New scholarship dollars are opening the doors to a parochial elementary school education for children now in public schools who come from low-income families, and their parents or guardians are being invited to apply for grants that will be available for the school year that begins in September.

The funds are available through the partnership of the Bishop’s Scholarship Program of the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Children’s Scholarship Fund (CSF), a national organization that will provide $600,000 in tuition assistance to some 1,200 youngsters.

Low-income families with children enrolled in a parochial school pre-kindergarten program in Brooklyn or Queens this year are eligible to apply for assistance, if the youngsters continue in a Catholic school within the Diocese in the fall, said Thomas F. Flood, diocesan director of Stewardship and Development.

The CSF financial commitment was contingent on the Diocese raising an additional $1.2 million. The Diocese did so through funds obtained from the Alive in Hope Foundation, the Annual Catholic Appeal, the Catholic School collection, the Compostela Fund and Futures in Education.

Msgr. Michael J. Hardiman, Vicar for Education, said he was grateful to Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio for “the significant contribution he is making to our schools because Catholic education is one of his priorities, and he realizes the financial challenges that so many of our families face.”

Applications are available from any of the Catholic elementary schools in Brooklyn and Queens. They are also available by calling (212) 515-7137 or through the CSF Web site: www.scholarshipfund.org/nyc/apply.

Msgr. Hardiman said he hoped parish and school personnel would “spread the word that scholarships are available.”

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6/5/07