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COMPELLED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL November 30, 1993 My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:
"Yet preaching the Gospel is not the subject of a boast; I am under compulsion and have no choice. I am ruined if I do not preach it! If I do it willingly, I have my recompense; if unwillingly, I am nonetheless entrusted with a charge. And this recompense of mine? It is simply this, that when preaching I offer the Gospel free of charge and do not make full use of the authority the Gospel gives me" (1 Cor. 9:16‑18).
With these words St. Paul fittingly expresses the all‑pervasive character of his apostolic ministry of preaching the Gospel. We know from his letters and ministry that he used every opportunity to preach the Gospel and to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. He could not rest content unless he was engaged in spreading the Gospel "doing all he did for the sake of the Gospel in the hope of having a share in its blessings" (cf. I Cor. 9:23).
As Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, I am privileged to have been entrusted with the apostolic ministry of preaching the Gospel to the people of Brooklyn and Queens. I have been very encouraged by the support given to me by the priests, deacons, Religious and laity who share and cooperate with me in this ministry in ways proper to them. Together we can identify with the all-pervasive and compelling character of our mission about which St. Paul speaks so convincingly.
Our Catholic schools offer a unique and unparalleled opportunity for preaching the Good News and making known the truth of Jesus Christ. The paramount value of Catholic schools has been especially evident in the Diocese of Brooklyn over the years. As Bishop of Brooklyn, I am intensely committed to our Catholic school system as a means of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ with its all‑encompassing spirit. It is in the spirit of St. Paul, compelled to preach the Gospel, that I issue this pastoral letter on Catholic schools in our Diocese.
St. John the Evangelist concludes the Prologue to his Gospel with the words: "No one has ever seen God; it is God the only Son, ever at the Father's side, who has revealed Him" (John 1:18).
The Father sent His Son into this world with a twofold mission. First, the Son as High Priest of the New Covenant was to offer His Life as a Sacrifice that all of us might be saved from sin and receive the call to eternal life with the Father in heaven.
The second mission which the Father entrustedto the Son was to reveal to us what God is like and what is the destiny to which He has called us. It is this second mission that St. John refers to in the closing words of his Prologue.
The mission of Catholic education is directly related to the mission of Jesus Christ, the One who is sent to reveal the Father. The Catholic educator is called to make known the amazing truth that we are redeemed by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Catholic educator is called tomake known the Revelation of the Son concerning who God is and what is the call which He has given to us. The Catholic educator is called toinvite others to believe this with Divine Faith.
It is then from this faith that the Christian is led to participate in the sacramental worship of the Church, especially the Eucharist. It is from thisfaith that the Christian offers the witness of a life inservice to this world.
The Teaching Ministry of the Church and Catholic Education
The cry of the people of the Old Testament was to see God. In Exodus 23:18, Moses asked to see God's face and God refused him the request. The Prophet Elijah in the first book of Kings (19:9‑13) stood at the cave and searched for God in the wind, the earthquake and the fire, but in none of these did he encounter the face of God. Finally, when God carne in the whispering of the gentle breeze, the prophet hid his face in his cloak for he could not look upon the face of God.
And then all things changed!
With the coming of Jesus we have come to know God, not as someone distant, but as one of us ‑ as one who was cold and hungry, as one who meditated and prayed, as a human being like us, who made known to us in His humanity the compassion, the love and the gentleness of God.
The teaching ministry of the Church continues the work of making known the face of God as discovered in Jesus. The Church was established by Jesus so that the Baptist might participate in the saving effects of His Passion, Death and Resurrection.
In November 1972 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States wrote a pastoral letter on Catholic education entitled: To Teach as Jesus Did. In that letter, the Bishops wrote about the mission of Catholic education: "The educational mission of the Church is an integrated mission embracing three interlocking dimensions: the message revealed by God (didache); ... fellowship in the life of the Holy Spirit (koiiioia); service to the Christian community and the entire human community (diakoiiia)."1
The first dimension which the Bishops cite is "this message, this doctrine, which the Church is called upon to proclaim authentically and fully."2
The prime responsibility of the Catholic educator then is to serve the ministry of the Church in the profound obligation which the Church has to make known the revealed Word of God. It is indeed the most awesome charge of the Catholic educator.
And of all the institutions through which the Church accomplishes this ministry, none surpasses the role of the Catholic school.
The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council in Gravissimum Educationis, the Declaration of the Council on Catholic Education, state: “The Catholic school prepares itspupils to contribute effectively to the welfare of the world of men and to work for the extension of the Kingdom of God ... Since the Catholic school can be of such service in developing the mission of the People of God ... it is still of vital importance even in our times.”3
The Declaration identifies what makes a Catholic school to be Catholic. For those who are concerned with the very important issue of the Catholic identityof our schools, it is of great value to recall the threefold criteria of the Second Vatican Council concerning the nature of the Catholic school. First, the Council Fathers write: "It is, however, the special function of the Catholic school to develop in the school community an atmosphere animated by the spirit of liberty and charity based on the Gospel.4
The document also affirms that the Catholic school must enable "young people, while developing their own personality, to grow ... in that new life ... given ... in Baptism."5
Lastly, the Council urges that the Catholic school "so orient the whole of human culture to the message of salvation that the knowledge which pupils acquire of the world, of life and of men is illumined by faith."6
The first criterion is directed inwardly, toward the atmosphere in the school and the attitude of those who are part of the community of the school. The second relates to the growth in faith and grace on the port of the members of the school community. The last criterion is outwardly directed toward the world and the service we should offer the world.
The National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the letter, To Teach as Jesus Did, wrote: “Of the educational programs available ... Catholic schools Afford the fullest and best opportunity to realize the threefold purpose of Christian education.”7
Catholic schools then are one of the principal means by which the Church instructs the faithful in the teachings and call of Christ.
The Church's Long Tradition of Commitment to Catholic Education
The history of the Church's involvement it) the, Christian education of its people goes back to the earliest days of the Christian church. The Mediterranean world at the time of Christ and during the years of apostolic missionary activity was characterized by Greek culture and Roman political institutions. Education was highly influenced by Greek philosophy and Roman rhetoric.
While most Christians in the Ist century came from the lower class or the lower middle class, those few who represented the upper classes began to build a Christian philosophy based on Greek philosophical foundations, especially that of Plato. Ultimately, Plato was to become the pagan philosopher who had the greatest influence on theology in the first ten centuries of Christianity.
By the middle of the 2nd century, there already existed at Alexandria in Egypt a great catechetical school, first under the direction of Clement and then under the brilliant Origen. The library of this school was renowned throughout the ancient world.
The writings of many great Christian authors have come down to us through the centuries ‑ men who were teachers and writers from the early years of Christianity: Tertullian, Justin, Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus - to name a few.
By the beginning of the 5th century, these men and their writings had laid the foundation for Christian humanism and a rudimentary Christian philosophy of education.
But it was with medieval monastic life and the foundation of the cathedral schools that the Church formally became involved in the operation of its own institutions of learning that we now call schools.
Pope Pius XI makes reference to these ancient institutions in his encyclical Divini Illius Magistridealing with the Christian education of youth. Quoting himself from the address he gave in March 1929 to the students of Mondragone College, he writes in the encyclical: ". . . back in the far‑off middle ages when there were so rnany … monasteries, convents, churches, collegiate churches, cathedral chapters, etc., there was attached to each a home of study, of teaching, of Christian education ... That grand spectacle was the spectacle of all times.”8
The one successful defense against the barbarian invasions of Western Europe proved to be the strength of the Benedictine form of monasticism thatwas begun by Benedict of Nursia when lie went to Subiaco and began Western monastic life. From Iona in Scotland, to Fulda in Germany, to Monte Cassino in Italy, these monasteries that flowed from the original foundation of Benedict became the refugium of the scholar and of scholarship itself.
Manuscripts of ancient writings were preserved in the scriptoria in these monasteries. New schools of the liberal arts were operated within the walls of these great foundations. For five hundred years they kept alive the light of learning ‑ all part of the great contribution of the Church to Western education and civilization.
As the second millennium opened, men likeAbelard and Peter Lombard opened a new renaissance of Christian education. Revived cathedral schools in France and Spain spurred a new awakening of scholarship in the 12th century. These cathedral schools were the origin of the great Universities of Paris, Salamanca, Oxford, Cambridge and Bologna.
The long period of darkness was over, the Renaissance began and a new period of history dawned ‑ a period that owed its very existence to the efforts of the Church and its educational institutions.
From the 16th to the 19th centuries, Catholic influence in education was weakened by division within Christian Europe. The Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius in 1540 for a broad spectrum of ministries, in time carne to be absorbed in the work of Catholic schools. Otherwise, however, the Church's role in European education declined at this time.
The 19th century gave rise to perhaps the largest organized and formal effort that the Church has ever developed for the education of the young. That century witnessed one of the largest voluntary migrations of peoples in all of history from one continent to another. Millions of people left Europe for the new life in America and the vast majority of these immigrants were from Catholic countries.
Ireland, Poland, Italy and Germany sent their poor and their hungry, those seeking an opportunity for a new start and those fleeing an impoverished life. They came to the shores of the East Coast and settled in Boston, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Baltimore and our other great cities.
It was to introduce these newcomers to this country and to preserve them in the Catholic faith that the Church undertook the massive task of building the largest private school system in all of history.
Often the beginning of the Catholic school system is counted from the opening of a school in 1727 in New Orleans by the Ursuline Sisters. But it was in the 19th century that the Church in the United States, in order to meet the needs and preserve the faith of the children of the immigrants, made the great commitment to establish a Catholic school in every parish.
At the First Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1852, the bishops wrote a pastoral letter to all the Catholics of the nation urging "the establishment and support of Catholic schools."9
In the aftermath of the Civil War, the Bishops of the United States convened again in Baltimore in 1866 for the Second Plenary Council to help heal the wounds of the nation and to face the growth of the industrial society. Once again Catholic education was a high priority.
The bishops at this Second Plenary Council decreed: "The best…remedy that remains…seems to lie in this, that in every diocese schools ‑ each close to the church ‑ should be erected, in which Catholic youth may be instructed in letters and noble arts as well as in religion and sound morals."10
For the first time we see affixed on a conciliar document the name "John Loughlin, Bishop of Brooklyn." This was the first plenary council that a Bishop of Brooklyn attended.
Finally, it was at the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884 that the bishops left no doubt of their intention; the Fathers of the Council decreed: "Near every church, where it does not already exist, a parochial school is to be erected within two years from the promulgation of this Council unless in the judgment of the bishop the erection and maintenance of the school is impossible."11
The story of parochial Catholic schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn goes back to the year when the first parish was established on Long Island. On Aug. 28, 1823, Bishop John Connolly of the Diocese of New York erected the parish of St. James on Jay St. in Brooklyn. Two weeks later—on Sept. 12, 1823—the parish school of St. James opened in the basement of the church with J. Mehaney appointed its master.12
The story of the Diocese of Brooklyn in the 19th century reveals the intimate connection between parish and school. St. Paul's parish on Court andCongress Sts. was opened in 1836, largely due to theefforts of Mr. Cornelius Heeney, whose cause for canonization was introduced in Rome after his death. At St. Paul's parish, the school also followed the church very quickly, opening in 1838.
St. Patrick's parish on Kent Ave. was founded December 15, 1843, and by September 1844, the doors of its school opened to the first class.
When Bishop Loughlin arrived as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn on Oct. 30, 1853, he founded "10 free parish schools in Kings County and one school in Flushing.”13
The foundation of the parish Catholic school system in this Diocese, as in so many others, was built upon the efforts of religious communities of women and men. The Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent Lie Paul were the first Religious to staff a school in Brooklyn ‑ beginning at St. James and then at St. Paul's where they remained for over one hundred years.
The German immigrants were served by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Dominic who began their foundation in 1853 at Most Holy Trinity parish in Williamsburg.
The Sisters of Mercy came to Jay St. on Sept. 12, 1855, and soon moved to Willoughby Ave. in St. Patrick's parish.
The Sisters of St. Joseph who were serving the Diocese of Philadelphia and its Bishop, the future saint, John Neumann, were urged by Bishop Loughlin to open a foundation in Brooklyn. On August 25, 1856, they came to St. Mary's Convent on Grand St., also in Williamsburg.
The Christian Brothers had come to staff St. James School even before they moved to Brooklyn in 1852. In 1883 they began a high school at St. James which moved in 1933 to Clermont Ave. and continues today as Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School.
The Franciscan Brothers from the Archdiocese of Tuam in Ireland arrived in Brooklyn on May 31, 1858, and settled by 1860 on Butler St. in St. Paul's parish. St. Francis Prep and St. Francis College date back many years in the history of the Diocese and are still staffed by the Franciscan Brothers.
The first three Bishops of Brooklyn shepherded a flock that was extended over the whole of Long Island. When the Diocese was erected in 1853, Brooklyn was a city itself and about to experience the vast European immigration of Catholics. From 1853 until 1956, the Diocese had only three Diocesan Bishops. These three men labored hard and the challenge they faced was to keep pace with the growth of the Diocese.
Each Bishop was responsible for an expanded building plan for schools. Bishop Loughlin had founded 11 parish schools on Long Island when he came here. At his death in 1891 there were 66 parish elementary schools.
Between 1892 and 1921, Bishop McDonnell built ~8 more schools. Archbishop Molloy added 104 and also began the diocesan high schools.
After the death of Archbishop Molloy in November 1956, the Holy See in April 1957 made the decision to divide the Diocese of Brooklyn and create a new diocese for Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
As a result, Archbishop McEntegart came to a new Diocese of Brooklyn that was the smallest in the nation in size but with one of the largest Catholic populations. It was totally urban. There was far less need to build new parishes or parish elementary schools. The Archbishop, however, did see the need to expand the diocesan high school system and he immediately set a campaign for building five new high schools—a campaign that was so successful that eventually six high schools were constructed.
But in the post‑Vatican II Church, there were many institutional changes. Much of this change drastically affected the work of Catholic schools.
The mid-1960's saw the beginnings of an expansion in the role of religious communities —and a decline in the number of Religious. As a result, the parishes began hiring many lay teachers for their staffs. These dedicated lay men and women are a great blessing, for as lay people they are witnesses to their students of the lay committed life ‑ a life that most of these young students will themselves be living.
As the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education wrote in 1982: "The lay Catholic educator is a person who exercises a specific mission within the Church by living, in faith, a secular vocation in the communitarian structure of the school.”14
The expenses to a parish to operate the parish school grew rapidly. In 1968 the total cost to operate 202 parish elementary schools was $20 million. Last year the total cost to operate 162 elementary schools was $112 million. Most parishes were forced to raise the tuition, and tuition increases often were the cause for forcing poor urban parents to have to forsake a Catholic school education for their children.
Recognizing these problems, the late Bishop Francis J. Mugavero wrote a pastoral letter, Baptizing Them and Teaching Them, which he published in January of 1973. In this letter the Bishop called for the "clustering" of all parishes. He described his goal in this way: "Hopefully ... these parishes would work together in the process of decision‑making (and) these schools will be able to continue our effort to provide quality educational service."15
Bishop Mugavero also appointed a task force for high schools which ultimately was able to recommend a reorganizing of the Catholic high schools whereby several of the diocesan high schools were given to lay board of trustees to operate. The generosity of time and talent that these lay board members give is a living witness to the talents and the willing service of the people of Brooklyn and Queens.
Some of these diocesan high schools were also taken over by religious communities who in this fashion have continued their century‑and‑a‑half commitment to Catholic secondary education.
When I arrived in Brooklyn, sent here by our Holy Father to be your shepherd, I was truly amazed at how vibrant and vigorous was the Catholic school apostolate here in this Diocese. At the same time I was fully cognizant that tie", challenges are facing us and that we must be prepared to meet them. Among these challenges, it seemed that the Catholic identity of the schools, new forms of governance, and new ways of financing the schools were among the top priorities.
And so it was that I turned to The Catholic Universitv of America and its Education Department to seek their advice and assistance. The university agreed to do a two‑year study for strategic planning which would involve pastors, principals, teachers, parents and laity in both identification of our problems and recommendations for solutions. Dr. John Convey from the Education Department was assigned to direct the study.
Task forces in six major areas, made up of representation from clergy, Religious, parents and laity, were established. Over a two‑year period, a planning committee of 19 people directed the progress of the study in unison with our Diocesan Office of Catholic Education. In the Summer of 1993 the university, through Dr. Convey, presented me with the final report.
May I first express my great gratitude to all who labored so hard over the last two years. This was a major project of our parishes and of the Office of Catholic Education during this period. Thousands of people in our parishes worked cooperatively on the local level to give input to the final report. The staff from the university ‑ especially Dr. Convey ‑ were professional, diligent and totally cooperative. I wish to express publicly the debt of gratitude which the people of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens owe to all those who took part over the last two years.
But now the time has come when, having read the report and studied it at great length over the past three months, I must now speak to the people of the Diocese of Brooklyn. I have not been alone in this process of reflection on the recommendations made to me. I have consulted over the past three months with a group of over thirty trusted advisors in the process of coming to my decisions on the recommendations contained in the final report. I am now prepared to make my response and describe the plan which we must implement to preserve and strengthen the growth of the Catholic schools.
Response to Recommendations of the Study: A Plan for Catholic Schools for the Next Decade
On February 1, 1992, over 1,200 people from across the Diocese gathered simultaneously at four separate sites to specify what they perceived to be the major problems that confront Catholic schools and threaten their stability. While over 7,000 distinct problems were surfaced, the team from Catholic University was able to condense these problems into six distinct categories, namely, Catholic Identity, Governance, Finances, Curriculum, Marketing and Public Relations, and Parent‑School Relations. Six weeks later these same people returned to offer proposed solutions.
I am in full accord that these six areas are the major challenges for us to consider.
CATHOLIC IDENTITY
The first area which I wish to look at is the Catholic identity of the schools. Any plan for Catholic schools must begin with this sphere, since it is the very raison d'etre for which the Church operates institutions of formal learning. The Congregation for Catholic Education published a document in 1982 entitled The Religious Diniension of Education in a Catholic School. It was intended to be guidelines for reflection and renewal. The document is absolutely foundational for any who are considering what we mean by the Catholic identity of our schools. Among many fine sections, we find this passage: "We need to think of Christian education as a movement or a growth process ... The process must be harmonious, so that Christian formation takes place within and in the course of human formation."16
In years gone by, this was what was called the "permeation" theory: namely, that the religious identity must permeate the total school climate and curriculum.
The document urges "that a Catholic school needs to have a set of educational goals which are distinctive.” 17
It urges that these goals "provide a frame of reference which:
• defines the school's identity, • gives a precise description of pedagogical, educational and cultural aims, • presents the course content along with the values, • describes the organization and management of the school, • determines which policy decisions are to be reserved to the professional staff, which are . . . developed with the ... parents, and which are left ... free (to) teachers, parents or students and • indicates the ways ... student progress is to be tested."18
The Congregation also gives attention to the "general criteria which will enable . . . the cultural, pedagogical, social, civil and political aspects of school life (to be) integrated."19
These criteria are:
a. fidelity to the Gospel as proclaimed by the Church ... b. careful rigor in the study of culture and the development of a critical sense ... c. adapting the educational process ... (to) the particular circumstances of individual students, and ... d. sharing responsibility with the Church."20
I quote these remarks for a reason. The first recommendation made to me in the report from the Catholic Education Strategic Planning Project urgently advises that: "Each school shall develop and publish a mission statement, which includes a Statement of Catholic Identity."
While a mission statement has a unique character of its own, I submit that in the development of the mission statement, each school should take into account the "goals" and the "criteria" offered to us in these guidelines from the Congregation for Catholic Education.
This mission statement is very critical for every school. I urge the involvement of our pastors in their role as shepherd. I encourage the principal to include the whole staff and that there be representation of parents and other lay members of the parish. This mission statement should be the central formulation of the philosophy and the theology of the school's existence. Its framing should involve the whole parish.
But the Catholic identity of the school is not confined to a statement on a piece of paper. It is a reality to be realized in the day‑to‑day living of the Christian life in the school and its operations.
First among these activities is the teaching of the Catholic religion. We believe that the Son was sent to reveal God to us all. The Church was founded by Christ to be the community of those who hear the word of God and who believe its message.
As we introduce a plan for the next decade we are fortuitously placed at the moment in history when The Catechism of the Catholic Church is just being introduced. This is perhaps the most important document since the Second Vatican Council, and it incorporates the teachings of that Council in the tradition of 2,000 years of Church teaching.
All our catechetical programs in the school — as well as in the parish — must be based upon and flow from the new Catechism. It is here that we find the organic synthesis of Church teachings on faith and morals.
I urge the priests of the parish to be frequently present to the faculty and the student body by their availability both in the school and outside the building. This presence is of great value to the young.
The teachers are called by me to be witnesses to their students of their own complete belief in Church teachings and their personal efforts to respond to the call to holiness which each of them received on the day of Baptism.
The students should be formed and guided, in these sometimes trying times, by the wisdom of Christ as taught by the Church. The school is summoned by the Lord to be a true community of faith. It is in this setting that the Catholic identity of the school will be preserved.
The Catholic identity of the school is paramount and without that identity the Catholic school has no reason for existence.
GOVERNANCE
The second area of recommendations in the report relates to questions of governance. These recommendations are critical for the future stability of the Catholic schools. When Catholic schools were first established in great numbers in this country, the Catholic faithful were composed by and large of immigrants, some of whom were not fluent in English and many of whom were consumed by long and arduous hours of labor.
The operation and governance of the schools were left almost solely to the pastor, the religious community and the principal. That was necessary in those times. But the times have changed rapidly.
The Catholic population is composed of many outstanding lay people who have great talents for leadership and advice and who are eager to serve the Church. The school is an integral part of the parish where they worship God and for many it is the site of their child's schooling.
Naturally, they desire, and rightly they deserve, to be involved in recommending policy and procedures.
The first recommendation which I accepted from the report of the Catholic Education Strategic Planning Project was the recommendation under Governance that a Diocesan Commission on Education be set up. This commission is consultative to me as the Diocesan Bishop and subsequently to the Superintendent of Education in the area of total Catholic educational policy.
Membership on the commission is to be by appointment by the Diocesan Bishop, after consultation with the Superintendent of Education.
In early September I informed the Office of Catholic Education of my desire to set up such a commission and that has already been done. The first meeting ‑ an organizational one ‑ has been held.
Catholic schools are an asset for the whole Diocese, not just the parishes that own and operate them. It is my decision then that every parish must be affiliated with a Catholic elementary' school. Schools must receive the generous support of the entire Catholic community. There are several ways in which this may occur. First, there is the parish which owns and operates its own school. This is the basic and most fortuitous circumstance.
There is, however, the situation wherein a parish does not operate its own school but instead sends its students to the school of a neighboring parish. In such circumstances this parish will be responsible to help its neighboring parish through payment of a part of the tuition.
Where schools are formally operated by more than one parish, a written agreement between the sponsoring parish and the affiliated parish shall be drawn up and signed by both pastors. The Superintendent of Education shall both approve and certify this agreement. Such an agreement is institutional in nature and not subject to change at the will of either pastor without approval from the Superintendent of Education. The affiliated parish acquires certain rights as well as obligations and these too are outlined in the report.
I have also accepted the recommendation that each parish set up a Parish School Educational Commission that is consultative to the pastor and principal. This will take longer to set in place and will be introduced in stages. However, all parishes will be required to have such a commission by September 1997.
The Parish School Educational Commission shall draw up its own constitution but in all instances it must be in accord with the policies recommended by the Diocesan Commission on Education.
Membership on the Parish School Educational Commission will be by appointment by the pastor after consultation with the principal.
In establishing this form of governance for our parish elementary schools I mean to involve extensively the expertise of our laity — especially the parents — while observing the proper legal and canonical rights of the Bishop and the pastor.
I am fully convinced that this type of structure — first recommended by the Second and Third Plenary Councils of Baltimore in 1866 and 1884 — will prove to be of great benefit to the sound and efficient operation of our Catholic schools.
FINANCES
The third set of recommendations deals with the challenging issue of school finances. The issue of financing our Catholic schools is one of the most trying. Catholic schools perform a great service not only to the Church but to society as well. According to the highest city officials, the schools operated in New York City by the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklvn save the City of New York $1.1 billion every year.
It is a true travesty of justice that this great country of ours remains the only Western democracy that has not found a way to assist the parents of their God-given right to choose the education which they want for their child. Our parents are very generous but they are put upon by the State and that is not right.
I call upon all government officials at federal, state, and city levels to address this issue. I call upon the judicial branch of government to end the tortuous route that they follow to deny parents their right to choice in education. I do not believe that the denial of parental rights in this regard is based on sound juridical principles. It is rather based on a type of political pressure above which all branches of ,government should rise.
The Catholic Education Strategic Planning Project makes as its first recommendation: "Catholic schools shall be a major financial priority of the Diocese of Brooklvn for at least the next five years. Catholic school~ are a unique means for the fulfillment of the mission of the Church, the mission of evangelization."
Recognizing the many priorities that exist in the Diocese in service to the proclamation of the Gospel. I wish to note that Catholic schools serve a very, very significant role in assisting the Church in its primary mission of evangelization.
There are many very important programs in this Diocese. The needs of our people are complex as is our population. We are a Diocese of immigrants; we are a Diocese of many poor and lower middle class people. The Diocese does not have great financial resources. Its major resource is its people. I do not intend to lose sight of the needs of all the people of this Diocese: handicapped persons, the elderly, the sick, the unwed mothers, the unborn child, those damaged by substance abuse, to name but a few categories of those who need the help of the Church.
And we shall not forget these needs.
Yet at this moment in time the Catholic school is under great duress. Its very future is in peril. Its worth to the Church — and to society — is very great. It must be stabilized and built up for the future, for the good of all.
Therefore, within the context of the complex priority needs of so many people in this Diocese, I accept this recommendation.
It is essential that some incentives be given to parishes in order to encourage the parishioners to be even more generous in order to help the financing of the Catholic school. Therefore, we will continue to exempt from the parish assessment base the monies given for the school or for a tuition assistance program in the parish.
We accept the proposal for two tuition rates to the extent allowable under law: the preferred rate for families that regularly contribute and the standard rate for those families that are not regular contributors. Family tuition plans for those that qualify for the preferred rate of tuition will be a requirement for all parishes. Families who contribute to a parish that does not have a school shall also qualify for preferred and family rates, with their home parish assisting in paying part of the tuition rate to the parish where the children attend school.
All parishes will be required to make a financial contribution to Catholic schools. Parishes with schools will contribute at least eight percent of the school's operating expenditures. Parishes without schools will also be required to contribute to assist their parishioners who send their children to a nearby Catholic school, in accordance with the recommendations of the report.
The Diocese will continue to assist some parishes whose financial resources are limited and who serve economically challenged families.
Each parish will be encouraged to establish a fund to help families who need financial assistance. Where possible, parishes should establish a parish‑based endowment fund.
Finally, the proceeds from the Christmas and Easter collections ‑ which have always been directed to help children throughout the Diocese ‑ will be used to help build up both a diocesan and parish fund for unrestricted scholarship assistance. The current diocesan subsidy for Catholic Charities programs will be maintained at the present levels.
The rationale for all these measures is the special importance of the Catholic schools for the children of this Diocese. Catholic schools must remain a vital force in the Diocese and this will only occur when they are accorded the type of financial priority that they now need for their development and growth.
The future financial stability of the Catholic schools requires us to expend great energy so as to provide resources that will help to sustain the schools far into the next century. I have committed myself therefore to attempt to establish a diversified endowment and scholarship portfolio of $100 million over the next several years.
While this may seem to be an enormous undertaking, may I remind you that $100 million barely meets the cost of operating the parish elementary schools for one year. The major part of this fund shall be used to ease financial burdens which all our parishes and their families are enduring.
We already have a diocesan‑wide development program ‑ The Futures in Education Foundation ‑ and this effort must be expanded and enhanced.
This is a tremendous challenge for us to undertake. I know that the people of our Diocese are not rich but they are generous. I realize that some whom God has blessed with means must be invited to share their goods with the young people of Brooklyn and Queens. And I am quite cognizant that the business and corporate sphere of this City already knows that the Catholic schools are essential for the development of the work force for the future of this City. They must be encouraged then to "buy into" their own future by playing their role in the preservation and strengthening of this vital force for the future of New York — the Catholic schools.
CURRICULUM
The school is by definition the place where teaching and learning occur. In a Catholic school the environment is essential to the nature of the school. We are a community of believers in the Catholic faith.
The curriculum in each school must challenge the student to be a person of faith who integrates his or her faith with knowledge and culture. It is not enough to say that the curriculum must be in conformity with state requirements. It must challenge our young to think, to reason and to develop a love for learning. God's gift of intellect is one of the distinctive characteristics ‑ together with free will ‑ that separate us from all other creatures of God. It is by the proper use of our intellect that we come to know the natural law that God has inscribed in our hearts.21
Free will enables each human person to choose God! Free will is not to be used to choose as we please but to choose what we should. The development of the intellect and the right use of our free will ought to underline all methods of instruction in a Catholic school classroom. The student must be held to high standards and encouraged to do his or her best.
In the atmosphere of a city like New York, the student must be sensitized to multi‑cultural and multi‑ethnic concerns. Prejudice, racism and discrimination have no place in the lives of a Catholic man or woman.
In December 1991, 1 wrote a pastoral letter on racism entitled, Created in the linage of God, in which I wrote: "I wish to call upon the educational establishment, our own Catholic schools and those under the auspices of other private sponsorship, as well as schools of the public sector of our society, to work cooperatively to dispel all remnants of racism and discrimination whatever their origin be: be it religious, ethnic, economic, gender‑induced or resulting from some physical or mental handicap." 22
I reiterate that call todav.
We also have a responsibility for the mature growth of a child into adulthood in what might be called personal and moral maturity. Among the many areas which this encompasses, one of the most important is growth in the understanding of human sexuality. In our society today, this is of special significance.
In September 1992, we introduced new Guidelines in Human Sexuality which are clear and precise on this very important phase of education. These guidelines are to be used by all teachers.
Schools should incorporate modern technology and familiarize the student with the wonders of the technology of the future. All the while, however, we must remember that God is Lord of the universe, and not we.
MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
The modern marketplace has made us very familiar with the terms marketing and public relations. Catholic schools have a great story to tell. Unfortunately, it does not always get out. Catholic schools are very successful in teaching the truths of the faith. Research from the National Opinion Research Center continues to confirm this fact. Catholic schools are very successful in the urban setting and among minority populations. Thus it is a story that must be told. I know that my Auxiliary bishops and Episcopal Vicars join me in a pledge to try to make the story of Catholic schools known throughout the Diocese.
In addition, public relations for Catholic schools must be made a priority for the whole Diocese. The staff of our Diocesan Public Information Office will make every effort to make the storv known about the successes of our education department and our schools. The Catholic Press — especially "The Tablet" — is urged to cover widely the events and the triumphs of our schools and their students.
In a Diocese as densely populated as ours is, local, efforts to publicize the schools take on added importance. The pastor, principal and parents should develop public relations, marketing and recruitment strategies. In this regard the school might consider beginning or expanding alumni associations.
INVOLVEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT OF PARENTS
The charter proclaims: "Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children."23
In light of this primacy, parishes and schools are to assist families in fulfilling the role of parents. They should also help increase the religious literacy of the parents. Often this will involve a multi‑language presentation for our diverse population.
Parents should be made welcome at the school and encouraged to reinforce the lessons — both religious and secular — that are taught by the teachers.
Structures that enable the involvement of parents such as the home‑school association can be a great forum for communication with the school and with other parents.
It is also the responsibility of parents to participate in fund-raising efforts to keep the school fiscally stable.
Many parents are reluctant to participate because of cultural or language barriers. Every effort must be made to break these down. Other parents are inhibited by long working hours. Activities should be scheduled with the convenience of the parents foremost in that decision.
Parents are also urged to partake in the political process. It is evident that a grave injustice is being done to our parents when they are denied their share of the public dollar to educate their child in the school of their choice. While school officials may offer leadership, the strength of the effort will be determined by the extent of parental involvement in the process.
INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS
The report offers recommendations about every elementary school in the Diocese. Most of these demonstrate the relatively solid foundation upon which most schools stand. A few are not so solid.
Our aim must be in the first instance to insure the viability of every school, if possible. To achieve this end, I have approved the occasional establishment of an intervention team to meet with local leadership in an effort to improve a particular school's academic, financial and enrollment status.
I am also asking that each school maintain a three year strategic plan that includes the major areas of this study.
SOME FINAL REMARKS
I have reflected in this letter on the major recommendations that were presented to me by The Catholic University of America. There are, however, over 200 recommendations that have been offered for my consideration. I have accepted the majority of the recommendations of the committee as presented in the final report. I have, however, made some modifications in response to the consultation process which I engaged in these past several months. In due time the entire report will be made available and it will reflect the few changes that I have made.
I wish also to make note that the president of St. John's University, Rev. Donald Harrington, C.M., has graciously offered that St. John's University might serve "as a collaborator in the implementation of the plan in the years ahead." The university is a great resource to the Diocese and, as Father Harrington notes, it serves "as a great support and assistance in enhancing the academic quality of our schools.”
This is a very generous offer from Father Harrington. I wish to express my gratitude and assure Father Harrington that we will be most pleased to use the numerous resources of the university. Clearly this close cooperation between the university and the Diocese is but another example of close to 125 years of interactive re1ationship between the university and the Diocese.
CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
There are 22 Catholic secondary schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn. One of these is operated by the Henry M. Hald Association and receives some diocesan support. The others are under the administration of parishes, religious communities orlay boards of trustees. These schools underwent a separate consideration by the Catholic University
Catholic secondary schools are of vital interest to me because they present our youth with the challenge of faith at one of the most critical times in laterlife.
I have read these recommendations with great interest and accept them for the Hald Association. I recommend them for careful evaluation and acceptance by all our Catholic high schools.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
One part of the study included a consideration of a special opportunity that students in public high schools can utilize. In 1990, the United States Supreme Court in a decision that has become known as the "Mergens Decision," held as constitutional the establishment of religion clubs that might meet on the site of the public high school and be offered to public high school students. They can meet either before or after school hours and deal with religious questions. The court laid down the exact conditions under which this may occur.
This issue was studied by the Catholic University team and guidelines have been offered for implementation of the benefits which this court decision holds out. They have already been started at some public high schools in Queens and I urge their implementation throughout both boroughs.
CONCLUSION
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has a great love for young people in whatever part of the world he travels. This was especially evident when he came to our own country for World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado. Both at the vigil ceremony on the evening of Aug. 14 and at the Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, the Pope spoke from his heart to the youth of the world. He did so because he recognizes so clearly that these youth are "the today of tomorrow" — an expression that he has used often.
We have written much here about Catholic schools and the great effort that the Church must expend to preserve this system. Perhaps some might be weary in the face of these challenges. Others may be frightened at the struggles that are ahead. Still others might be skeptical and ask whether it is all worth it.
I invite you to listen to the words of our Holy Father ‑ words that he spoke to the youth of this City and of this Diocese. The occasion was the Holy Father's celebration with youth at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 3, 1979. Young high school students from the Diocese of Brooklyn joined other young men and women from neighboring dioceses to listen to the words of Pope John Paul II. Here is what he said:
“I have been told that most of you come from the Catholic high schools. For this reason I would like to say something about Catholic education, to tell you why the Church considers it so important and expends so much energy in order to provide you and millions of other young people with a Catholic education. The answer can be summarized in one word, in one person, Jesus Christ. The Church wants to communicate Christ to you.
"This is what education is all about, this is the meaning of life: to know Christ ...”
"And so the purpose of Catholic education is to communicate Christ to you, so that your attitude toward others will be that of Christ . . .”
"With the support of Catholic education we try to meet every circumstance of life with the attitude of Christ.”24
On September 12, 1987, Pope John Paul II was again in our country, and he addressed Catholic educators at NewOrleans. There he said: "I heartily encourage you to continue to provide quality Catholic education for the poor of all races and national backgrounds, even at the cost of great sacrifice. We cannot doubt that such is part of God's call to the Church in the United States. It is a responsibility that is deeply inscribed in the history of Catholic education in this country.”25
And that is why as your Bishop I urge all of you to work with me to secure a strong and vigorous future r our Catholic schools.
Let us turn to Mary, the Seat of Wisdom and Patroness of our Diocese. She formed a true school at Nazareth in which she not only taught but learned from her Divine Son. May her example and intercession help to compel us in our mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ through our Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Thomas V Daily, D.D.
Bishop of Brooklyn
November 30 1993
REFERENCES
1. Pastoral Letter: To Teach as Jesus Did, NCCB November 1972, n. I
2. Ibid. n. 15.
3. Gravissimum Educationis, Declaration on Christian Education, Second Vatican Council, Oct. 28, 1965, n. S.
4. lbid. n. 8.
5. Ibid. n. 8.
6. Ibid n. 8.
7. To Teach as Jesus Di4l op. cit., n. 101.
8. Encyclical Letter: Divini Illius Magistri, Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius X1, On Christian Education of Youth, Dec. 31, 1929, n.25.
9. Pastoral Letters of the United States Bishops, Volume 1, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Catholic Conference, 1984, p. 180.
10. Concillii Plenarii Baltimorcusis 11 Titulus IX Caput I n. 430.
11. Acta et Decreta Concillii Plcnarii Baltimorensis Titulus VI Caput I n. 199.
12. Sharp, John K., History of the Diocese of Brooklyn 1853‑1953, Fordham University Press, 1954, Vol. 1, p. 46.
13. Ibid. Vol 1, p. 105.
14. The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, Lay Cath0liL'S in SC11001: Witness to Faith, Rome 1982, n. 24.
15. Pastoral Letter, Baj)tizing Them and Teaching Them, Most Rev. Francis J. Mugavero, Brooklvn, January 1973, par. 14.
16. Congregation for Catholic Education, The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, Rome 1988, n. 98
17. Ibid. n. 100.
18. Ibid. n. 100
19. Ibid. n. 101
20. Ibid. n. 101
21. Romans 2:14-16.
22. Pastoral Letter, Created in the Image of God, Most Rev. Thomas V. Daily, Brooklyn, December 1991, p. 7.
23. The Charter of the Rights of the Family, Rome, October 1983, Art. 5.
24. John Paul II, The Message of Justice, Peace and Love, Daughters of St. Paul Press, Boston, 1979, pp. 90-92.
25. John Paul II, John Paul II in America, St. Paul Books and Media, Boston, 1987, PP. 77-78.
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