I just read over at Memphis Seminarian Dennis’ blog the following.
Last night, the bishop announced that in addition to yesterday being the 35th anniversary of our diocese, it was also the 39th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, but that wasn’t the big news.
The big news was not just one announcement, but three:
1. The Jubilee Schools endowment had reached $44 million. With the interest earned on the endowment, they will be able to meet the budgetary requirements of the Jubilee schools indefinitely. The Catholic Diocese of Memphis’ urban schools will be able to change the culture of our city for a long time to come.
2. Memphis Catholic High School (my alma mater, class of 1984), will be renovated from top to bottom. I don’t know what that means or how much money is involved, but I say “Thank you, Jesus!” The school building itself is very much in need of an overhaul. Also as regards Memphis Catholic High School, the bishop announced that the school has entered into work/study partnerships with some 25 corporations around town, allowing students to earn valuable job experience, increasing the impact our Catholic schools will have on the culture of our city’s center.
3. Finally, the bishop announced that a new Jubilee school will be built. The land has not been purchased yet, but the school will be located at Resurrection Church in the Hickory Hill area of Memphis.
All of these announcements met with great approval from the people who had joined the bishop at the cathedral for evening prayer last night. Cool stuff, right?
This is really great news. The new Jubilee school are doing a great service for the city as a whole. It’s one of the wonderful things about Memphis (I hope me talking good about Memphis doesn’t shock anyone). For those of you that don’t know, the Jubilee schools are parish schools that have long been closed. Most of them are in poor neighborhoods that have a dwindling Catholic population. Now, I don’t know for sure where the money came from, but the Diocese received money that was earmarked specifically for re-opening some/all of the parish schools in memphis that had been closed. Now it looks like the endowment has reached a point where it’s self sustaining. If I am reading this correctly, the money for these schools is at a point where the schools are actually run using the interest from the money. That means they should be able to stay open indefinitely, assume there are not any economic disasters in the future. I am very happy to hear this news as I graduated from one of these schools that has been reopened. That parish is where i converted to the Church in 1981. I graduated from the 8th grad there in 1984. I’m glad to know that it’s back open and providing a valuable service to the whole community. Note that the children attending these schools are for the most part not Catholic. They are local kids who would otherwise not be able to afford anything more than a public education from the Memphis City Schools.
The news about Catholic High is also wonderful news. I know it was in need of refurbishment. It was probably in need of it way back in ’84 when Dennis graduated, so it’s good that it’s being done.
I’d like to congratulate the Diocese of Memphis and Bishop Steib for this great accomplishment. It’s really a wonderful thing that the Catholic Schools are doing in Memphis.
Small quibble, but a quibble nonetheless. This IS a great accomplishment. HOWEVER, having been involved in the renovation of several of these schools, it seems that some of these schools are too little attended (small) even after the renovation and inviting the local community. We need (for the time being) to use what we have rather than open a new school for 50 students. Centralizing a few of these schools would reduce the cost and make sure that ALL of the schools REMAIN viable and cost effiicient, thus remaining open and better serving the local population. Also some of the rehabbed units(Blessed Sacrament convent building as an example) is NOT up to code and cannot effectively serve it’s school. You would not feel comfortable with a mul;ti-roomed building with only one bathroom facility (a one holer ONLY). Paint and clean up only does so much. Let’s focus on making each open and viable facility as nice as possible. Let’s realisticly evaluate attendance and expand at a sustainable pace. We also need to emphasise that while serving the local community is a great noble thing, parents should contribute. If not financially, then with service to the school. To each as they are able, if you will. I am discouraged by the lack of local support for these schools
I’m sure the diocese has done it’s homework and taken survey’s of the area to see how many families would enroll their kids in the reopened schools in light of the previous commentator’s discussion.
This is good news and it is nice to hear for a change, especailly with our churches and diocese going through political and spiritual challenges.
Just in time for Epiphany, eh?
I would agree with Adam for the most part. But I think the example of Blessed Sacrament is the exception more than the rule. It’s my understanding that Blessed Sacrament is meant to be more of an extension of the multi-cultural school down the street than it is an independent school. Also, I know some are still being worked on as classes are growing. The last time I visited St. John, that was the case. One wing house classrooms while the other was undergoing major renovation.
I think the addition of the school at Resurrection will be a welcome addition. That is neighborhood that likely has a large poor Catholic population that would be well served by the school.
I agree that the school system should not overextend itself, but if the money is there for this school as well as the upkeep and ongoing renovations of the others, then I say more power to them. Remember too that these new schools are not only providing an excellent education to kids that might otherwise not receive one, but they are also providing jobs to educator that might otherwise not have them.
Last but not least, it’s a big thumbing the nose at Mayor Herrenton that these schools are so successful, since he fought so hard to keep it from happening. Anything that shows the mayor up for what he really is, is a good thing.
??? I don’t remember hearing anything about Mayor Herenton opposing the Jubilee Schools. What sort of fight did he put up?
Well, I probably should not have brought it up. I remember it being well documented on the web when the Jubilee schools first started opening. I think I remember seeing around the end of 2001 maybe. It’s all hazy now. My only guess is that he was afraid of loosing federal and state funds for the kids that would then not be attending public schools.
There was a story going around for a while that goes like this. Mayor Herrenton and Bishop Steib were at some luncheon. The Mayor asked the bishop not to open the Jubilee schools. The bishop basically told the mayor that the Diocese of Memphis would be opening the schools and the mayor could either help or get out of the way. It certainly sounds like mayor Herrenton. It does not however sound like bishop Steib to be so confrontational. Who knows if it’s true.
I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that last bit about the mayor in my comment, but I enjoyed writing it so much.