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November 9, 2008

Area Catholic schools offer ‘Lessons that Last a Lifetime’

By Alicja Pozywio

STAFF WRITER

First, the good news: There are 258 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. A full 96 percent of seniors who attend Catholic secondary schools graduate, and 95 percent of those graduates go on to college.

However, the schools are also known all around the archdiocese for reinforcing their students in Catholic values.

Catholic schools offer a number of features that are not found in public schools. One of the most valuable benefits is the comprehensive nature of the academic and moral development provided to the students, according to school supporters.

Each, year thousands of children are prepared for the sacraments in Catholic schools, and hearts of young Americans are not prohibited from practicing their faith there.

It is thanks to Catholic schools that there are significant numbers of Catholics who are educated not only in their academic subjects, but also in moral values among the young professionals entering the secular world every year, supporters say.

But even though the value of a Catholic education is well worth the cost, families sometimes cannot find the resources. Catholic schools are becoming less affordable to many families because of the financial crisis, and they are in need of help to pay tuition.

New ‘Lessons’

“Lessons that Last a Lifetime” is the a initiative sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago to support its Catholic schools. It was designed especially for financially distressed schools, primarily located in the ring of suburbs around Chicago.

“There are probably two dozen such schools. Indeed there are schools like that in each of our six vicariates,” said William Booth, major gifts officer for Catholic schools in the Office for Stewardship and Development.

Booth created the Lessons that Last a Lifetime to be similar to the very successful Big Shoulders program, which has been supporting the inner-city Catholic schools in Chicago for more than 20 years.

“I have developed a method of support behind the program, that would include student scholarships, sponsoring a student, also adopting a school if they wish or giving to a special endowment fund that would help for the longterm prospects of the schools. So there are various ways of giving that we incorporated,” Booth said.

Financial support for Catholic schools comes from a number of sources, including parents and parishes, which contribute annually about $400 million. This school year, the archdiocese and Big Shoulders Fund are contributing an additional $11.5 million to needy schools. About $8 million comes from the Annual Catholic Appeal and the Big Shoulders Fund. The rest is expected to come from Lessons that Last a Lifetime.

For that to happen, the archdiocese must first promote the initiative and then find generous donors who want to share and for whom Catholic education is important, Booth said.

“We promote this initiative through direct mail appeals,” he said. “We also introduce it to some key prospects in all vicariates by organizing groups of people interested in schools. These gatherings are hosted by the bishop of each vicariate. In addition we place ads in various magazines. I have to say that we are blessed with our friends like Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, our new superintendent of schools, and Cardinal George, who have been working very closely on this initiative.”

Leaders on board

To have Patrick McCaskey from the Chicago Bears family supporting the initiative is also very fortunate.

“We are proud to get some help from business leaders like Pat, who is a product of the Catholic schools right from elementary school through college. He said that he would do whatever he possibly could to help this initiative,” Booth said.

In the near future, Booth and his team will be busy organizing an annual “Capital for Kids” event. “It is a reception and benefit for the Cardinal’s Scholarship Fund, which was created to give an immediate support to families who want to have their kids in Catholic schools but have some emergency situation which puts that wish in jeopardy,” Booth said.

It is also evidence that the church thinks about long term investments in the hearts and minds of those who, regardless of their financial status, are our future, through initiatives such as Lessons that Last a Lifetime.

For information about Lessons that Last a Lifetime or Capital for Kids on Nov. 24 visit: www.archchicago.org/steward ship/supporting_cs/default.aspx or call William Booth at (312) 655- 8486.