Podcasts about national catholic education association

Emily and Edmund welcome John Galvan, Vice President of Assessments at the National Catholic Education Association. John has served in Catholic ministry for many years and brings to the podcast a wealth of wisdom and fever for sharing the Catholic faith. Together with our host, he discusses the power of experiences, practical ways to share the faith in your home, and what's giving him hope these days.   Shownotes: (00:04) Edmund and Emily welcome you to this episode of Real+True's podcast. They introduce the topic of this podcast, “Evangelizing Catechesis in Catholic Schools” and our guest. John Galvan. John is the NCEA Vice President of Assessments and has been in the ministry of Catholic Education for over 30 years. He is well-versed in Catechetics and what it means for our sense of belonging in life, in and out of the Church. He holds a B.A. in art, M.A. in practical theology, and an M.Ed. in educational leadership & administration. John shares the mission of Catholic education, “it's not a concept, it's an encounter with a person. It's an encounter with the living God through Jesus Christ.” (05:55) “How do you encourage teachers to help form students within Catholic education while also knowing that some of it is just up to God's grace?” Our hosts and guests take time to wonder at the power of God's grace and his specific plan of conversion for each soul. They talk about the many seeds that were planted in their hearts through Catholic education. (11:27 ) Emily shares, “If you're involving students in those experiences, then it's gonna be seen as not just information, but more relevant to their lives.” The discussion covers the power of experiences in helping students encounter Christ. Emily and John share about their testimonies and how they came to encounter God, encounters that we built on their previous Catholic education. The discussion goes on to cover the issue of ‘relevance' and how to bring students to an understanding of God in their lives. (22:54) Practical ways to bring faith into your home and “creating that culture of encounter for students.” John discusses how he as a father shares his faith with his daughter, including praying with her before bed. He discusses how many children evangelize their parents and often families grow together in the faith if the children are engaging their faith in school. (27:07) ‘What excites you about the future of Catholic education?” John shares the hope he has to be seeing ministries like Real+True share the Gospel and bring the light of the Catholic faith to our world. He shares that the Church has changed in his lifetime and is growing and that brings him hope.An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Catholic Mom founder Lisa Hendey continues the series from the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress with special guest author Carolyn Woo, the Keynote speaker. Dr. Carolyn Woo coordinated and facilitated the Vatican Dialogues for Energy Transition in 2018, 2019 and 2021. She is a board member of National Catholic Education Association, Our Sunday Visitor, Our Sunday Visitor Institute, Holy Cross Family Ministries and Give Us This Day. Carolyn served as CEO and President of Catholic Relief Services from 2012 to 2016. Carolyn received her Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degrees from Purdue University. She is the author of two books, "Working for a Better World", and "Rising: Learning from Women's Leadership in Catholic Ministries". Carolyn is married and has two sons.  Show Note Links:   Rising: Learning from Women's Leadership in Catholic Ministries on amazon  Working for a Better World on amazon 

On today's episode, our host Marianela Nunez is joined by guest host Mike Bress to interview Margaret Kaplow, Vice President at the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), the largest, private professional education association in the world. Their membership includes nearly 140,000 educators serving 1.6 million students in Catholic education. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including Margaret's time at the Washington Post, her role at the NCEA, and how Catholic schools can not only survive, but thrive! Towards the end of the discussion, the group discusses the upcoming Celebrate Catholic School Week, a national initiative across the country that celebrates what it means to attend a Catholic school. For anyone thinking about choosing Catholic schools for their child, this conversation is a great way to learn more about what to except and how to begin your search.   To learn more about South Jersey Catholic Schools, visit southjerseycatholicschools.org   To learn more about the National Catholic Education Association, visit ncea.org Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/show/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM domesticchurchmedia.org. Follow us on... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingCatholic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingcatholic Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkingcatholic

On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Kevin Baxter, former superintendent of Catholic schools for the largest U.S. archdiocese, Chief Innovation Officer for the National Catholic Education Association, and current director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. They discuss Dr. Baxter's recent book, Greatness in Smallness: A Vision for Catholic Microschools, published by the NCEA. As Dr. Baxter describes it, a "microschool" isn't defined so much by total enrollment, but is rather an attitudinal posture that isn't afraid to depart from historical paradigms. For example, he describes how multi-age instruction (multiple ages of kids in one classroom) couldn't be further from a "desperate" measure, but rather is a model with many, many benefits for children, and which is being used in some premier, high-tuition schools. Looking to the future, he sees leadership and innovation as the two pillars on which Catholic schools can newly thrive (again, not defined in enrollment data) in the years ahead.

On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Kevin Baxter, former superintendent of Catholic schools for the largest U.S. archdiocese, Chief Innovation Officer for the National Catholic Education Association, and current director of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame. They discuss Dr. Baxter's recent book, Greatness in Smallness: A Vision for Catholic Microschools, published by the NCEA. As Dr. Baxter describes it, a "microschool" isn't defined so much by total enrollment, but is rather an attitudinal posture that isn't afraid to depart from historical paradigms. For example, he describes how multi-age instruction (multiple ages of kids in one classroom) couldn't be further from a "desperate" measure, but rather is a model with many, many benefits for children, and which is being used in some premier, high-tuition schools. Looking to the future, he sees leadership and innovation as the two pillars on which Catholic schools can newly thrive (again, not defined in enrollment data) in the years ahead.

Garrett is joined today by Shawn Peterson from Catholic Education Partners and Jill Annable with the National Catholic Education Association to discuss the Roman Catholic Church's stance on education and the role Catholic education plays in the greater education environment, especially in rural communities. They explore the history of Catholic education in the United States and also discuss how the role of Catholic education has evolved overtime in the lives of Catholic families as school choice options expand in many states.    https://www.ncea.org/    https://catholiced.us/    Learn more about Catholic microschools: https://www.ncea.org/Store/detail.aspx?id=ADM-31-1629    Follow CEP @CathEdPartners Follow Shawn Peterson on Twitter @FirmusTraditus  Follow NCEA @nceatalk  Follow Jill Annable @JillAnnable    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Donate: www.cardinalinstitute.com/donate Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cardinalinstitute Newsletter: www.cardinalinstitute.com/contact YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosCMp86mjLbf8ZWfE5yS7Q Twitter: @CardinalWV Facebook: /CardinalInstitute/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardinal-institute-for-wv-policy/ Instagram: @teamcardinalwv

KEN CUCCINELLI, former Acting Deputy Secretary of the, Department of Homeland Security, now Visiting Fellow at The Heritage Foundation discusses the Biden administration's recent actions on immigration reform. MOST REV. SALVATORE CORDILEONE, Archbishop of San Francisco updates us on his ongoing efforts to get Catholics back to Mass despite COVID lockdowns, and the controversy brewing between pro-abortion Catholic politicians & the Church. KATHY MEARS, Acting President of The National Catholic Education Association and pediatrician and author DR. MEG MEEKER talk about the effects of the pandemic on the education and well-being of students. DR. RALPH MARTIN, president of Renewal Ministries an Director of Graduate Programs at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit discusses his new book, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward.

KEN CUCCINELLI, former Acting Deputy Secretary of the, Department of Homeland Security, now Visiting Fellow at The Heritage Foundation discusses the Biden administration's recent actions on immigration reform. MOST REV. SALVATORE CORDILEONE, Archbishop of San Francisco updates us on his ongoing efforts to get Catholics back to Mass despite COVID lockdowns, and the controversy brewing between pro-abortion Catholic politicians & the Church. KATHY MEARS, Acting President of The National Catholic Education Association and pediatrician and author DR. MEG MEEKER talk about the effects of the pandemic on the education and well-being of students. DR. RALPH MARTIN, president of Renewal Ministries an Director of Graduate Programs at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit discusses his new book, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward.

A presentation by Quentin Wodon (International Office of Catholic Education), followed by discussion with Annie Smith (Director of Research and Data, National Catholic Education Association), Andrew Miller (Boston College), and Timothy Uhl (Superintendent, Catholic Schools for Montana). Catholic schools and universities aim to educate the whole person. Beyond strong academics, they aim to educate towards fraternal humanism. Do we have any evidence that they succeed? Based on recent research for the United States conducted under the new collaborative Global Catholic Education project, including a set of papers prepared for a special issue of the Journal of Catholic Education, this webinar will explore this question. Topics to be considered include (1) whether parents sending children to Catholic schools have different priorities for what children should learn in school than other parents; (2) whether students in Catholic schools exhibit self-discipline; (3) whether different stakeholders have different worldviews for Catholic schools; (4) whether there is less violence in Catholic schools than in other schools; (5) whether going to Catholic schools is associated with particular patterns of family formation later in life; and (6) more generally, what is meant by a Catholic identity. While the discussion will focus in large part on schools, implications for Catholic universities will also be discussed. After a presentation summarizing findings from recent research, panelists will share their views on how Catholic schools and universities could rely on these and other research findings to improve the education they provide "beyond test scores".  This event is presented by the Lumen Christi Institute, the Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization (CREDO), Global Catholic Education, Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (GRACE), the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), and the International Office of Catholic Education (OIEC). This event is cosponsored by America Media, and the Roche Center for Catholic Education.

Today's guest is ​Crista MILLER who is the Director of Music and Cathedral Organist at Houston’s Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart where she chaired the Organ Committee for Martin Pasi’s Opus 19 pipe organ. She oversees the Celebrity Organ Series and the First Friday University of Houston Series and leads a growing Cathedral music organization, with the Schola Cantorum in high demand for large-scale, festive liturgies, including those prepared for the National Catholic Education Association, the National Winter Conference of the University of St. Thomas’ St. Basil’s School of Gregorian Chant, Church Music Association of America, various Archdiocesan offices, and for Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza’s ceremonial receipt of the Pallium from Pope Benedict XVI in Rome in 2005. She was already a guest on the podcast 3 years ago when we talked about the new organ for the organ. Recently she left a thoughtful comment about our past podcast conversation so I asked how she is doing under the quarantine. Our chat seemed to me like a perfect topic for the podcast conversation so I invited her to be a guest again and she graciously agreed. So in this conversation we talk about organist's life during the quarantine - challenges and opportunities. Enjoy and let us know how you approach those challenges and opportunities yourself in the comments bellow.

November 17-23 will be Discover Catholic Schools Week across the country, an initiative by he National Catholic Education Association designated to help schools connect with prospective families, donors, educators and other community members. In the Diocese of Camden, the week will be used to highlight Catholic schools for families looking to find the right school for their children. With this in mind we welcome two veteran South Jersey Catholic School teachers onto the show, 4th Grade Math teacher Stuart Brayshaw and Technology teacher Jennifer Marisi. These two great STEM educators chat with hosts Marianela Nunez and Mike Walsh about what differentiates Catholic schools from public schools. Stu and Jen will also be featured in a series of diocesan videos that will be rolling out on Facebook and YouTube during #DiscoverCatholicSchools week! Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Alexa or at http://www.camdendiocese.org/talkingcatholic

John Meehan is a high school English teacher and the school instructional coach at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. John is a member of the 2016–2018 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council, a member of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2017, and a 2016 "40 Under 40" honoree of the Arlington Leadership Center for Excellence. A multi-time presenter at the annual conferences for Virginia ASCD, the National Catholic Education Association, and the Play Like a Champion Today conference at the University of Notre Dame, John is a champion for high-energy, student-centered instruction, and his professional Twitter feed (@MeehanEDU) is packed with a daily array of photos, videos, blogs, tweets, and podcasts of he and his students putting this same spirit into action. Mr. Meehan’s fully gamified high school English class website is likewise loaded with all sorts of ideas for classroom games, side quests, leaderboards, and world building storylines.

Annette Jones, the Assistant Director of Leadership Development at the National Catholic Education Association, describes her past experience as an NBRS principal of a non-public school and her current work supporting schools on the path to NBRS recognition. Annette Jones Interview Transcript   For more information on becoming a National Blue Ribbon School, please visit… Continue Reading NBRS State Liaison Interviews—National Catholic Educational Association

Dr. Thomas Burnford, the President/CEO of the National Catholic Education Association, joins Dr. Tim Uhl on the Catholic School Matters podcast to discuss the US Bishop's Pastoral Statement from 1972 "To Teach As Jesus Did."  This is the third podcast in the Church Documents podcast series which explores the message of the Church pertaining to Catholic education. 

Dr. Tom Burnford, the President/CEO of the National Catholic Education Association, joins Dr. Tim Uhl on the Catholic School Matters podcast to discuss the upcoming Catholic Leadership Summit.  Dr. Burnford explains why he believes it is time for a new vision for American Catholic schools and he outlines the process for its development.

Welcome to the first episode of The Philanthropy Podcast! Today, we have a brief introduction to me and what prompted me to start a podcast. I'll discuss the concerning things I kept hearing from schools leaders and non-profits directors that prompted me to speak at 2017's National Catholic Education Association Convention and present a session entitled: "Pre-K through Ph.D.: How School Leaders & Advancement Officers at Any Level Can Learn to Love Making an Ask." I was fortunate co-present with a friend and former classmate of mine, Zach Zeckser, principal of St. Mark's Catholic School in St. Paul, MN. Zach's a great example of how someone who doesn't start out in development can become a great fundraiser if their heart and mind are in the right place. I also share my vision for The Philanthropy Podcast and what kind of episodes, show formats, guests, and ideas I hope to discuss. I mention that there are a few ways you can invest in the show that will make for a much better product as it grows. Please consider: Nominating someone to appear as a guest on the show Providing feedback on what you enjoyed or didn't enjoy and suggesting possible show topics Supporting the production of the show, its editing, and costs Sharing the show with people you think would be interested on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, or via Email through the social media links. I plan to to link to the organizations I mention for the first time in an episode since we all benefit from increased awareness. Today's episode includes discussions of: National Catholic Education Association 2017 Convention in St. Louis St. Mark's Catholic School in St. Paul, MN (an amazing example of a Catholic school website) The Archdiocese of Chicago (Where I just joined an amazing team)  The University of Notre Dame (Where I was surrounded by one of the best development teams in the country) St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago (Where I really found my legs and my mentor in fundraising) St. Agnes of Bohemia School (Where I got my start in development)

The first episode of "Catholic School Matters" with Dr. Tim Uhl features an interview with Dr. Tom Burnford, the president/CEO of the National Catholic Education Association.

The National Catholic Education Association has endorsed the Federal Government’s “Common Core” educational standards. Should Catholics be concerned? The National Catholic Education Association has endorsed the Federal Government’s “Common Core” educational standards. Should Catholics be concerned?

Summary of today's show: On a special Thursday news edition of the show, Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy discuss the week's headlines, including the Pilot special report on a Boston pilgrimage to Cuba; the retirement of three long-serving pastors; the sale of St. James in Wellesley; National Catholic Education Association convention in Boston next week; and a profile of the work of the diocesan archives. Finally, the panel took some time to discuss the importance of the Easter Triduum, especially Holy Thursday and Good Friday and the unique differences from all other liturgies. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Visiting Cuba; retiring pastors; diocesan archives; the Triduum 1st segment: Scot wished Susan a blessed Triduum. He said what stands out for him today is that there isn't a Mass today at the Pastoral Center. Susan said the Holy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper is worth waiting for. Fr. Roger said the Chrism Mass is traditionally held on Thursday morning. There can also be a Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper for those whom it would be impossible to attend the regular evening Mass, but that requires a bishops' permission. Scot said part of the Holy Thursday observance is to process from the Church with the Blessed Sacrament to a place of reservation to hold vigil with the Lord. Scot wanted to start with the news this week, especially the Pilot's special coverage of Pope Benedict's trip to Cuba. Greg said he and his wife, Donis, who wrote most of the articles, accompanied a delegation of Boston pilgrims who went to Havana to go to Mass with the Holy Father, but also visited cultural sites as well as the work of Caritas Cubana, the Church's social service agency. Donis also wrote a story detailing Cardinal Seán's long relationship with the Cuban people. When he was first a priest in Washington, DC, he worked closely with Cuban-Americans in serving refugees and others. Scot said the Cardinal talked a bout how conditions in Cuba changed significantly after 1998 when Pope John Paul II visited Cuba. The cardinal went to Cuba in 2003 for an apostolic visitation of the seminaries. “I found that of the 80 or so seminarians, 90 percent of them were converts who attributed their conversion to [Pope] John Paul II's visit to Cuba,” he said. Scot noted that Raul Castro declared Good Friday to be a national holiday this year after Pope Benedict's visit. Cardinal Seán said, “Hopefully the Church will be allowed a greater presence in the media — in Catholic radio, Catholic newspapers, and the like… and will be allowed to have a Church presence in schools and hospitals, something that today they are not allowed to do.” He added, “I think the Holy Father's presence brought the world's attention to Cuba, which is a good thing because it helps to put pressure on the government to continue to change and to allow greater freedom to the people of Cuba,” he said, “which is something we would all like to see.” Fr. Roger said being in the presence of Christ's Vicar on earth is a powerful reminder that the reason for the Pope was Peter and the reason for Peter was Jesus and it's all real. It's a powerful reminder that the Christian story is all true and it's not just history, but a present reality. He said it's also curious that while Good Friday will be a civil holiday, we also heard that 42 Cubans arrested during the visit last week that they will remain in prison through the Triduum. Scot said he enjoyed the profile of the Educational Travel Alliance, which has been leading trips to Cuba for the last 10 years. He noted that the founder has personal reasons for this work. For Eizenberg, the trips are also closely linked to his personal experiences. He said the words of his mother, a survivor of a Nazi death camp, echo in his mind whenever he brings a group to Cuba. “She used to say, ‘We knew we were really in trouble when no one was coming (to Germany) anymore and we were left alone with them,'” said Eizenberg. “I don't want that to happen to the Cuban people anymore,” he added. In the future Eizenberg is hoping to develop a campus ministry program facilitate student mission trips to Cuba. “Campus ministries go everywhere in the world to help people, but they don't go to Cuba,” he explained. “We shouldn't keep Cuba off the map,” he said. Greg said the more they got to know the travel organizers the more they realized that there was a story in their work and mission. Greg said his impression of Cuba is that it's a country stuck in time. It's essentially stuck in 1959, at the moment of revolution. “Cuba is unlike any other place we have taken anyone,” added Rice. “You feel like you are really touching people's lives — be it the tour guides, the waiters, everyone — which is unlike anywhere else in the world since now society is so homogenized everywhere.” “By nature, the American people are very generous,” added Eizenberg, noting that people who go on his exchanges often come laden with everything from soaps and spices to nail polish and children's toys — items that can be found on any U.S. store shelf but can be nearly impossible to obtain for ordinary Cuban citizens. Susan said thought it was interesting how Eizenberg said he was immediately hooked on Cuba and thought he could make a little difference. She said one doesn't have to change the world, if you can change one person's life. Greg said his group visited a senior center and brought little fun-sized candy bars to hand out and one of the women said these were extremely valuable. She said her grandchildren might see one of these per year if they're lucky. 2nd segment: Scot noted the news of official appointments in the Pilot this week, including the granting of senior priest/retirement status effective June 5: Fr. Richard Crowley, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Middleborough, Fr. Francis Daley, pastor of Sts. Martha and Mary, Lakeville, and Fr. James Rafferty, pastor of St. Paul in Hingham. Fr. Rafferty received an award as a priest of the year on Tuesday after the Chrism Mass. Susan noted her work with Fr. Crowley and how much he has done in that parish, along with the other pastors. Scot said the parish in Lakeville is in a beautiful location. Scot said Fr. Jim Rafferty took some heat a couple of years ago for a decision he made about admission of child of a lesbian couple. Fr. Roger wrote an editorial at the time about how Fr. Rafferty took heat for this decision, which he believes was appropriate given that the child would have been taught at school that her situation at home was immoral. Fr. Roger said Fr. Rafferty was really looking out for the best interests of that child. Fr. Roger noted that Fr. Rafferty is looked up to by all priests, young and old, and has set a good example of being a pastor. Scot said he was impressed by the way Fr. Rafferty handled that situation. Also in the Pilot is Vatican approval of the sale of the former parish church of St. James to the town of Wellesley where they will build an athletic center. Scot noted that the parish had been in vigil for several years and he hopes that this will bring closure and help the town of Wellesley. There is a special insert in the Pilot this week for the National Catholic Education Association, which will hold its national conference in Boston next week. Susan said it's a very large event over three days. It attracts national speakers and lots of attention. She said it's convenient for the conference to come to Boston because they don't get to travel for conventions lately. Scot said the Inner City Scholarship Fund had it's annual dinner to raise $3.7 million for Catholic school scholarships. Greg said they always want to do a story to acknowledge the work that they do. One of the students who receive help spoke at the dinner. In making the announcement Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Tucci also recognized Fortune Kalala, a senior at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, who was the evening's student speaker. Fortune, a scholarship recipient and honor roll student, moved to Lawrence when he was 13 from Mozambique where he had lived in a refugee camp with his family. After years of fleeing political unrest and civil war, Fortune began the 7th grade not knowing any English. After two years of hard work, he was accepted to Central Catholic High School and was able to attend because of a scholarship provided by the Inner City Scholarship Fund. In the Anchor this week is a profile of the Archives of the Diocese of Fall River. Fr. Roger said it's part of a continuing series on diocesan agencies. He said the Archives keep the history of the diocese. Those records are very important for future Catholics to understand what happened in the past. Susan said Robert Johnson Lally, the archivist in Boston, has been extremely helpful for her when she researches her own topics. She finds the material to be gripping and amusing. Scot said he went through the archives once to read all the files used to plan the visit of Pope John Paul II to Boston in 1979. 3rd segment: This week's benefactor card raffle winner is Joseph Szymanski from Boston, MA He wins the CD “The Truth” by Fr. Larry Richards and “The Stations of the Cross in Masterpiece Art,” a set of 6”x9” prints. If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit . For a one-time $30 donation, you'll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM's weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 4th segment: Scot and Fr. Roger discussed that the Triduum is a season of its own, inaugurating the Easter season. Scot said one of his favorite George Weigel columns, “Easter changes everything.” In the Gospel readings of the Easter Octave, the Church annually remembers the utterly unprecedented nature of the paschal event, and how it exploded expectations of what God's decisive action in history would be. No one gets it, at first; for what has happened bursts the previous limits of human understanding. The women at the empty tomb don't understand, and neither do Peter and John. The disciples on the road to Emmaus do not understand until they encounter the Risen One in the Eucharist, the great gift of paschal life, offered by the new Temple, the divine Presence, himself. At one encounter with the Risen Lord, the Eleven think they're seeing a ghost; later, up along the Sea of Galilee, it takes awhile for Peter and John to recognize that “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7). These serial episodes of incomprehension, carefully recorded by the early Church, testify to the shattering character of Easter, which changed everything: the first disciples' understanding of history, of life-beyond-death, of worship and its relationship to time (thus Sunday, the day of Easter, becomes the Sabbath of the New Covenant). Easter also changed the first disciples' understanding of themselves and their responsibilities. They were the privileged ones who must keep alive the memory of Easter: in their preaching, in their baptizing and breaking of bread, and ultimately in the new Scriptures they wrote. They were the ones who must take the Gospel of the Risen One to “all nations,” in the sure knowledge that he would be with them always (Matthew 28:19-20). They were to “be transformed” (Romans 12:2). So are we. Fr. Roger's editorial this week examines the heart of Holy Week, which the Heart of the Christian faith and life itself. The heart is who Jesus is and what he's trying to do. Pope Benedict notes that the people around Jesus at first acclaimed an idol of their own imagination rather the Jesus as the real Messiah and King. Jesus came to give witness to the truth. Jesus is the axis of truth on which everything depends. In being crucified, Christ becomes the power and wisdom of God. We need to recognize Jesus as the truth and not separate him from the truth that he taught. In our relativistic age, people reject the idea of truth. Scot noted that this Holy Thursday is a much bigger deal than Opening Day for the baseball season. Susan said these three days are the jewel in the crown of our liturgical year. We celebrate and remember the ongoing Eucharist in our lives. These aren't holy days of obligation, but Susan said her church is packed at every service because how much richer Easter is when we've walked the walk with Jesus. Scot said some will ask why they're not holy days of obligation. Fr. Roger said the Church would never dream of making something so significant mandatory. A practicing Christian would never be forced to go; they're going to want to be there. That's how it's supposed to be for us as Christians. To call it an obligation would be to downgrade it. Scot noted that the Holy Thursday Mass has two significant differences: the washing of the feet of 12 men and that the Mass has no actual dismissal, but continues to a place of adoration. Greg noted that the connection to the Passover seder and how the least important person, usually the youngest child, would wash to hands of all those present. Jesus takes this last place and then goes further to wash feet, which in the Middle East feet are considered lowly and unclean. Fr. Roger noted that the Book of Revelations says were are cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, and Jesus takes on the form of a slave to wash us in his own Blood. Then he gives us the chalice of his Blood, where he continues his love to the extreme. He institutes the priesthood to continue to feed us and wash us across time and space. Like a parent for a small child, Jesus washes us and feeds us. Scot noted that on Good Friday, it isn't a Mass, we hear the Passion from the Gospel of John, and we have the veneration of the Cross. We also pray profound prayers of petition for the world. Susan said we are a Church of sign and symbol and much of what we do doesn't have words. We hear the Passion of the Lord and we kiss the cross, and it's a powerful action. Scot said there will not be an episode of The Good Catholic Life on Good Friday and wished all listeners a Happy Easter. 5th segment:

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Dr. Mary Grassa-O'Neill, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, and Jim Walsh, Associate Superintendent for Finance and Administration Links from today's show: Today's topics: Catholic Schools Week: Wrapup Summary of today's show: In our last show of Catholic Schools Week, Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell welcome Mary Grassa-O'Neill and Jim Walsh from the Catholic Schools Office to give listeners more examples of how Catholic schools around the Archdiocese celebrated, including students performing in Chinese at Boston College High and a human rosary at Holy Family in Rockland. They then discussed the success of Catholic schools in Boston, including the first rise in enrollment in decades and tools for principals and pastors to use to better ensure financial viability and strategize for future success in ensuring every child who wants an education steeped in the Catholic faith can have one. 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Mark discussed the Super Bowl on Sunday then discussed the meeting of the Cardinal's Cabinet. Fr. Mark said the meeting was very forward-looking. Fr. Mark said it's also the Feast of St. Blaise and he's been blessing many throats today. On the day after the Feast of the Presentation, on which the candles are blessed, the candles are used for the blessing. He offered the same blessing to anyone who hadn't been able to receive it today. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Mark welcomed Mary and Jim to the show. Scot asked Mary for her highlights of the week. She said it's exciting because there are so many activities. She said it begins with the special themed Masses, many of which take place in the parishes last Sunday and others which have them each day. BC High had a program this week called “Chinese Idol,” in which students performed in Chinese, to encourage them to continue to learn Chinese and learn Chinese culture. They were accompanied by an all-strings orchestra from Beijing. They offer nine levels of Chinese instruction and send students to China each year. She said we have to do more in our schools to prepare students for engaging Asian cultures in the future. Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy in Neponset also had a big Chinese celebration. Meanwhile, Holy Family School in Rockland did a human rosary, with each student being one of the prayers. St. Agatha's in Milton had a standing-room only Mass that had over 600 students plus more from the community. Trinity Catholic in Brockton had the mayor and public school superintendent come in to read to the children and they had career days. That is a big school as well with 560 students on two campuses. Mary said the National Catholic Education Association provides suggestions, but schools come up with their own ideas. Quincy Catholic Academy students learned about filmmaking and made stop-motion movies. Other schools take educational field trips. Scot said there seems to be three purposes: school spirit, highlight the Catholic identity, and market the schools to potential students. Jim said it's also an opportunity to celebrate the sense of community. Many honor and give tribute to the religious orders that founded and staffed those schools, teaching about former principals and teachers, for example. They welcome in former students as well as parents and grandparents to see what's going on in the schools. Fr. Mark talked about the connection between the pastors of the parish and the schools. Mary told a story of one child with cancer at St. Mary in Melrose who had chemo but was afraid to come back with no hair so the pastor, Fr. Sullivan, got a local barber and five classmates (with permission of their parents) and they all shaved their heads in solidarity, Fr. Sullivan too. Scot said Catholic Schools Office has three main themes: Strengthening Catholic identity, enhancing academic excellence, and giving vitality to finances. Mary said academic excellence is critical because it's using God's gifts to their fullest. Fr. Mark said not all students are Catholic and we have a mission to educate everyone. Mary said 82% of students are Catholic, and non-Catholic students know they will be asked to participate in the Catholic life of the schools. Scot said Jim also participates in Catholic Schools Week as a parent with children at Xaverian Brothers in Westwood and St. Catherine of Siena in Norwood. He talked about how his own kids took part in events at their schools. He said they had open houses for potential students and their families next year. 3rd segment: Mary told a story of how the students and teachers of St. Catherine's in Norwood lined the streets during the funeral procession of a soldier who died in Afghanistan. The students held their hands over their hearts and waved flags silently to give comfort to the soldier's family and promote the Gospel ideal of laying one's life down one's friends. Jim said there are 123 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese, 89 of them are Archdiocesan parish or Archdiocesan-related schools. Some schools are separately incorporated or owned by religious orders. All of the schools participate in archdiocesan events. The five Catholic colleges also participate and cooperate with the Catholic Schools Office. Mary said there are many Catholic school leaders and the team at CSO help focus on Catholic identity, excellence in academics, and a strong and viable business plan. She said one example of a Catholic school that's taken their help to heart is St. Agnes in Arlington. They had an assessment of their business plan and completely redesigned it so that the parish no longer has to provide financial support to the Catholic. The CSO undertook a study of the business plans and finances of all the Catholic elementary schools and came up with a snapshot of each school and a tool to help monitor and track how the school is doing over time. It gave a whole new vocabulary to pastors and principals because they're not usually trained in business. In the past, the Archdiocese would sometimes hear of a school in distress at the last minute and this tool helps the CSO to monitor schools and give assistance long before the situation gets desperate. Scot asked Jim how the CSO helps schools that are in the danger. He noted that school enrollment in Catholic schools is up for the first time in decades. Jim said schools have generally fallen into three zones, red, yellow and green. They've used this “dashboard” tool to help schools under the metrics that drive the viability of schools, keeping in mind the competitive environment for private schools. The CSO has had several workshops to teach school leaders to understand the metrics and develop a strategy. For example, they're showing schools to strategize their funds to increase ongoing income as opposed to single-time gifts. Scot said a key to a successful Catholic school is the principal and asked how they look for a good fit for each school. Mary said they have helped 45 schools find a new principals in the past few years. They help the school define the job requirements and what they're looking for, hold parish meetings, help form screening committees, and provide other assistance. Mary said our principals are very talented, especially when you see the results. Catholic school students are far outpacing their public school peers in achievement of all kinds. Yet the principals are being compensated, in general, at well below market rate. Scot said a part of the success is getting the word out about the value of Catholic education. Mary said we have to promote our own good news. Catholic school students graduate at a 98% rate, ethnic minorities do better than their public school counterparts, and Catholic school students attend college at a higher rate. Part of the reason is that our people really care about Catholic education, invest a lot of themselves, and focus on what it is they're trying to accomplish. Jim said he's proud of a number of initiatives and recommendations that have taken place in recent years. One of the first was the opening of Trinity Catholic Academy in Brockton. It has a stable enrollment base and many pastoral, educational and social service programs such that the school is often the best thing happening in those kids' lives. He then spoke of Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy which has 1,300 students on four campuses in Boston's inner city. They've now create a Xaverian Brothers-sponsored Catholic high school in Lowell, which is now at capacity with a waiting list. Jim said these intiatives help build the Church in urban areas, but also help stabilize neighborhoods. He cited the example of the St. Peter teen center at Pope John Paul II that provides a place for children well into the night. Mary said Catholic schools provide benefits that surpass your expectations including learning in a Christ-centered environment that promotes a sense of teamwork, community, and caring. 4th segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. Job spoke, saying: Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they come to an end without hope. Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again. Gospel for February 5, 2012, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mark 1:29-39) On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. Scot said in these readings, suffering is very present. In the first reading we only hear part of the story of Job, in which people doubted Job's faithfulness because he was so blessed. So the blessings were withheld and remained faithful to God. In the Gospel there was much suffering as well and those sufferers came to Jesus and were healed. Fr. Mark said the message of Job is incomplete. The completion of the message of sacrifice and the problem of pain is in the healing message of Jesus. Mary said the first reading makes her think how love of God and faithfulness comes from within. Scot said in the Gospel Jesus healed people one on one. He didn't heal whole crowds at once, but brought his love to the individual. Jim said when we are praying, our prayer sustains us in those difficulties. Often when we pray, we can recognize those who come into our lives as an answer to prayer. Our prayer life sustains us. Fr. Mark said Jesus is the busiest person around. He's got three years to do everything and people are flocking to him, but notice how the Gospel writers say he rose and went to prayer. He always found time to pray. There's no one busier than our Lord, but he finds time to pray.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Ad limina visit; Assisi prayer; US: beacon of hope; Cheverus awards Summary of today's show: In this week's roundup of the news, Scot Landry and Susan Abbott are joined once again by Fr. Roger Landry and Gregory Tracy to discuss the New England bishops' ad limina visit to Rome; the gathering for peace by the world's religious leaders in Assisi, Italy; the papal nuncio's admiration for the US as a beacon of hope; the Cheverus Awards for unsung heroes in the pews of the Archdiocese of Boston; new pastors and priests who who've died; a collection for retired religious sisters; the Pope on nihilism; and the 100th anniversary of Boston's first cardinal. 1st segment: Susan started the week with a meeting in Worcester with the Catholic school superintendents of New England and religious education leaders to discuss the upcoming National Catholic Education Association in Boston in Spring. She also met with her religious education counterparts for New England to discuss their collaborative work. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Roger and Greg to the show. Fr. Roger wished his goddaughter Ally, who happens to be Scot's daughter, a happy eighth birthday. The big story is that the bishops of the US region 1, which includes all of New England, have been meeting with the Holy Father. Usually there is a lot of news and releases related to these kinds of meetings and there hasn't been much this time. Greg said the ad limina is usually about every 5 years, but these bishops haven't been in 7 years and it's the first time meeting with Pope Benedict. They report on the status of their diocese, meet with the Pope, and meet with various Vatican officials. They receive the Holy Father's concerns and encouragement for their dioceses and to share their own concerns. This is the first group of US bishops for this round of ad limina visits by the American bishops. One of the public events chronicled in the Pilot is how they kicked off the visit with Mass at the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican. Susan said the excerpts of Cardinal Seán's homily say he spoke about how Jesus didn't select Peter for his intellectual capacity or organizational skills or fundraising capacity, but only asked if he loved the Lord. Fr. Roger said he was surprised there wasn't a papal address during the ad limina. John Paul gave an address for each of the regions as they visited. Normally that's what drives the news cycle, when he responds to what he has received from the bishops. We'll have to wait until our bishops return to find out the results. 3rd segment: Fr. Roger dedicated his editorial this week “path to peace” on the topic of Pope Benedict's remarks at the Assisi interfaith meeting on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the first such meeting. Pope Benedict contextualized what the religious leaders were doing 25 years ago, by noting the fall of the Berlin Wall a few years later and he said that interreligious prayer for peace brought peace to that part of the world. He also talked of the threats to peace that threaten the world today: terrorism, especially that which is religiously motivated—not just Muslims either—as well as the violence that is done through the absence of God in places with a lack of religious freedom. Pope Benedict said we also see it in the scourge of drug use, which is an expression of the degeneration of the desire for human happiness into a craving that is exploited. Pope Benedict brought these up so that all religious people could combat these problems throughout the world. Susan said one of the hungers in the human heart is for peace. She remembers the 1986 Assisi gathering and a discussion that we weren't coming together to pray for peace, but we were coming together to pray for peace in our own traditions. Greg said the absence of religion can be the greatest barrier to peace. Fr. Roger said it's often agreed that St. Francis of Assisi is universally considered a saint. He's also known as a reconciler, even going to Egypt to meet the Saladin to ask for peace. 4th segment: The new nuncio to the US is Archbishop Vigano who called the youth of this country a beacon of hope to the world. He arrives here on Saturday. “Europe has become an ‘old continent,' but the United States has a youth that is brilliant and enthusiastic. I hope to be able to work with them in my new position,” he said.” Susan said it's wonderful that he sees us as a young country that is also setting the trend in ways that he hopes will spread through the world. Scot said the Archbishop said it's wonderful how in the US there are many communities that come together to form one country. We can take the melting pot of the US for granted, but Greg said we need to remember how in European countries that there is less diversity of culture and community. The Archbishop loves science and is interested in the intersection of science and faith. Fr. Roger said the archbishop sees in science the fingerprints of God. Fr. Roger recalled his own work in biotechnology before entering seminary and how often he saw the order of creation that points to God. The US is the real cutting edge of bioethical discussion because we have so much scientific research and someone so interested in that intersection would find the US a fascinating bioethical laboratory. The archbishop hinted that he will concentrate on religious freedom issues, especially conscience freedoms for people of faith working in science-related areas. Fr. Roger said the US bishops have formed a new committee on religious freedom to counter the recent attacks on human dignity and religious freedom. Susan asked if there's a term for nuncios, and Fr. Roger said it's indefinite. It's also traditional for bishops to offer their resignation on their 75th birthday although the Pope could ask him to continue on. 5th segment: An article in the Pilot this week lists the 97 Cheverus award recipients. The Cheverus award was implemented by Cardinal Seán in 2008 to recognize parishioners who give service to their parish and the archdiocese over a long period of time. Susan noted that she knows many of this year's recipients, including her brother-in-law, Arthur Abbott. One third of the parishes nominate a parishioner each year. The awards are given on November 20 during a service at Holy Cross cathedral at 3pm. Greg said pastors of the recipients are unanimous in their effusive appreciation of the people who serve quietly in parishes. The Cheverus award is modeled on the Marian award that Cardinal Seán gave out when he was bishop of Fall River. Fr. Roger said the recipients are often people who don't often get many thanks or much credit for what they do. It's very moving. It's tough for the pastor to single out one person to be awarded each year. Fr. Roger implemented a yearly award in his own parish in which parishioners nominate from among their fellow congregants those who should be recognized for their service. Also on November 20, there will be a collection taken up for the retired religious sisters. Because so many of the current sisters entered religious life in the 40s and 50s, but they weren't able to enter the Social Security system until the 1970s and so they have meager means to support themselves, especially as there a fewer younger sisters to continue supporting them. 6th segment: Sister Susan Frederick who has been president of Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen for the past eight years has recently been appointed a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary General Council. Susan said it was very touching in the article to read the comments sister's students. The sadness of her leaving is tempered by the excitement of the new chapter in her life. She is Methuen native and has been a religious sister for 30 years. Also announced this week, Fr. Thomas Mahoney who was Catholic Chaplain at Mass. General has been named Pastor of St. Joseph, Belmont, as of December 8. Also in Salem, St. Thomas the Apostle had been pastored by Fr. John Sheridan, who is also the Pastor of St. James in Salem, but will now be pastored by Fr. John MacInnis, who remains Pastor of St. John the Baptist in Peabody. Scot mentioned three obituaries in the Pilot this week for Fr. Arthur DiPietro, Fr. Charles Weber, and Fr. Francis Regan. 7th segment: Scot said on Sunday the Holy Father spoke during the Angelus how the removal of Christ from our lives will cause us to fall backward to darkness. The world is plagued by nihilism which affects so many young people. Fr. Roger said nihilism means an attitude that nothing matters, that there is nothing beyond what we see and the world doesn't have any meaning. Many people have a practical nihilism in which they act is if there is no meaning beyond the gratification of the immediate moment. Fr. Roger said tonight he is heading out to hear an address from Archbishop Charles Chaput speak on the future of the Church in the United States. He will be speaking at Assumption College in Worcester at 7pm in Hagan Hall. It is open to the public. Greg noted that tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the elevation of Boston's first cardinal, Cardinal William O'Connell to the College of Cardinals.