- credit funds to attend private or parochial public schools for government-mandated schools with scholarships. Donors who services, including reporting daily contributed to scholarship funds would only attendance, administering state exams, and have received 75 cents on the dollar in tax buying technology. credits. While the funds are welcome, they will not Just this April, in the New York State help families who are struggling financially budget, lawmakers approved a $1.5 billion to keep their children enrolled in a private or increase to public education for next year, to parochial school, or are desperate to make $23.5 billion — the most financial aid ever that choice, but can’t afford tuition. approved by the state to public schools. The Education Tax Credit would not have taken a dime of this money away. The Catholic Educator 6 Fall 2015 Meanwhile, most private and parochial We need to stop defensively pitting public schools get by on significantly less money schools against private schools. And we than public schools. The average cost to shouldn’t be afraid to empower parents to educate an elementary school student in make the decision of where and how their New York City Catholic schools is around children should be educated. $7,000, compared to around $20,000 per student in the New York City public In the meantime, the Children’s Scholarship schools.