Volume 6, Issue 8
November 12, 2007
St. Josaphat of Polotsk
Josaphat, an Eastern Rite bishop, is held up as a martyr to church unity because he died trying to bring part of the Orthodox Church into union with Rome. In 1054, a formal split called a schism took place between the Eastern Church centered in Constantinople and the Western Church centered in Rome. The immediate problems included an insistence on the Byzantine rite, married clergy, and the disagreement on whether the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son. The authority of the Pope in Rome was also called into question. There was much conflict and many died in the violence that ensued. Josaphat was a voice of Christian peace in this dissent. He worked hard for unity, but in the end he was martyred. Many Jewish people came to Josaphat and his followers’ aid. In 1867 Josaphat became the first saint of the Eastern Church to be formally canonized by Rome.
We wish the school community of St. Josaphat blessings on the feast of their parish.
Message from the Secretary for Education/Superintendent
Our thanks to all who participated in the Leadership Conference! We believe that the Conference is one of the best ways we have for networking. Sr. Edith was a breath of fresh air in leading us through a retreat-like Wednesday. There are so many key points we all took with us from her presentations. She shared so many ways that we can Encounter the Living Christ. Perhaps the most “popular” is the “Gather it up, Lift it up, Bless it and Let it go” with accompanying hand motions. The video, Celebrate What’s Right with the World gave all of us so much to think about. As prelude to Sister Edith, Tuesday’s State of the Schools and Bill Miller’s evening reflection seemed to flow seamlessly into the call from Sister Edith to be visibility points of Christ. Amazing how the Holy Spirit works! The legal advice from Brother Pat Shea and Mary Agnes Lentz has a way of bringing us back to reality, but with the previous days’ input, we hope we can look at the incidents reviewed legally with the eyes of Jesus. Here is my closing blessing from this year’s Conference:
Blessing to Close
Principals’ Leadership Conference 2007
May you . . .
~ free fall into the Creator’s deep embrace
~ gather, lift up & bless and let go of all that makes you anxious or afraid
~ imitate Christ and thus be a “visibility point of God”
~ see what you wish to believe
~ celebrate what is right with the world
May you . . .
~ see the possibilities and thus transform the ordinary into the extraordinary
~ like Michelangelo see angels in stone and carve to set them free
~ see change curves as possibility curves
~ not be the best in the world, but rather be the best for the world
~ be your own banquet
~ weave when you weave
May you . . .
~ shake up the fixed and the framed
~ engage in mission rather than in maintenance
~ make the operative images of your schools be mobiles, trees and orchestras
~ tear down the monasteries which block the sun
~ recognize, choose and transform rough pearls into the pearls of great price
~ know you are a glistening, glimmering image of God.
Amen.
The YouTube video where you'll find many stats from the State of the Schools talk is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U
Our office is working on finding the resources to purchase a copy of Dewitt Jones' video "Celebrating what is right with the world." Details to follow.
National Center for Crisis Management
Looking for more information on assisting troubled children? Kids in Crisis: Identifying and Responding to Troubled Students is a series of on-site dynamic presentations and workshops to empower all members of the school family with practical knowledge and skills to identify and address the immediate needs of troubled students. Dr. Mark Lerner, author of A Practical Guide for Crisis Response in Our Schools (www.SchoolCrisisResponse.com) discusses the impact of traumatic events on individuals and the school community. For complete information go to the web site.
New Link from the USCCB
The link below is a newly launched website from the U.S. Bishops. You may find it helpful in conveying the Faith to parents and students. The link will appear on the diocesan web page as well. http://activeparishioner.com/
Annual Pastor/Principal Meeting
The Elementary Principals’ Association annual Pastor/Principal Meeting will take place on April 14, 2008. This year’s speaker as last year will be The Most Reverend Richard G. Lennon who will speak on the importance of Catholic schools in our diocese. As Terry Holdyk mentioned at the October Principal Meeting, Bishop is inviting all pastors to attend whether or not they have a parish school. The Association will be sending invitations out in the near future. Please mark your calendar for April 14th.
Golden Compass, Movie Under Fire
Just as with the The Da Vinci Code, a new movie is sparking controversy. In doing so, the movie, Golden Compass, will most likely cause more to want to see it than might otherwise. As a movie, critics are not being kind to the telling of the story nor the actors in it that include Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, the most recent James Bond. The movie is one of several that will be made based on an award-winning trilogy of books in the category of children’s fantasy by British author Phillip Pullman called His Dark Materials. Mr. Pullman is an atheist and his books reflect his thinking. Several claims about the movie by the Catholic League include:
- The movie is atheism for kids.
- The movie is anti-religion, and particularly anti-Catholic.
- The author despises C.S. Lewis and the Narnia series.
- The watered down movie will be an enticement to buy the much more pointed books.
Parents need to be aware that this movie is grotesque, not for very young children, and that if children see it they need parental guidance to point out the obvious anti-Christian, anti-Catholic themes and to be told what we believe. Young children cannot decipher fantasy from reality. The real danger seems to be in the books themselves that parents may buy at their children’s request. The movie has been somewhat toned down from the books that are more offensive and overtly anti-religious and anti-Christian.
Staph and MRSA Infections
You should have received a fax re: these infections and sample letters to parents with information on steps in preventing the spread of MRSA and other staph infections. MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of “Staph” infection that frequently causes skin infections and can be difficult to treat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has valuable information on their web site for schools. The information can be found at: www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/
We hope you and your staff take the time to learn as much as you can about MRSA. If you have questions, please contact the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216.201.2080 or 216.201.2001 ext. 1600.
Please Honor Parental Requests to Test for Special Needs
Just a reminder that schools should honor and facilitate parent requests for testing from the public school system. It is the parents’ right to request and pursue testing for special needs of various kinds. Our office received complaints that parents were discouraged from requesting testing. It is not appropriate to interfere with parents’ desires in this area. Thank you.
FOX 8 Catholic Schools Week Marketing Campaign
The deadline for schools to choose a “featured school” option is December 7th. OCE has again invested in the program that includes 15-second ads on FOX 8 asking the viewer to visit myfoxcleveland.com where there will be click-thru ads to a special catholic school section. This section will simply list all school names and addresses. If you are interested in your school being featured, the following options are available:
Option 1
This option will not only give you a link to your website but also put your school in the rotating featured position on the webpage. Furthermore, there will be a text description of the school and the phone number and address of the school. Investment: $1,000
Option 2
You would receive all of Option One, as well as a streaming video highlighting your school, along with a page devoted solely to your school featuring your logo, an image of your choosing, 2 PDF downloads (perhaps your brochure and admissions application), as well as your phone number, an email link, and a link to your school’s website. Since we have limited time for this project we will only be able to offer this option to schools that currently have a video produced (maximum video length 3 minutes). Investment: $3,000
Please contact Paul Bodamer at 216-432-4206 or via email at paul.bodamer@foxtv.com if you are interested and/or have questions.
Catholic Schools Week January 2008 - Universe Bulletin Special Tab
The School Directory mailing to all pre-school, elementary and secondary principals went out on November 1. Please be sure to review your listing information, and make any changes, additions or deletions as necessary. If you have no changes, simply mark your listing to that effect. A reply is needed from every school. Your listing in the School Directory section of the special tab is free of charge and should not be confused with any mailing direct from the UB regarding placing an ad for your school. Return your listing to Jan Ravas by November 19. She is at Ext. 2830 if you have questions.
Attention All Principals
High school application packets for this year have been mailed to all schools. These documents including the timeline, application and schedule include the most recent updates. Please use this version when making the necessary copies for your eighth grade students. If needed, additional copies can be found on our website at http://oce-ocs.org/oce under Administrators – Elementary and Secondary Downloadable Documents. Please feel free to contact Wayne Uehlein at ext. 2450 or Sandy Williams at ext. 4990 if we can assist you in any way in this process.
November is Black Catholic History Month
Since 1990, the National Black Catholic Congress, Secretariat for African Americans, USCCB, and the African American Catholic Bishops have designated November as Black Catholic History Month with All Saints Day and the feast of St. Martin de Porres. This month is a time to proclaim and celebrate the marvelous ways the Lord continues to work in and through people of African descent.
During this month and in February, please take time to focus on the contributions and gifts of our African American Catholic Community. Please share the document “Black Catholic History Month 2007” that you will find at www.dioceseofcleveland.org/parishlife. This web site includes newsletters and events within our community. For further assistance you may call Sandra Gay-Chapman at 216.696.6525 extension 3010.
Let Us Pray for Those Who Pray for Us
Presently we have three diocesan Cloistered Communities and one Byzantine Cloistered Community. They are Carmel of the Holy Family, Poor Clare Colettine Nuns, Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, and the Byzantine Poor Clare Nuns. We encourage you and your school communities to teach the students who these women are and to pray for them the weekend of November 17-18 and especially on November 21, 2007, the Memorial of Mary’s Presentation. This is the date that Pope John Paul II established as a worldwide event in 1997 to be celebrated annually for Cloistered Communities of women and men. The event was given the name Pro Orantibus Day (For Those Who Pray).
You may want to send a card to the communities indicating that you are praying for them. The addresses are listed below:
Byzantine Poor Clare Nuns Carmel of the Holy Family
6688 Cady Road 3176 Fairmount Boulevard
North Royalton, OH 44133 Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Poor Clare Colettine Nuns Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
3501 Rocky River Drive 4108 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111 Cleveland, OH 44103
And you may want to say the following prayer with your students:
Eternal Father, We praise and thank you for the gift of the cloistered, contemplative life. This special vocation, “to be with the Lord,” is of great importance to the Church’s life and mission. As the Church celebrates the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, we honor the holiness and glory of the Blessed Virgin. May she intercede for many young women and men to give themselves in a special way to prayer, asceticism, and diligent progress in the spiritual life.
May all of us always be mindful of the need to be in close solidarity with those in the cloistered life, by our spiritual and material support. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
For more information on this event and cloistered life, please go to www.cloisteredlife.com.
Conference for Ohio Second Grade Teachers
This eighth annual event scheduled for January 24-25, 2008 at the Hilton Columbus, 3900 Chagrin Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43219, focuses on the needs of second grade teachers. They will learn hands-on strategies and activities they can use the next day, receive a free resource book with handouts, lesson ideas, reproducibles, and more, have an opportunity to meet Lori Jamison, author, an hear acclaimed presenters, Maria Banks and Joanne Hines. They will also see the latest and greatest educational titles and tools for the classroom. Principals may attend free!
Call 614.414.5000 by January 3, 2008 for a special overnight rate and say you are attending the Conference for Ohio Second Grade Teachers. You can also receive directions. To register for the Conference go to www.SDE.come/REGISTER. Parking is free (subject to change).
The cost of the conference is $199 per person for one day and $329 per person for two days. A team of three or more costs $189 per person and $309 per person respectively. Call with any questions: 1.800.462.1478.
Principals should send a separate registration form.
Office Equipment Available to Inner City School
The Catholic Universe Bulletin office has two pieces of office equipment that it
wants to donate to an inner city school that may desperately need them. The UB has a 5 almost 6-year-old Canon copy machine with many bells and whistles on it that has been well maintained under a service agreement with the vendor. It has an overhead feeder along with a side pass through feeder. It does both a variety of enlargements and reductions, and has 4 paper drawers and duplexing. It also has a built-in stapler. This machine is model #3300.
There is also a 3-year-old Brother Business Class Intellifax Model 4100 that has gone through a real workout but still has some life left in it. Both are available on a first come, first serve basis, but both would need to be picked up at our fourth floor office at the Chancery Building––there is an elevator. Any questions, please call Joe Polito at ext.5870, between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Congratulations!
- On October 31, 2007, Tom Mullen presented The Outstanding Philanthropic School Award for the Elementary School, Youth Helping Catholic Charities Program to Our Lady of Good Counsel School. Accepting the award were student council representatives: Chris Wrenn, Maritza Linares, and Aubrey Rieglemayer. The school raised $1,012 in 2006-2007.
- Holy Name High School was the Outstanding Philanthropic High School. They raised more money than any other high school in the diocese.
- Sister Mary Jane Vovk, SND, has been Garden Leader for the Metro Catholic Parish School Peace Garden for five years. This symbol of their efforts to be nonviolent, living respectfully of one another and all creation produces fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers to enjoy and share. It provides them with an opportunity to learn how to cooperate with nature and to learn how interdependent we are. The garden was established as a way of celebrating Metro’s 15th anniversary.
- St. Mary Immaculate Conception, Avon; St. Raphael, Bay Village; Beaumont School, Cleveland Heights; and St. Josaphat Ukrainian Preparatory School, Parma who were identified by the Ohio Academy of Science as among the 83 schools across Ohio for good science programs. The schools were picked because they encourage scientific activities beyond the everyday classroom, such as science fairs and mentoring programs.
- St. Ignatius High School invited Elie Wiesel, author, Nobel Laureate and holocaust survivor to address the students as part of the school’s Michael V. Kelley Distinguished Speaker Series. They were moved by his simple but deep words that called them to choose life no matter what the circumstances and to continue their fight for social justice in the world.
Call to Action Invites You to Work for Justice
Focus on Sweatshops – Information/Action Packet available from Call to Action for $5.00. Learn more about sweatshop conditions in factories and on farms; and what you can do about it. Contact:
Social Justice Organizer
Call to Action
2135 W. Roscoe, 1N
Chicago, IL 60618
Call 773.404.0004 or Fax: 773.404.1610 or email: cta@cta-usa.org or go to www.cta-usa.org.
In God’s Family All Are Welcome at the Table
This is the title of an educational workshop experience to be held at St. Basil Parish Community Room located at 8700 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH 44141 on Monday, December 10, 2007. Featured speaker is The Most Reverend George Murry, Bishop of Youngstown. His presentation is entitled: “What it means to be a welcoming church.” Panel Presentations include:
People on the move: their journey to the table
Parishes who welcom: inviting all to the table
The same content will be offered at two different times:
1:30 pm to 3:45 pm or 7:00 pm to 9:15 pm
To register, please call 216.696.6525, extension 3500 by December 6, 2007.
Sponsored by the Diocese of Cleveland Welcoming the Stranger Committee.