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January 22, 2014 – ST. REMY INITIATIVE

Francesca Franchina, MS Ed. continues conversations with Susan Ferguson Director of the University of Dayton Center for Catholic Education (CCE) focusing on the St. Remy Initiative with Director Dr. Toni Moore, Ph.D. former Assistant Superintendent of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic Schools and former Catholic School Principal and Archdiocesan Catholic School Administrator Toni Moore about their work with the St. Remy Initiative: Professional Development for Catholic School Educators. Named for the town of St. Remy de Provence in France where the first Marianist Normal School for the professional development of Christian teachers was established in 1824 by Blessed Wm. Joseph Chaminade this initiative inspires hope by forming the heart of Catholic Educators through serving the spiritual formation of Catholic School Educators. Experiencing this unique professional development program, meeting as a learning community to strengthen their spirituality, Catholic Educators have advanced instructional skills and developed their leadership potential through this collaborative effort between UD and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Providing educators in Catholic Schools the tools and sense of mission, the St. Remy Initiative keeps growing. Learn more of what they do, continuing to spread and how it can work in your area by contacting Dr. Toni Moore at lmoore2@udayton.edu . Francesca and Friends UD CCE Program Series is archived at www.radiomaria.us (link to Programming/ Francesca Franchina); December 11/18 2013; January 15/22, 2014; February 12/19 2014 and March 12/26th 2014. Don’t miss this series and future programs which will make your heart sing in discovering this successful blest plan being promulgated in Catholic Schools across the USA and other countries.

July 02, 2013 – Fr Tim Sauppe

Fr Tim Sauppe is the pastor of rural St Mary Parish in Westview IL, Diocese of Peoria. He had to close their Catholic School. The parishioners didn’t want him to close the school, but in fact it was the parishioners that forced him to close the school. WHY? Because they were not having children in sufficient quantity to sustain the school.

This phenomena is not unique to St Mary Parish, or the Diocese of Peoria. Diocese of Trenton Bishop David O’Connell established a School Sustainability Commission to study 10 at risk elementary schools. Some may be saved, but their will most likely be closures.

The three-parish cluster to which I belong in Dayton, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, until a few years ago had three diocesan priests, 9 weekend Masses and 3 Catholic Schools. Today, we have one foreign born religious order priest, 3 weekend Masses, and NO Catholic School.

The reason is the same–not enough Catholic children to sustain a school. WHY? Because Catholics have not successfully challenged the dominant anti-child mentality of the culture. Sadly, we have accepted the culture.

“CATHOLIC SCHOOLS MAKE THE GRADE!” – February 1, 2011

 Francesca Franchina, MS Ed. speaks with regional Catholic Educators: Dr. Jim Rigg Archdiocese of Cincinnati Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Kenith Britt, President of Catholic Central High School, Middle School and Pre-School (Springfield), Fr. Jim Manning, President of Altar High School (Kettering), Mr. Matt Sableski, Principal of Carroll High School, (Dayton), Mr. Dan Meixner, President of Chaminade Julienne High School (Dayton) and business man George Molinsky about the state of Catholic Schools, maintaining Catholic identity, major and minor challenges in education over all and in particular to Catholic education; fighting rising costs while maintaining quality over all excellent education and environments for students, retaining capable, creative and faith filled faculty/ staff, assisting parents and students in making Catholic education affordable and desirable, while developing and putting forth curriculum conducive to Catholic education offering a wide variety of courses while dealing with ever increasing mandates from the state.