Page 1870 – Archdiocese of Baltimore

WASHINGTON – For today’s Catholic schools to thrive, school officials must rethink traditional ways of operating and try innovative approaches, said a report highlighting the current challenges facing Catholic schools. The report also calls on the Catholic community at large to play a key role in restoring its schools. The 32-page report, “Making God Known, Loved, and Served: The Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States,” was prepared by the University of Notre Dame Task Force on Catholic Education – a group of educators, administrators, diocesan representatives, philanthropists and investment specialists.

Students create calendars for computers

Seventh grader Cecelia Cellini was concerned with more than playing during recess one weekday afternoon. Instead, she busily collected students’ signatures who were as frustrated as she with the quality of the computers in their school’s computer lab. The result culminated in a “St. John 2007 Calendar” which has raised more than $10,000 to date for St. John Catholic School, Westminster.

U.S. urged to improve relations with Cuba

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government should emulate the Catholic Church and look for a dramatic way to improve relations with Cuba, said a U.S. lawmaker after returning from a fact-finding trip to the Caribbean island. Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., cited the 1998 trip to Cuba by Pope John Paul II and said it had a “dramatic impact” on improving the church’s situation in the communist-ruled country. “The pope’s visit opened things up for the church,” said Rep. McGovern at a Jan. 23 panel discussion in Washington on U.S.-Cuban relations. “We should learn by that example,” he said.

Schools find priceless help in volunteers

When it comes to the worth of St. Ursula School volunteers, Sister Joan Kelly, S.N.D. de N., says she could never “put a dollar figure on it.” “They help as classroom volunteers, they work in the library, and they work in the lunchroom and schoolyard,” the principal of the Parkville school said. “They assist in the art room; they open car doors in the morning. They organize and run all fundraisers.” They also save the school money, the principal acknowledged. “Our whole building was wired for computers by a parent,” she noted.

Culture of life means changing hearts

WASHINGTON – “A true culture of life cannot be built by changing laws alone. We’ve all got to work to change hearts,” President George W. Bush told tens of thousands of participants in the 34th annual March for Life Jan. 22. President Bush spoke by phone at the beginning of a two-hour rally on the National Mall preceding the marchers’ slow, peaceful trek around the Capitol to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. With temperatures hovering right around freezing, the marchers packing several square blocks of the Mall and overflowing onto side streets turned the previous day’s snowfall into acres of muddy slush.

New book offers inside glimpse of John Paul II’s life

ROME – Pope John Paul II consulted with top aides about possibly resigning in 2000 and set up a “specific procedure” for papal resignation, says a new book by the pope’s former secretary. The pope eventually decided that it was God’s will that he stay in office, despite the illness that left him more and more debilitated, wrote Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, the late pope’s closest aide. In the book, “A Life With Karol,” Cardinal Dziwisz offers an inside glimpse at key moments of Pope John Paul’s life in Poland and his 26-year pontificate. The book was being published in Polish and Italian in late January.

Bishop leaves parish, urges ongoing peace, justice work

DETROIT – Retired Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton said he hoped his parishioners would continue to work for justice and peace, as he celebrated his final Mass as administrator of St. Leo Parish in Detroit Jan. 21. “We, as a parish community, must carry on the work of Jesus, and that’s what I pray you will do as I leave you,” he said in his homily. After 23 years of service at the parish, Bishop Gumbleton was leaving St. Leo Parish just days short of his 77th birthday Jan. 26. He was pastor until Jan. 25, 2006, and has been parish administrator since then.

March for Life draws young, old to nation’s capital

As Michael Hoos stood ready to march on the freezing, winter morning of Jan. 22, he held a sign, made by one of the students at St. Agnes School, Catonsville, which read, “Give me a chance to rock your world.” He said it reminded him of his adopted son, who is learning to play the guitar. “I tell him to praise God everyday that you weren’t aborted,” said Mr. Hoos, admissions director for The Cardinal Gibbons School, Baltimore.

Schools to reconfigure

Responding to continuing declines in enrollment and increased financial challenges, Our Lady Queen of Peace and Our Lady of Mount Carmel schools in Middle River will reconfigure in September in a move pastors say will strengthen Catholic education in eastern Baltimore County. The Queen of Peace campus will become the new home for both schools’ pre-kindergarten and full-time childcare, while Mount Carmel will serve K-8 students. The reconfiguration grew out of discussions between Monsignor Robert Hartnett, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Father Jason Worley, pastor of Our Lady of Queen of Peace. It was announced to parents during parish meetings Jan. 22 and Jan. 23.

O’Malley budget aids education, stem cell research

While leaders of the Maryland Catholic Conference were pleased that Gov. Martin J. O’Malley included money in his budget for nonpublic school students, they expressed deep disappointment that he boosted funding for embryonic stem cell research and did not support a proposed abortion alternatives program promoted by Cardinal William H. Keeler. Just one day after taking office, the governor unveiled his first budget Jan. 18 in Annapolis.

Brooks, Shea pace championship Gators

Throughout the evening, Seton Keough’s head indoor track and field coach Jim Lancaster stood 20 feet from the finish line and cheered for his team, event after event. He jumped, screamed and waved his arms as runners approached the finish line. He believed in his team the Seton Keough Gators.

Gaels get it done in 2007