Open House, 2018!

These are my notes for welcoming prospective parents and students to our annual open house--St. Michael,  October 18, 2018.

Good evening, and welcome! 

We hope tonight will be fun for you—that you’ll ask a lot of questions of me, the teachers, and the student ambassadors who will show you around in a few minutes—and that you’ll go home tonight more at ease about sending your son or daughter to high school, more confident about who we are and what we do. 

But before we tell you what we do,  I want to focus on why we do it.  

What is the purpose of St Michael Catholic High School? 

In everything that we say and do—academic program, athletics, the arts, clubs, in our hallways— We want kids to hear this message: 

Never, ever settle for anything less than the excellence that God’s grace makes possible in your life. You’ll fail along the way; we all do. But don’t lower the bar of expectation. Get up, dust yourself off, seek reconciliation—never, ever settle for anything less than the heroism for which you were born. God has a unique plan for your life—something just for you—and your life long happiness will depend on finding this plan and following it, with courage and conviction.  

That thinking is what's underneath our mission statement, which says we’re aiming to build SCHOLARS (not just students), LEADERS (and not just followers) and DISCIPLES (not just some guy or girl sitting in the pew on Sundays). 

Unfortunately, our kids are growing up in a culture that is profoundly pessimistic about what teenagers are capable of achieving. It tells them they are not capable of scholarship (so schools inflate grades), that they are not capable of chastity (so we teach them safe sex), that they aren’t even capable of handling the truth that some kids are better at things than they are (so everyone gets a trophy). The worst part? They begin to believe these things about themselves. They begin to believe they’re not capable of more. 

We want them to believe the opposite! 

As parents, we love our kids, but we know they're not perfect!  We know that here, too! They're going to need help to get them where God wants them to be. It's a process! They need caring teachers who set achievable goals, who help them build confidence, who affirm them when they need it, and challenge them a bit when they slough off. 

So that's our "why!" Here's our "how" :

First, our academic program:

• Fantastic teachers, first rate professionals. We are blessed by them. 
• 8 classes/semester, gives students built in flexibility to engage in multiple pursuits
• Honors program (morphs into A.P. program as students get older. Students can take up to 8 A.P classes before graduating) and College Preparatory program. Placement based on previous grades, work ethic and placement test. 
• Four days/week, teachers are available to give kids extra help, 3:15-3:50 each day. 
• Aegis class, one period, available for students with documented learning disabilities. 
• Constant updates on academic progress—through progress reports every 4 weeks, through quarter report cards, by making every grade your child earns available to you on line via black baud. 

Second, we have an active life of faith here:  Weekly mass, every Wednesday, prayer before school starts, before ball games, in locker rooms before games, sometimes in what I tell them during weekly assemblies, their theology classes.  They’re going to be told over and over that our belief in their potential to be great is not founded on a polly-annish, naive optimism, but because of—as the song says, the  “overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God” in their life, which transforms and re-creates them each day. 

Third, we have a Renaissance emphasis for kids—we believe the human person thrives when all facets of their personalities are developed. We don’t want kids to be specialists—“I’m just a football player.” or “I’m a scholar, without time for anything else,” or “All I care about is my music—“ The time for specialization is later. High school is a time for kids to explore possibilities, new things, to walk through open doors and walk around in new rooms. Time for closing doors is later—maybe college, when they’re choosing a life long vocation. We emphasize "both-and," not "either-or."  So how, practically, do we do that? 

• 2 years of foreign language for all students (may take up to 4 years)
• 2 years of the Arts, begin in chorus or band, then either take a 2nd year or option to move into Studio Art in sophomore year. Capable of taking 4 years
• Athletic PE for athletes, each of their 4 years, so they can get bigger, faster and stronger, but because they can take that as one of 8 classes, it doesn't require them to come after school or before school for weight-lifting. This allows them to continue to participate in other things, like band, alongside a sport. Two games ago, we had the team captain of the football team meet at the 50 yard line for the opening coin flip,  then, walk to the sideline and play the trumpet with the band for national anthem to start the game. This is an example of our "Renaissance emphasis." 
• Our after school practices don’t start until 4 p.m. so as not to conflict with tutorials for kids needing help. Doing well academically should not conflict with commitments to excelling on the field!

Fourth, we have fun here, too:

• House system: New student orientation, students will be sorted into one of four houses, each named after one of the early bishops of Mobile: Portier, Quinlan, O’Sullivan or Allen.  This becomes part of their identity here, part of their social life, competitions for House Cup, awarded to the House with the most points in late April. 
• Every Friday, we have a school assembly, led by the president of the student government and the House Council. We play games, have pep rallies,  sponsor contests between houses, etc. There is a lot of joy in our hallways!
• We compete at the 3A level, as full members of the AHSAA (first year), with teams in 10 different sports. Just finishing up football, volleyball and cross country seasons, basketball teams have begun practicing,  cheerleading is on-going, bowling team and tennis teams are new to the school this year. Soccer, baseball in the spring.  In a small school, kids have the opportunity to play, contribute, be part of something larger than themselves. Helps make high school memorable! 

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Enjoy the evening! Ask a lot of questions tonight! Students on tours, teachers, students  and coaches available at the end to talk about clubs and athletic teams. 

When we reassemble in the gym, we're going to give you admissions information, tell you about priority admissions.

We think it's important to apply before Christmas to secure a spot--last year, we were full before Christmas and could only accept few kids in the spring after some of the early applicants told us they weren't coming. 

The Path Forward

“Sadness, Shock, Shame and Outrage.” These are the words Thomas Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile, used to begin his reflection on the scandal involving Cardinal McCarrick and the recent Attorney General of Pennsylvania’s report on clerical abuse.   I share those sentiments, but can only imagine how much harder it has been for good and faithful bishops like him, who are now “guilty by association” in the public eye. 

For these reasons, and because we live in a culture of immediacy, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is under tremendous pressure to act swiftly to address these issues. But as important as it is to be proactive, I think it would be a mistake to respond to this horrible chapter in our Church’s story too quickly, especially if the response is exclusively the result of an internal action of the bishop's conference. 

In a recent talk with young people, Pope Francis said: “When we adults refuse to acknowledge some evident reality, you tell us frankly: ‘Can’t you see this?’ Some of you who are a bit more forthright might even say to us: ‘Don’t you see that nobody is listening to you any more, or believes what you have to say?’ (Crux, September 25, 2018) 

It’s a hard truth that many people in the United States feel that way about our bishops already. As revolting as McCarrick’s actions are, what is nearly as bad is the fact that people in leadership positions, who had the ability to engage in "fraternal correction,"  looked the other way.  In Pennsylvania, many of the bishops seemed more inclined to  “hide” the clerical abuse to protect the Church’s liability and self-image, rather than act out of concern for the victims. 

Coupled with the Vigano allegation that Pope Francis knew of McCarrick's abuse but allowed him to function as an influential Cardinal in the Church, a friend of mine--a life-long, faithful Catholic--recently said,  “My respect for our Church’s leadership is at an all time low.” 

For this reason, how the National Conference of Catholic Bishops responds to this crisis in their November assembly is almost as important as to the what they decide to do.  On the agenda currently is a vote over an “Administrative Committee” Statement, written by a smaller team of bishops on September 19, 2018, which recommends four actions:

1. Establish a third party reporting system which will receive complaints against a bishop and direct them to the appropriate civil and ecclesiastical authorities;
2. Direct a bishop’s subcommittee to develop proposals for restricting bishops who have been removed or resigned for reasons of scandal;
3. Create a “Code of Conduct” for bishops regarding sexual misconduct with adults or minors, or negligence in responding to issues related to sexual misconduct;
4. Support a full investigation of the situation surrounding McCarrick, including the abuse itself, who knew, and what people did or didn’t do about it. 

The statement ends by inviting brother bishops to join in acts of prayer and penance. It encourages other victims to step forward and promises them a pro-active and compassionate response. 

Regardless of whether this is a sufficient response in terms of the “what,”  it’s clearly insufficient in terms of a process. The bishops stand accused of covering over decades of abuse, “closing ranks” to protect themselves and their priests at the expense of victims. So having a small group of bishops make proposals to a larger group of bishops for a vote, “to protect the Church”, as one pundit phrased it, “from themselves,” will simply feed the narrative that this is a closed system which is not open to collaboration or real reform. 

For the good of our Church and the teaching authority of our bishops, we’re going to have to embrace a more inclusive process. 

I propose something akin to the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter on the Economy from the mid 1980’s. That process involved creating two “draft statements” from the bishop’s conference, each of which invited lay and expert response from across the country. Parishes were encouraged to host forums for discussion about each draft, and the results were summarized and sent to the bishop, who in turn would send them to the NCCB.  For each subsequent draft, a bishop’s committee would review the responses and incorporate key insights into the next draft, leading to a third and final statement, which ended up being the most widely read and I would argue, the most influential statement of the NCCB ever written. Perhaps the September 19 Administrative Statement, then, could be regarded as a “first draft” by the NCCB, and the bishops could invite lay reflection and proposals for a second draft, and then create a third and final statement. 

There is no doubt that extending out the process in this way will prolong the public discussion about abuse within our Church. There is also no doubt that many of the recommendations arising out of greater consultation with the laity will be more radical than the bishop’s conference might be inclined to make on its own.  I would expect, for example, a demand from the laity that they would have more of a voice in the selection of bishops, at least at the first stage of consultation. I would expect more scrutiny and a call for greater transparency in diocesan finances, with more oversight from diocesan finance councils.  I’d expect more details on what a “third party reporting system” looks like, and whether or not there was any ecclesiastical authority that could re-direct how reports of abuse were handled. I would expect, yes, renewed discussions about a married priesthood and the role of women in leadership positions in the Church. I’d expect a re-examination of priestly living, especially the question of whether it is healthy for men to live the entirety of their adult lives alone in rectories, vs. some sort of communal arrangement with priests from different parishes. 

I know that some of these issues are outside the jurisdiction of the bishops, and I suspect that most would prefer to define the scope of all this more narrowly.   But in light of the failings of too many, I don't think the NCCB is going to be able to dictate how all this unfolds, especially if they wish to regain the moral influence and authority they have abdicated. Before there is too much talk, there needs to be a lot of listening. 

In the mean time, let us pray for our bishops, most of whom are fine men doing God's work for our local churches.

"Ordinary Time"

These are my comments to students today during assembly.

So the mid-quarter report cards were last week, and the quarter ends on October 12, with 3 weeks of school between now and then. The “newness” of the year has probably rubbed off, and maybe you’re feeling the grind.  We’re in mid-season form now for football, volleyball, cheerleading and cross country—and practices, I am sure, are beginning to feel on occasion, like drudgery. We are in what our Church calendar calls “Ordinary time,” the time in between major celebrations such as Christmas and Easter. 

One of our tendencies in our culture is to focus our attention on the big events—the extraordinary moments in our lives—In a school culture, perhaps, Homecoming, Prom, Graduation. We look forward to these things, we long for them, and there’s nothing wrong with that, except if in our longing, we forget the here and now. 

When I was a junior at McGill, there was an English teacher who would call on us randomly at the beginning of class to lead the class in prayer. Because we weren’t very good at it, we’d often revert to praying for the same thing over and over, and I remember one of those prayers was “Lord, help the weekend get here quickly.” After about the 15th time in a row we prayed for the weekend, our teacher said, “You know, you’re praying your life away. What about now?” 

That was 40 years ago, but I still think about that comment. There’s truth in it. Our culture lives for the weekends. There was even a bad song that came out in the 80’s, called “Everybody’s working for the weekend.” But if our focus is only on the weekend, then what about Mondays and Tuesdays? If it’s only about the big events in our future and not about the now, we can miss the extraordinary things within the ordinary—the chance to reach out to a friend and be a good listener, the chance to make someone’s life better, the chance to improve ourselves precisely because we’re willing to do our homework well or practice hard. 

My mother used to have a plaque above the kitchen sink with a saying from St. Therese: “God moves among the pots and pans.” I think St. Therese was making this exact point—we may look for God in the big things, the miraculous, but miss him in the ordinary day to day, like doing the dishes, interacting with our family, in preparing for our classes, in being kind to someone during lunch. It's in these ordinary occurrences that God is present. 

So let’s keep that in mind this week. Happy Monday! May you work hard today, and may you sense God’s presence in all that you do, all the people that you meet, and all the chances you have to become better students, better teammates, better persons today.