Someone commented that we should change the Catholic Charities Annual Fundraising Ball to a Catholic Education Annual Fundraising Ball.
It is an interesting idea, since Catholic education is a social justice issue. Catholic education helps to bring people out of poverty. (Gee, sounds like we could use CCHD money for this too!)
The DC Opportunity Scholarships are pretty much dead. Other than those who are in the program, there will be no new ones. Catholic schools will eventually close. This will, in the long term, hurt our parishes, for schools bring a vibrancy and an increased participation.
Personally, with the DC Government support of gay marriage, I think that the Archdiocese should let all of the current Catholic Charities' contracts end and let the city take them over.
It is a contractual issue -- they want to change the terms, we do not. Why fight it and them. Don't waste the time and money. When the contract ends and then everyone goes their own way.
We are not abandoning the City, it is a simple contractual disagreement. (But many of us have warned the Church about going down this road.)
The Archdiocese should do what it can with the money it has and then focus on education. You have total control of the funds and how to use it.
Parents will know that their children are safe, learning and have a good foundation for the future. Teachers and staff will have good paying jobs with benefits. Parishes will see their parishes come alive again.
Considering the fact that David Catania feels that it will be a breeze to get other vendors to take over, then let them do it. Considering DC's track record on services to the poor and those with AIDS (see Washington Post Dec. 12, 2009), they will once again show their incompetence.
What do you think?
Change the Catholic Charities Ball to support education?
Let the contracts expire and do what you can with the money you have for education.
Take the unscientific poll to the right. Love to hear what you think.
4 comments:
Catholic education is a good thing. Unfortunately, Catholic school parents are a small minority at most parishes. But, how many parents can be expected to pay $5,000 or more per year per child at an elementary school or $10,000 or more at a high school. Even among Catholic school graduates, there are many active practicing Catholics that send their children to public school because the tuition rates are beyond what they are willing to afford.
That is why we need a "Catholic School Ball". Our focus should be on our catholic children and their education. The propaganda that is fed to them in public schools needs to be countered by affordable, parish based Catholic schools. The money that pours into what is essentially the "non-catholic charities" needs be be rerouted towards the education of our Catholic children. They truly are the future of our Faith. CCD just doesn't cover it. How can you compare the yearly 24 sessions, 1 1/2hours long with the depth and tradition of a daily Catholic education. Catholic parish education is the core of our Faith, regardless of how valuable the schools' real esate looks to our Archdiocene leaders, because isn't that what's really fueling school closings? Money from the sale or leasing of our beloved catholic schools.
Where is your factual evidence that Catholic School education results in higher numbers of people who practice the faith as adults?
Please, spare me quotes from school cool-aid drinkers like you. How about factual data from an independent source?
Good luck finding it. It doesn't exist because Catholic Schools are a joke.
To the last Anon...I speak from experience. As someone who has been part of both, I see people more active in the community and as part of their faith when there is a school as part of their parish. This does not mean that there are not active parishes w/o schools.
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