2019 Catholic High School Education Guide (Catholic Herald, Milwaukee)

October 17, 2019

p Learn about the Catholic high school difference.

VOL. 151 NO. 34, 24 PAGES

Herald of Hope

High School Guide

Archbishop Listecki writes about how Catholic high school helped form him.

Dr. Kathleen Cepelka writes about the nurturing environment in Catholic high schools.

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October 17, 2019

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ARCHDIOCESE

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Catholic High Schools Provide Foundation for Faith Journey PUBLISHER Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki EDITORIAL Administration Jerry Topczewski • (414) 769-3590 topczewskij@archmil.org Communication Director Amy Grau • (414)769-3461 graua@archmil.org Associate Editor Larry Hanson • (414) 769-3466 hansonl@archmil.org Reporter Lauren Roach • (414) 769-3463 roachl@archmil.org Staff Writer Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman • (414) 429-1399 cmtdorman@gmail.com WISCONSIN CATHOLIC MEDIA APOSTOLATE Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki Christopher P. Brown Jeff Jackson Mark Sabljak Dr. William Thorn Jerry Topczewski ADVERTISING Display Sales Michael Elftman • (414) 769-3477 elftmanm@archmil.org Classified Advertising: (414) 769-3464 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Production Manager John Teggatz • (414) 769-3479 • teggatzj@archmil.org OFFICE Finance/Business Manager John Phillips • 414-769-3467 • phillipsj@archmil.org Circulation Coordinator Michelle Cummings • (414) 769-3464 cummingsm@archmil.org General Information Office: 3501 S. Lake Dr., St. Francis, WI 53235-0913 (414) 769-3500 • Fax: (414) 769-3468 Mailing: P.O. Box 070913, Milwaukee, WI 53207-0913 Web site: www.catholicherald.org E-mail: catholicherald@archmil.org Subscription Information Phone: (414) 769-3464 • Toll Free: (877) 769-7699 $28/year Postmaster: Send address changes to: Catholic Herald, PO Box 233, Congers, NY 10920 Phone: (414) 769-3464 Published weekly, except first week in January, first and third weeks in June, first and third weeks in July, first, third and fifth weeks in August, and the fourth week in November.

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There are certain moments of transition in our lives that signal growth and development. The very first day of school can be as traumatic for the parent as it is for the new little scholar; tears were shed by both. But it is a moment that calls for the parent to surrender control over their little one.

Eighth-grade graduations meant a decision must be made as to which high school one would attend. Of course, the ultimate decision is made by the parents but not after excessive lobbying on behalf of the personal choice by the potential high schooler.

Certainly, high school is one of those important moments. Although the freshman is at the bottom of the proverbial high school totem pole, it commences a process that will lead to a remarkable development in just four short years (the physical and intellectual growth). For the most part, it will be an introduction into a responsibility for the high school community. The student will be encouraged to contribute to school “spirit,” to support and participate in the various school events. During the four years, there is usually a focus on an academic area which will be either a career commitment or a personal interest for the rest of one’s life. The high school years are usually the first introduction to a political process where elections to school offices are accompanied by campaigns which present issues for consideration. Each year presents unique challenges to expand intellectual growth and social maturity. Can there be any doubt as to the importance of the high school years?

The choice of a Catholic high school may present a difficulty for some families because of the cost and at times the burden of transportation.

Recently a member of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Council emphasized to me

easy task given the demands of spiraling costs and shifting demographics.

But even in this era of challenges the archdiocesan high schools have not only maintained their populations but, in some instances, have increased their numbers.

the importance of a Catholic high school education. He told me many will complain about the cost. But he offered a significant argument. It is the best investment one can make for the future success of one’s child. From a business prospective, no one would hesitate to invest their money in a high-yielding IRA. They know that their return will be worth the money they spend even though that return will not be realized for a number of years. A Catholic high school education will assist the student in developing not only a strong academic appreciation but more so, it will contribute to the formation of the student in his or her responsibility to invest their time in the social well-being of their community. This responsibility is grounded in the faith life of the student and reflected in the person of Jesus Christ.

In the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, we are privileged to have 16 Catholic high schools. Some of these schools are governed by religious orders (Jesuits, Dominicans, Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida, Pallotine Fathers, School Sisters of St. Francis, Capuchins and Sisters of the Divine Savior — Salvatorians) as well as archdiocesan lay Catholic boards. All are involved with providing quality education in an environment that is mindful of their religious basis, ensuring the dignity of the human being. It has not been an

The archdiocese applauds the great work of our school administrations, faculty and staff for the efforts in creating these special communities and the sacrifices made by the parents who understand that their investment will bring dividends for their children, not only in this world but the world to come, establishing a pathway for them to life eternal.

In my personal life, it was 52 years ago that I had the honor of being a member of a wonderful Catholic high school, which provided a sense of direction and interaction with talented students, some of whom would be my lifelong friends.

Throughout my life, I viewed them successfully navigating our secular society. I attribute many of my academic interests and sense of leadership to those years that challenged my abilities. Later, as a priest (1975-79), I was assigned the position of dean of students and returned to the high school environment. One thing that did not change in those intervening years was the emphasis on living the faith as essential to a fully developed life. The sacraments, recollections, retreats and prayer life were a given.

There was a confidence in a God who accompanied you throughout the journey of your life. Although every faith life is primarily supported by the family, just imagine how important it is for that faith life to be reinforced by a school community that values faith. Many of us will talk about the importance of faith u

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October 17, 2019

Archbishop Listecki on List of 10 USCCB President Candidates LARRY HANSON CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

When the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released its list of 10 candidates to be president and vice president for the next three years, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki’s name was on it.

However, Archbishop Listecki said he was a little surprised that he had been nominated and that it wasn’t something he sought out.

The next president, who will replace GalvestonHouston Archbishop Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and serve for three years, will be selected during the USCCB general assembly, scheduled for Nov. 11-13 in Baltimore.

Archbishop Listecki noted that the current USCCB vice president and the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Jose H. Gomez, is most likely to replace Cardinal DiNardo as the common practice has been for the vice president to be elected president and the other nine candidates essentially being considered for the vice president role.

Archbishop Listecki said whoever is elected to one of the two roles will have to deal with Church transparency and reestablishing the confidence people have in the leadership of the Church, along with ongoing social issues such as abortion and immigration.

In addition to Archbishops Listecki and Gomez, the other names on the list are Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio (Military Services), Bishop Frank J. Caggiano (Bridgeport), Archbishop Paul S. Coakley (Oklahoma City), Archbishop Salvatore J. Cardileone (San Francisco), Bishop Daniel E. Flores (Brownsville), Bishop Thomas John Paprocki (Springfield, Illinois), Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades (Fort Wayne-South Bend) and Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron (Detroit). The 10 members of the list were nominated by their fellow bishops.

“It’s a slate of 10, and I can tell you right now, there are nine better candidates for the office than I am,” Archbishop Listecki said. “I’ve been a bishop for 18, almost 19, years and you get to be known among other bishops. When positions open up, I think because of more seniority than anything else, your name is usually banded about.”

p Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, shown at a CRS reception on Oct. 1, is one of 10 candidates to be the next president or vice president of the USCCB. (Photo by Pete Fenelon)

Archbishop Listecki said he believes his nomination is a recognition of the success the archdiocese has had since he became archbishop in 2010.

“It’s the way Milwaukee’s been handling a lot of leadership in this country,” Archbishop Listecki said.

“You take a look at schools, you take a look in terms of the Synod we did. Even though we’re Midwest, hometown people, Milwaukee’s a place where a lot of innovation is taking place in the Church, and I think people recognize that.”

The by-laws of the USCCB provide that the first election is that of the president by simple majority vote of members present and voting. Following the election of the president, the vice-president is elected from the remaining nine candidates. In either election, if a candidate does not receive more than half of the votes cast on the first ballot, a second vote is taken. If a third round of voting is necessary, that ballot is a run-off

between the two bishops who received the most votes on the second ballot.

During the meeting, the bishops will also vote for new chairmen of six committees: Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, Committee on International Justice and Peace, Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, and the Committee for Religious Liberty.

Archbishop Listecki presently serves on a subcommittee for migrants and travelers. He is the liaison for airport chaplains, ship lines and circus ministry.

It’s part of the greater Committee on Migrants and Immigrants.

The General Assembly is taking place at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront hotel.

October 17, 2019

Seminary Dinner (Right) More than 1,200 people attended the annual Saint Francis de Sales Seminary dinner on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Wisconsin Center. (Below) Fr. Patrick Magnor greets attendees at the event. (Bottom left) Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki shares a story with contributors. (Bottom right) Fr. John Hemsing, the Rector of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, shares some remarks with the crowd. (Photos by Pete Fenelon)

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Vicki Thorn to Receive Notre NEWS YOU CAN Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal

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KAREN MAHONEY SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC HERALD

The University of Notre Dame announced Oct. 6, on Respect Life Sunday, that Vicki Thorn will receive the 2020 Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal in recognition of her longstanding pro-life efforts.

The executive director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing and founder of Project Rachel will receive the honor at Mass and a banquet on April 25, 2020.

“Vicki Thorn has dedicated her life to caring for women and men who have been wounded by abortion,” said O. Carter Snead, the William P. and Hazel B. White director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture.

“Her work is a living witness to the unconditional love and mercy that lies at the heart of the culture of life. We are pleased to honor her with the Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal,” he said in a statement.

While Notre Dame informed her about the award a few weeks ago, Thorn had no idea when the honor would be announced.

“I saw it on Facebook and there was a link to the Notre Dame news story; then I heard from a Catholic writer on the east coast about it,” she said. “I am stunned; I had not really thought about it, but it is the recognition of how important it is that we as a Church respond in a pastoral fashion to these particular issues.”

Thorn, a certified trauma counselor and spiritual director, started Project Rachel in 1984 while working in the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Since the first training workshop for

a small group of attendees on Sept. 19, 1984, the ministry has expanded to most dioceses across the United States and more than 25 additional countries around p Vicki Thorn (File the world. Now photo) overseen by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Project Rachel is a diocesan-based network of specially trained priest confessors, mental health professionals, spiritual directors, medical professionals and others who provide ongoing, one-onone, confidential post-abortion care.

“After I started this, a story hit the news in the Milwaukee Journal, and it blew me away how profound the need was for post-abortive help. I got letters from all over the world and I realized how deep the wound was for those involved in abortion,” said Thorn.

While much of the effort is in postabortion healing for women, Thorn was surprised about the number of men suffering the effects and she realized that little help was available for them.

“For every abortion, there is a man, and the man, if he is in the picture, knows the woman has been pregnant for four weeks, even if he was not told.

It comes through the woman’s scent, so in society, we say that it is none of the man’s business if the woman has an abortion, but it is an enormous wound for them,” she explained. “There have been a number of murder/suicides because of abortion, but the media doesn’t like to talk about it. The fathers don’t know what to do.”

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October 17, 2019

“He kept telling me to go to the bar.

I said, ‘It is 3 in the afternoon, I don’t want to go to the bar,’” she explained.

“I hear him tell me to go again, so I go down to this restaurant bar where I was the only one in the place, sat down at a table and said to the Holy Spirit, ‘and?’ Soon, two middle-aged guys in cut-offs came in and sat down at the bar near me. One guy looked at me and said, ‘Hey, are you a writer?’ I told them that I am and talk to men and women about healing from abortion. He yells out to me, ‘You are pro-life? Can we sit with you?’ One of the men said that if he didn’t have his job, he would be burning down abortion clinics. I asked him what he did, and he told me he was the sheriff in town and the other guy was his assistant. He said he impregnated his girlfriend in high school and the parents severed the relationship and he assumed they made her have an abortion. Years, later, he met his daughter — and it triggered him to being pro-life.”

“Vicki Thorn’s work has been a source of healing for women and men whose lives have been touched by abortion,” said University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “I’m grateful to the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture for

recognizing Ms. Thorn for her service to the Church and to the work of mercy on behalf of a Culture of Life.”

Thorn holds a degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota, as well as a certificate in trauma counseling from UW-Milwaukee. She is a long-time member of the Association of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health and a frequent workshop presenter. She is also a trained bereavement facilitator through the American Academy of Bereavement and was certified through Resolve through Sharing Prenatal Loss as a Prenatal Loss Facilitator.

She and her husband, Marquette Professor William Thorn, are the parents of six children. As a couple, they were inducted into the Pontifical Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher in October 2008, as Knight and Lady. In August 2009, she received the People of Life Award from the Pro-Life Secretariat of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops for her pro-life service to the Church. In 2011, she was appointed a “Corresponding Member” of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The annual Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae award consists of a specially commissioned medal and $10,000 prize, to be presented at a banquet on the campus of Notre Dame on April 25. For more information about the Evangelium Vitae Medal, visit ethicscenter.nd.edu/ ev2020.

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NEW YORK (CNS) -- Here is a list of recent films and home video releases the office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has rated based on the basis of moral suitability.

The first symbol after each title is the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification. The second symbol is the rating of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Office for Film and Broadcasting classifications; A-I — general patronage.

A-II — adults and adolescents. A-III — adults. A-IV — adults, with reservations (this indicates films that, while not morally offensive in themselves, are not for casual viewing because they require some analysis and explanation in order to avoid false impressions and interpretations); L- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. 0 — morally offensive.

In Theaters:

Aladdin, A-II (PG) Angel Has Fallen, A-III (R) The Angry Birds Movie 2, A-II (PG) Anna, L (R) Annabelle Comes Home, A-III (R) The Art of Racing in the Rain, A-III (PG) Beautiful Boy, A-III (R) Blinded by the Light, A-III (PG-13) Brian Banks, A-III (PG-13) Child’s Play, O (R) Crawl, L (R) Dark Phoenix, A-III (PG-13) Dora and the Lost City of Gold, A-II (PG) El Chicano, L (R) Emanuel, A-II (no rating) The Farewell, A-III (PG)

Fast &Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp Shaw, A-III (PG-13) 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, A-III (PG-13) Good Time, L (R) Hesburgh, A-II (no rating) John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum, O (R) The Kitchen, O (R) Late Night, A-III (R) The Lion King, A-II (PG) Midsommar, O (R) No Greater Love, A-III (no rating) Once Upon a Deadpool, L (PG-13) Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood, O (R) Overcomer, A-II (PG) The Peanut Butter Falcon, A-III (PG-13) Penguins, A-I (PG) Roma, L (R) Spider-Man: Far From Home, A-III (PG-13) Stuber, L (R) Summer in the Forest, A-II (no rating) They Shall Not Grow Old, A-III (R) Toy Story 4, A-I (G) Where’d You Go, Bernadette, A-III (PG-13) Yesterday, A-III (PG-13

Home Video:

After, A-III (PG-13) Alita: Battle Angel, A-III (PG-13) Aquaman, A-III (PG-13) Avengers: Endgame, A-III (PG-13) Bad Times at the El Royale, L (R) Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, A-III (R) Batman Ninja, A-III (PG-13) The Beach Bum, O (R) Beirut, A-III (R) Believe, A-II (PG) The Best of Enemies, A-III (PG-13) Bohemian Rhapsody, O (PG-13) Booksmart, O (R) Breakthrough, A-II (PG)

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Thorn recalled a free afternoon while she was in Washington, D.C., for a talk.

She had planned on working on her notes for the talk, but the Holy Spirit had other plans.

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Bumblebee, A-III (PG-13) Captain Marvel, A-III (PG-13) Captive State, A-III (PG-13) Cold Pursuit, O (R) The Comedian, A-III (R) Creed II, A-III (PG-13) The Curse of La Llorona, A-III (R) Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, A-I (PG) A Dog’s Journey, A-II (PG) A Dog’s Way Home, A-III (PG) Dragon Ball Super: Broly, A-II (PG) Dumbo, A-II (PG) Escape Room, A-III (PG-13) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, A-II (PG-13) Fighting With My Family, A-III (PG-13) First Man, A-III (PG-13) Five Feet Apart, A-III (PG-13) A Ghost Story, A-III (R) The Girl in the Spider’s Web, L (R) Glass, A-III (PG-13) Godzilla: King of the Monsters, A-III (PG-13) Green Book, A-III (PG-13) Greta, A-III (R) Halloween, O (R) Happy Death Day 2U, L (PG-13) The Hate U Give, A-III (PG-13) Hellboy, L (R) Holmes & Watson, L (PG-13) How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, A-II (PG) Hunter Killer, A-III (R) The Hustle, A-III (PG-13) If Beale Street Could Talk, A-III (R) Indivisible, A-II (PG-13) The Innocents, A-III (PG-13) Instant Family, A-III (PG-13) Isn’t It Romantic, A-III (PG-13) Justice League Dark, A-III (R) The Kid Who Would Be King, A-II (PG)

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, A-I (PG) Life Itself, A-III (R) Little, A-III (PG-13) Mary Magdalene, A-III (R) Mary Poppins Returns, A-I (PG) Mary Queen of Scots, L (R) Men in Black: International, A-III (PG-13) Miss Bala, A-III (PG-13) Missing Link, A-I (PG) Mortal Engines, A-III (PG-13) The Mule, A-III (R) The Mustang, A-III (R) 90 Minutes in Heaven, A-II (PG-13) The Old Man & the Gun, A-III (PG-13) On the Basis of Sex, A-III (PG-13) Overlord, L (R) The Perfect Match, O (R) Pet Sematary, O (R) Pokemon Detective Pikachu, A-II (PG) Poms, A-III (PG-13) The Possession of Hannah Grace, A-III (R) The Prodigy, L (R) Ralph Breaks the Internet, A-II (PG) Replicas, A-III (PG-13) Second Act, A-III (PG-13) The Secret Life of Pets 2, A-II (PG) Serenity, O (R) Shazam!, A-III (PG-13) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, A-II (PG) Stan & Ollie, A-II (PG) A Star Is Born, A-III (R) The Sun Is Also a Star, A-III (PG-13) Teen Spirit, A-III (PG-13) Tolkien, A-II (PG-13) The Tribunal, A-III (PG-13) UglyDolls, A-I (PG) Unplanned, A-III (R) The Upside, A-III (PG-13) Us, L (R) Venom, A-III (PG-13)

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COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

How did you and your fiance Matthew meet?

I’ve actually known him my whole life, because our moms, ironically, lived together in college. But his family lived in other states growing up, and we never really crossed paths. We were at a wedding a little over two years ago and that’s when we really hit it off.

So Matthew was the reason you pursued a study of the Catholic faith, but your conversion really became your own passion?

Yes, exactly. It was so many conversations, so many questions, so much learning up front. I’m really someone who is convicted, and I want to practice what I preach. I wasn’t going to go through it just to go through it. I wanted to do it for the right reasons.

Was there a moment that made you realize “this Catholic thing” is what you were looking for?

n

MY FAITH MINI-PROFILE Missy Ziegler Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee After beginning her career in the corporate world, Missy Ziegler, 30, realized she wanted to devote her talents to a nonprofit that makes an impact. She found the right fit in Women’s Care Center, where she works as a counselor. “It’s about supporting all forms of life, not just the unborn,” she said. n She is a 2011 graduate of University of Iowa,

where she majored in international studies and business. She is a graduate student at Carroll University studying education.

n A Pewaukee native, she was raised Lutheran

and was confirmed in the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil this year at the Basilica of St. Josaphat. n She and fiance Matthew Laird will be married at the Basilica on Jan. 25, 2020.

From the get-go, I’ve just appreciated the Catholic tradition of Christian faith, and I would say I’m drawn to how seriously people take their faith. I love that the Catholic faith is always calling you to be better and to be more. I love that it really invites that with the sacraments and the Church teachings, and even with the environment of the church and what it elicits. I think for some that can look like there are too many rules, but for me, it’s so beautiful. It’s meant to make you holy and make you all that God has called you to be.

of them are pressured. The role of the counselor is to understand each woman’s unique situation and from there problemsolve with them to recognize the most prudent path forward that is healthy and good for them.

What is something you’ve learned as a counselor?

That no two people are alike — no two situations are alike, and you need to really use problem-solving skills and help and support each woman. That really does look different for each woman.

For some, it’s just talking about what a healthy relationship would look like — maybe it’s taking a little step forward to maybe change their relationship. For others it looks like, “OK, you’re happy parenting; have you found a doctor yet?”

Are there any misconceptions you think exist about the work you do or the women you serve?

I think culturally, the way abortion is presented is very much as this empowering decision that women are wanting to make — that it’s their body, and they get to choose. Seeing these women on a daily basis, that is so far from the truth. For most women, they don’t necessarily want to go through with an abortion, but they feel they have no other choice. It is a very hard choice for most women, but they feel it is the best option for their situation. And that is where we come in — to help them realize that there is a way to make it work, and the circumstances can get better.

What does being pro-life mean to those of you who work at the WCC?

You came to the Women’s Care Center (WCC) last summer. What do you do in your role there?

As a counselor, I meet with clients oneon-one. Our whole model is to just truly meet the woman where she’s at. That ranges from women in crisis pregnancies, to women who are happy parenting, to women who are somewhere in between.

Some of them are very abortion-minded, some of them are thinking about it, some

October 17, 2019

p Missy Ziegler and her fiance, Matthew Laird, will be married at the Basilica of St. Josaphat on Jan. 25, 2020. (Submitted photo)

Being pro-life doesn’t just mean saving a life. It goes so beyond just helping someone choose life — but truly supporting all forms of life, whether a woman already has four kids and a baby on the way, or if it’s helping her to get her GED. So often, we’re at the center, we’re holding babies, playing with the little 2-year-old because the mom is in her ultrasound.

October 17, 2019

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

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Catholic Schools: We Teach You Like Family DR. KATHLEEN CEPELKA SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC HERALD

Walk into any Catholic school, remain there for a half-hour or a half-day, and observe what community looks like.

Experience the feeling of family.

One of the Defining Characteristics of Catholic Schools, integral to the Catholic Schools Project (2012) that includes the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools, is Shaped

by Communion and Community. For more than 200 years, Catholic schools have been unique and extraordinary educational communities that have integrated students’ faith formation into all their experiences of learning and living (To Teach as Jesus Did, 103). Today more than ever, each aspect of a Catholic school — from formal, daily religious instruction and prayer to the teaching of core academic subjects to co-curricular and extra-curricular activities — contributes to the holistic formation of young men and women as disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Catholic school community is, in itself, a “school” that prepares students

to be thriving members of wider social communities (Lay Catholics in Schools, 23, 24). Catholic school students at all levels, K – 16, are formed spiritually, academically and socially to become graduates capable of making a positive difference in countless areas of society.

It’s impossible to enumerate the number of Church and civic leaders, both in the past and the present, who trace their educational roots to Catholic schools.

It’s also impossible to overrate the dedication and importance of the teachers, leaders and staff members in our Catholic schools who take seriously each day their responsibility to be role models of faith, competence and character for the students in their care.

In light of current social pressures and countless other challenges, students of all ages need and deserve to experience strong, positive relationships with outstanding educators who can provide a teaching/learning context of personal attention, reciprocal engagement, developmental awareness and understanding and daily support for their journey into adulthood (The

Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, 18).

This exceptional bond between teachers and students is a primary factor that sets the Catholic school apart and often remains one of the most powerful impacts on graduates throughout their lives. Just as many of us remember our own teachers long after we have forgotten the specifics of what they taught, students in our Catholic schools today are formed, coached and counseled by women and men who come to know and love them like members of their own families. This is the Catholic school difference.

Each of our Catholic schools, therefore, commits to a special collaboration among students, parents, teachers, parishioners and community supporters that shapes the culture of the school in ways that are easier to experience than to describe. Even a short time in any Catholic school should convince a visitor that it is a place permeated by purposefulness, respect and joy.

“See how they love one another” is the

response we hope will be any observer’s immediate response. At their best, Catholic schools are like microcosms of the Kingdom of God. This year’s marketing theme for the 102 excellent Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is “We Teach You Like Family.” Known and called by name each day, the students in our schools are encouraged to maximize their potential for learning and for virtuous living.

Each of our Catholic elementary, secondary and higher education institutions strives to be known as a community of faith, a community of learning and a community of care.

We invite you to step into one or more of our schools — in any area of our archdiocese — and experience what makes Catholic education different.

See what makes us family.

Kathleen A. Cepelka, Ph.D. is the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Are Catholic High Schools for Everyone? 3 Myths Debunked COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

Schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

With 16 different Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, there is a home for every student, a roadmap for every future, and a community that will love and support your young person as they become who God intended them to be.

“Catholic schools were founded as a means to educate all children. More and more, we are having parents come to us who are not Catholic but want that character formation for their children. They want their young people to have a moral compass.”

“Our schools have the expectation of charity, of forgiveness, of sacrifice, of generosity, of prayer, of respect and of justice,” she said. “People of all faiths want their young people to not only know the difference between right and wrong, but to be with others that are living lives steered in that moral direction.”

Let’s dispel a couple myths about who belongs at a Catholic high school.

The basis of that character formation in the high schools is, of course, the Gospel. And while Catholic identity is an integral part of each of the schools, the values and virtues that teachers and staff seek to instill in the students transcend religion, said Dr. Cepelka.

While the academic instruction offered at Catholic high schools provides a necessary foundation for students who desire to attend college, young people who see a future in the trades can also

Myth #1: Catholic high schools are only for Catholics.

Not true, explains Dr. Kathleen Cepelka, Superintendent of Catholic

Myth #2: Catholic high schools won’t prepare you for the trades.

find a curriculum that works for them.

For instance, Messmer High School in Milwaukee has a reputation for particular support of students who plan to go into the trades immediately after high school graduation, and they’re doing exciting work to expand those offerings in the near future. To learn more, reach out to Messmer directly at 414-264-5440.

Myth #3: Catholic high schools present a narrow worldview.

Actually, it’s part of the mission of u

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October 17, 2019

8 Ways to Afford a Catholic High School Education

INSPIRED

BY A SAINT. NAMED FOR AN EXPLORER. IMAGINE YOUR POSSIBILITIES. marquette.edu/explore

COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

offer such scholarships to the children of their members.

As a parent, you may not realize all the financial pathways available to make a Catholic high school education affordable. To many people’s surprise, the majority of Catholic high school families receive some kind of financial assistance or tuition discount. The goal is to make Catholic education affordable and accessible to all through an individualized approach that works for you.

4. Financial assistance

Here are eight ways to make a Catholic high school more affordable for your family. Whichever of these options catches your eye, your first step should be to reach out to the admissions office of your Catholic high school.

They’re your one-stop shop for all the information you’ll need to make your child’s education as affordable as possible.

1. Discount programs Many Catholic high schools offer families who are registered parishioners in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee a student discount, and discounts are often offered to children of full- and parttime employees of schools and parishes of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

2. Scholarships Catholic high schools offer incoming students from both public and private schools a wide variety of scholarships to apply for. Some schools also offer scholarships to children of alumni.

3. Outside scholarships There are many third-party scholarships that will assist in paying for a Catholic high school education. Catholic Financial Life and Catholic Order of Foresters are two organizations that

Many families are eligible for financial assistance, depending on their level of need and the availability of funds at the individual schools.

5. Tuition discount for multiple students Many schools offer tiered discounts for multiple students from one family who attend at the same time.

6. Private School Choice Program Catholic high schools participate in the Private School Choice Program, which includes the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and/or the Racine Parental Choice Program. If your family qualifies, you could have the opportunity to attend Catholic high school without paying tuition.

7. Wisconsin tax credit The Wisconsin Department of Revenue – Schedule PS (Private School) allows parents to deduct up to $10,000 per student in grades 9-12 at a Catholic high school, regardless of income. Parents with students in grades K-8 at a Catholic grade school may deduct up to $4,000.

If your student moves from grade 8 to high school in the same tax year, you may claim both tuition expenses up to $10,000.

8. Flexible payment plans There are multiple ways that families can spread out tuition payments throughout the year.

Contact a Catholic high school near you to learn more about financial options and tuition assistance deadlines.

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Messmer’s Building2Learn Initiative Reinvents Vocational Education better in all subject areas, improving math scores and becoming engaged learners who see value in their subjects.

KAREN MAHONEY SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC HERALD

Working for STAFF electric, Diego Torres installs electrical systems in new home construction. He enjoys working outside, electricity and learns something new each day. He is learning on the job and fulfilling a need among the trade industry for qualified professionals.

“They are learning and producing something,” he said. “We have about 150 students in our STEM and trades programs. We have two tract pre-engineering courses that we do through Project Lead the Way. We have now expanded in specific skilled trades to include craftsmanship and residential carpentry. About one out of every four kids is involved and there are waiting lists to get into the courses. It has become so popular that we are launching a renovation program at Messmer this month to convert our old pool into a larger scale Productivity Center to expand the program for the kids.”

The recent Messmer Catholic High School graduate began working as an apprentice following graduation last spring after learning the trade in high school through the Building2Learn Initiative.

“In my freshman and sophomore year, I was thinking about going to college to earn an electrical engineering degree, but one of my teachers told me about the trades and that it might be a nice way for me to learn,” said Torres. “My plan is to apprentice for five years, and then graduate as a journeyman and go to college after that. It will only take a year to get my electrical engineering degree that way. I am making money, gaining knowledge, and always striving for higher education — and it’s a lot cheaper.”

The Building2Learn Consortium is a multi-school, hands-on learning program that models STEM and skilled-trade training and challenges students to develop technical skills, academic proficiency, a practical code of ethics and career plans as they learn to use tools safely in real work environments.

The program was designed with an understanding of the economic problems associated with skilled labor shortages and the inadequacies of conventional vocational school education.

Launched in 2014, B2L initiative core leaders Joseph Schmidt, Jim Piatt, Blake Peuse, Joe Weisling, Danny Goldberg, and other regional industry and technical educational leaders met to discuss this new model of secondary education that focused on preparing students for skilled trade apprenticeships and other STEM-related high demand careers.

As a founding member of the B2L Consortium, Jim Piatt, president of Messmer Catholic Schools, explained that the traditional high school to college plan is not always ideal for students.

“In a recent symposium in Metro Milwaukee, the four-year college graduation rate of students that show up for college is just 29 percent and the sixyear rate moved to 53 percent, which leaves seven

Some of the challenges of the B2L program include a dismissive attitude toward vocational training by college-prep schools, despite the fact, that many high school graduates may not be prepared to attend a fouryear college degree program immediately after high school. Another challenge is convincing parents that a career in the trades is not second-rate. p Diego Torres has started his apprenticeship after learning electrical skills as part of Messmer High School’s Building2Learn program. (Submitted photo)

out of 10 students not graduating in four years and five not graduating after six years,” he said. “And the graduation rate of Wisconsin state colleges is even lower.”

Coupled with the low graduation rate, students are racking up considerable college debt and often forced to work at jobs not in their desired field to pay down student loans.

“So, at the same time, in reality, while we certainly feel Messmer and the consortium of private and public schools are college-prep based, it is not always realistic or serving the kids well,” said Piatt. “This program offers the alternative for kids who may not want to go to college, may not be able to afford it and prepares kids with skills where they can go to college later and build on skills they have learned in this program. Of course, none of this effort will reduce kids who are legitimately ready for college from going to college.”

According to Piatt, students involved in the preengineering and trades programs are performing

At first, Torres needed to convince his college-minded parents that there were benefits associated with apprenticeship followed by a shorter college education.

“They were interested in having me go to college,” he said. “They thought it was the only way to go, but after explaining the program and kind of the basics of the trades and apprenticeship, they sort of got it. They understand it more now. I recommend it. If a student is dedicated, I would say go for it. You need a strong will to do it and you will make it.”

Piatt agreed, adding that part of the consortium is to help parents break down the stigma about the trades and helping them to see it with an open mind.

“One of the ways they are understanding is by letting them know that their son or daughter can get to a sustainable living north of $50,000 in about three years and let them know that through networking and resources, they might be in a better position if they take a college program later in their 20s, rather than right away,” he said. “Our model at Messmer has a character foundation blended in, with safety, teamwork and dedication, encouraging punctuality. We want them to be dependable, honest and trustworthy, which is more essential than knowing how to use power tools.”

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CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

Catholic High Schools 2019-2020 Open Houses Join us at any of our open houses to learn which Catholic high school might be the best fit for your child. Families with grade school students in 6 - 8 grade are encouraged to attend.

Oct. 6: 12 - 2 p.m., Oct. 11: 4 - 6 p.m.

Messmer High School 742 W. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee messmerschools.org/important-datesand-events

Oct. 27: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Mass 8:30 a.m.

Dominican High School 120 E. Silver Spring Dr., Whitefish Bay dominicanhighschool.com/openhouse

Oct. 10: 9:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Nov. 3: 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee 9000 W. Chester St., Milwaukee chestertonacademymke.org/admissions

Oct. 27: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School 1215 S. 45 St., West Milwaukee cristoreymilwaukee.org/admissions

Oct. 13: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Mass 9 a.m.

Divine Savior Holy Angels 4257 N. 100 St., Milwaukee dsha.info/admissions/visit--discoverdsha Oct. 15: 5 - 8 p.m.

Pius XI Catholic High School 135 N. 76 St., Milwaukee piusxi.org/admissions.html Oct 16: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Catholic Central High School 148 McHenry St., Burlington catholiccentralhs.org/open-house Oct. 20: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Mass 10 a.m.

Catholic Memorial High School 601 E. College Ave, Waukesha catholicmemorial.net/open-house Oct. 24: 6 - 8:30 p.m.

St. Joan Antida High School 1341 N. Cass St., Milwaukee saintjoanantida.org/admissions Weekend Visits: Oct. 24-27, Nov. 14-17, Dec. 12-15 St. Lawrence Seminary High School 301 Church St., Mt. Calvary stlawrence.edu

Oct. 27: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Mass 9 a.m.

Marquette University High School 3401 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee muhs.edu/admissions Oct. 27: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. or Oct. 28: 5 - 7 p.m.

St. Thomas More High School 2601 E. Morgan Ave., Milwaukee tmore.org/admissions Oct. 29: 6 - 8 p.m.

St. Catherine’s High School 1200 Park Ave., Racine saintcats.org/admissionsevents Nov. 7: 3 – 6 p.m.

St. Anthony High School 4807 S. 2 St., Milwaukee stanthonymilwaukee.org/admissions Jan. 26: 1 - 4 p.m.

St. Joseph Catholic Academy 2401 69 St., Kenosha sjcawi.org/admissions Jan. 29: 6 - 8 p.m.

St. Mary’s Springs Academy 255 County Road K, Fond du Lac smsacademy.org/admissions

Visit archmil.org/highschools for more information.

October 17, 2019

Applying for Catholic High School: A Timeline for Parents COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

So how early is too early to start thinking about applying to a Catholic high school? Trick question — there is no such thing as too early.

Even if your student is in fourth or fifth grade, it’s a great idea to start thinking about which of the 16 Catholic high schools in the archdiocese best fits your family’s needs. It’s really a discernment process that involves getting to know individual schools’ cultures, academic offerings and extracurricular activities.

So whatever the age of your student, go to a fall musical, a football game, a summer camp or an open house — these are all important touchstones that can clue you in to the vibe and mission of each particular school.

Your child’s eighth-grade year is when the application process will start.

September is when many high schools will visit local Catholic parish schools to connect with eighth-graders. They will talk about what their school has to offer, answer questions and illustrate what a day in the life of a student is like at their school.

Catholic high school open houses usually take place in October. These are family-friendly events — there are often fun activities planned, informational panels and more. Even for students younger than middle school, open houses are a great way to get some face time with the school and its teachers, spiritual leaders, coaches and current students.

November is when many high schools begin to offer their placement tests.

These tests will measure the students’ academic level so they are placed in the right classes. This is also a time when you can learn more about high schools’ financial assistance programs and scholarships. Within this timeframe, parents and their eighth-graders will also start to submit school application materials and financial aid applications.

It’s important to note that while priority is given to families who adhere to the deadlines, the deadlines are not cut-offs, and students are still welcome to apply after they have passed.

The first round of acceptance letters may start coming as early as Christmas; however, some schools start in January. The end of winter and early spring is when there’s parent preview nights, registration events and school events for incoming eighthgraders, such as trivia nights, tailgates, pizza parties and more. These are fun events for students and families to get to know one another and their new school.

Feb. 1 is when the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program application period begins, and state funding is awarded in the spring to eligible families that apply.

During late winter and early spring, high school admission counselors are readily available to answer questions and make sure you remain “in-the-know” of what’s going on at your (future) school. You’ll receive invitations to school welcome parties and other events, so make sure to keep an eye on your email. u

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Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Joins Pius XI Choir LAUREN ROACH CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

Before launching into the last series of the performance, conductor Yaniv Dinur turned back to the Pius XI High School students assembled in the field house and, like an entertaining story-teller, said, “It’s very dramatic,” as he launched the orchestra baton-first into “Duel of the Fates” from The Phantom Menace

by John Williams.

Captivated, the high school students, 250 community members and a handful of elementary students who had bused in for the concert on Thursday, Oct. 10, gave a standing ovation for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra when Dinur’s baton fell silent for the final time.

Throughout the concert, Dinur explained each upcoming piece and conceded the excellent sound quality in the field house, saying, “I think we’ll move in.”

Early in the performance, Dinur asked if any of the students were graduating, and one emphatic yes bellowed from the bleachers, initiating wide grins from the adults, and a sprinkling of hands shooting up throughout the stands.

When he described the origins of the song American Salute by Gould, Dinur said, “the composer did what every great composer would do — procrastinate.” The crowd responded with a chorus of chuckles, his method familiar to students and teachers alike.

After playing the opening songs by Aaron Copland, a founding father of American music, Dinur gestured to the choir and said to the students sitting in the bleachers, “Today, we are accompanied by a great chorus.

You might know them. They are very famous.”

The appreciative laughter filled Dinur’s silence until he announced, “The Pius

p Under the direction of conductor Yahiv Dinur, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performed with the Pius XI Catholic High School choir during a concert at the school on Thursday, Oct. 10. (Submitted photo)

High School Choir” and dove into the next piece inspired by poet Robert Frost, and later highlighted the choir’s impressive chords with songs from West Side Story.

The song “America” from the musical, Dinur explained, embodies the tension between the American and Latin American cultures clashing in 1950s New York — historically specific tension emblematic of the tension inherent in modern Catholic education: teaching faith in a culture that often contradicts it.

Dinur concluded the performance with a spectacular whip of his baton, to the delight of the elementary students and parents of choral performers. Schools such as St. Mary’s Visitation in Elm Grove, St. Camillus, St. Matthias and others sent students to the performance.

Pius alumni and the School Sisters of St. Francis were also invited.

Principal Mark Ostap thanked Dinur and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra after the performance. “The school was very supportive and excited about this idea,” said Rebecca Whitney, director of education for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and a Pius XI alumna.

by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, so singing with the orchestra was an incredible offer for the high school choir.

The performance was made possible by an anonymous donor who approached the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and expressed a desire to donate, though they wanted to do a project that would be more than a financial gift. The donor wanted to make a greater impact on the community.

In a space filled with sports achievement banners, basketball rims and bleachers, the orchestra breathed a different art form, a different human display of excellence, in the field house with their robust horns, deep percussions and enchanting strings — and of course accompanied by Pius XI’s own choir.

They presented a list of organizations to Whitney and Pius XI was selected as one of the recipients.

“To essentially have the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as your back up band is something incredible,” Whitney said.

The Pius XI High School choir, directed by Thomas Ajack, previously participated in teen competitions hosted

The school hosted a dress-up day to honor the orchestra, complete with a homeroom competition to see who could be most dressed, and cleared classes for the performance.

“For the Pius XI choir, it’s a once-in-alifetime opportunity.”

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CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

October 17, 2019

Catholic High Schools: Your Return on Investment Deciding what high school is right for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make to shape the person he or she will become. During these critically formative years, it’s essential to have caring teachers with high expectations, a college-preparatory curriculum, and friends and families with high moral standards.

Catholic High School Alumni Are More Successful Earned a college scholarship(s)

Earned a higher value college scholarship(s)

But, there’s more –what does it take to set your child up for a successful, happy and fulfilling life?

The unique advantage of Catholic high schools is the lifelong values taught in an emotionally safe and faith-filled community.

According to a recent research study,* Catholic high school alumni reported they were not only more prepared for college, but that their education prepared them for a more fulfilling life.

The research shows

57% vs. 35%

$15,046 vs. $8,870

Attended college immediately after high school

Earned a bachelors, masters or Ph.D./ advanced degree

98% vs. 76%

90% vs. 61%

that Catholic high school graduates rated significantly higher across all areas of development when compared to alumni who graduated from non-Catholic high schools.

Completed a bachelor’s degree in less time

Are satisfied with their lives

4.3 vs. 4.5 years

Today: 7.8 vs. 7.0 5 Year Outlook: 8.6 vs. 8.0

* The study was conducted by the local research firm Branding Breakthroughs, LLC, on behalf of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Research was conducted among 1,540 public and Catholic high school graduates in the Greater Milwaukee area from 5/17 - 6/12/18. All differences noted were statistically tested at the 95% confidence level.

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

October 17, 2019

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Catholic High School Alumni Are More Prepared for College Overall more prepared for college

Communicate better verbally

Communicate better in writing

Manage multiple responsibilities

4.4 vs. 3.6

4.4 vs. 3.9

4.5 vs. 4.0

4.5 vs. 3.8

Achieve good grades

Balance school and social responsibilities

Take on leadership roles

Assimilate into college life

4.4 vs. 3.7

4.2 vs. 3.5

4.1 vs. 3.3

4.0 vs. 3.0

*On a 5-point scale

Catholic High School Alumni Have Learned Better Life Values Compassion

Integrity

Leadership

Unity

4.2 vs. 2.8

4.2 vs. 3.1

4.0 vs. 2.9

3.8 vs. 2.7

Respect

Hard Working

Teamwork

Inclusiveness

4.2 vs. 3.2

4.1 vs. 3.1

3.9 vs. 2.9

3.6 vs. 2.6

*On a 5-point scale

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October 17, 2019

Messmer: The Start of a Family Tradition “We had students in middle school who were doing all kinds of things,” she said. When she shadowed a student at Messmer, “the students there were different.

I felt safer.”

COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

As the oldest of three children, Crystal Marmolejo has spent her life feeling conscious of the example she is setting for her younger siblings.

During her freshman year, making friends was tricky as she waded into uncharted territory at a new school. But the teaching and administrative staff both seemed to take an interest in the students and invest themselves in their students’ success. “I felt like the teachers were very patient with me and recommended me to participate in activities, do study groups for homework and thngs like that.”

“If I could do something,” she said, “they would know they could do it, too.”

Venturing into the world of private schools was a big step for Marmolejo when she began her freshman year at Messmer High School in 2007 after receiving her primary education in public school. It was a bit of a distance from her South Side neighborhood, and the social circle was entirely new. But from her first encounter with Messmer, she had a feeling that the school was different, that it could offer her — and her younger siblings — opportunities they couldn’t get elsewhere.

It was in her sophomore year that Marmolejo really found her footing, as she qualified for the high school’s honors program, which requires students to maintain a GPA of 3.2 and good behavioral standing. She became eligible for honors classes and enjoyed the more challenging academics; she also grew close with other honors students, many of whom she still counts as her closest friends today.

Looking back on her time at Messmer, Marmolejo now says she sees it was “part of God’s plan for me.”

Marmolejo’s feelings about the impact her Catholic high school had on her current life is not unique.

According to a study conducted on behalf of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, graduates of Catholic high schools are more likely to experience satisfaction with their adult lives, are more likely to tackle leadership roles and feel confident enough to manage multiple responsibilities, and assimilate better into college life.

The study revealed that graduates of Catholic high school were also better set up for success, earning higher scholarships and attending college immediately after high school at a significantly higher rate than their public school peers.

For Marmolejo, the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation college graduate, that foundation meant everything.

“Messmer really defined where I am now in life,” she said.

By the time Marmolejo was nearing her eighth-grade graduation, the decision about where to attend high school was looming large both in her mind and in her parents’ minds.

“Not all the high schools around my area were the greatest, or the safest,” she said. “I was very worried and very stressed out trying to make that decision.” It was a coworker of her father who suggested that the

p Crystal Marmolejo hopes her education at Messmer High School is the start of a family tradition for her younger siblings.

(Submitted photo)

family research Messmer High School. Marmolejo had never heard of it before, and it was a little far from her neighborhood. But when she realized that they offered bus transportation and that she was eligible for School Choice, she was encouraged.

What really sealed the deal was her interview process there. She felt challenged and inspired by the fact that the school was discerning in its application process and rigorous in what it asked of its students.

“I saw that Messmer meant business,” she said.

“Messmer looked for students who would be challenged both academically and spiritually. I felt they took things really seriously. I felt more at peace knowing that Messmer cared about the students coming into their school.”

Safety, both emotional and physical, was also a big factor in her decision.

It was at Messmer that Marmolejo first came in contact with her current employer, CG Schmidt, one of the largest general contractors/construction managers in the Milwaukee area. CG Schmidt collaborated with Messmer on a scholarship/mentorship program, and Marmolejo was nominated by a science teacher for participation.

“I had the opportunity to shadow multiple project managers, and I got to visit job sites and see what a project manager was, and what they had to do,” she said. It was because of this experience that, upon graduation from Messmer in 2011, she enrolled at Milwaukee School of Engineering, where she would study construction engineering. She got a job with CG Schmidt immediately upon graduating from college in 2015.

Of all the positive ways she feels Messmer has impacted her life, one of the most significant, she said, is her ability to support her younger siblings as they achieve success of their own. Both her siblings followed in her footsteps at Catholic high schools.

“My parents didn’t go to college, and I felt like as an older sibling I could help them out with financial aid, ACT testing or anything that required pursuing a college degree,” she said.

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Catholic High Schools: Earning Money as College Credits COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

When it comes to Catholic high schools, the term “college prep” is about more than academic rigor; it’s also an indicator of readiness for life. Students at Catholic high schools who are heading to college after graduation have so many ways to get a head start — which will not only help them integrate better into college life, but will save them money and time while earning degrees.

Research shows that graduates of Catholic high schools take less time to complete their college degrees and earn higher-value scholarships than their public school peers. This is due in part to the strong offerings of Advanced Placement credits, dual credits with colleges and international baccalaureate (IB) programmes at Catholic high schools.

First of all, let’s define some terms: u AP courses prepare students for the Advanced Placement test in May, where their score can earn them college credit in a particular subject. u Dual-credit courses are actual credit-bearing courses given at a college level. Students who take these courses are admitted to the administering university as “non-degree-seeking students” and their credits transfer to most colleges and universities in the country. u The IB programme is an internationally renowned program of study known for its rigorous curriculum. At the high school level, it includes a Diploma Programme and a Career-Related Programme. Students in the IB programme take selected courses in their 11th- and 12th-grade years of high school to prepare them for a standardized IB test, often held annually in April.

Through passing test scores, college credits can be earned.

To showcase these programs in action, here are a few examples. It’s far from an exhaustive list, so reach out to your Catholic high school of choice to get more information on what they can offer your student. n Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha offers

both AP classes and the IB programme (both the diploma and career-related programme). Many CMH students can earn up to 30 college credits or more through their studies in IB. As for dual credits, this

p Students at Catholic high schools are able to earn college credits with AP courses, dual-credit classes and the International Baccalaureate Programme.

year the school began an exclusive partnership with Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) and Marquette University, allowing students to take classes at WCTC and then transfer the credits to Marquette. n St. Joan Antida High School also offers the Diploma

and Career-Related IB programmes. As Milwaukee’s only all-girl IB World School, SJA embraces an “IB for All” philosophy, preparing high school girls for higher education in a supportive learning environment.

Students can earn up to 24 college credits through their IB programme. n St. Anthony High School offers dual enrollment

through Cardinal Stritch, Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and the University of WisconsinMilwaukee. Juniors and seniors are allowed to take college classes, and are able to graduate high school with up to an entire semester of college credit. n Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) High School

offers 17 AP courses and 12 dual credits through Cardinal Stritch, the University of WisconsinWhitewater and the University of Minnesota. Girls can take everything from contemporary lit (a UW Whitewater course) to anatomy and physiology

(Cardinal Stritch), as well as intermediate Latin poetry (University of Minnesota). n St. Thomas More High School offers 13 AP classes, including biology, calculus, government and politics, language and composition, literature and composition, macroeconomics, microeconomics, physics, psychology, Spanish language and culture, statistics, studio and U.S. history. For concurrent enrollment through Cardinal Stritch University, they offer six classes. Students have the potential to earn up to 32 college credits. Classes offered include accounting, American popular music, Christian bioethics, Spanish composition and conversation, web page creation, and world religions. n Students at St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du

Lac can obtain up to 20 college credits through their dual-credit program with Marian University. New for the 2019-20 school year is an AP course offering for statistics.

Contact your local Catholic high school to learn more about AP courses, dual-credit courses and the IB programmes.

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AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

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October 17, 2019

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

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Akey, O’Keefe Settling into New Roles at St. Mary’s Springs KAREN MAHONEY SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC HERALD

Walking through the South Hall doors of St. Mary Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, on the second day of school, a 7-year-old boy was eager to greet the new president, Stacey Akey, with something concealed between his cupped hands.

“He was beaming with pride, so I got down on one knee and embraced this chance to meet a little,” she said. “I held my hand out and he put something in it. I pulled my hand back and saw that it was his tooth. I couldn’t believe he gave me a body part. I asked him what he wanted me to do with it, and he said that he lost his tooth and wanted me to keep it.”

For Akey, who has no children and grew up an only child, this position is an opportunity to see the world with new and unadulterated eyes. Previously working in higher education, she followed the lives of college students focused on theory learning and application but living through the eyes of children is bringing wide-eyed joys each day. u

MYTHS, FROM PAGE 9

Catholic high schools to present a Catholic worldview — which is, by definition, universal.

“We look at our world through the lens of the universality of the Gospel,” explained Dr. Cepelka.

Furthermore, the graduate of a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be an individual who is truly prepared for a global society, she said. Schools are upto-date on STEM education, producing young people with the knowledge and skills that make them sought-after employees around the globe.

“Working here has personally brought me closer to the Church and to my own spirituality. This has been the greatest gift and made my life more enriched,” she said. “Suddenly, I have 895 children and am seeing things through eyes that have not lived in this world. The faculty and everything has become new and given me a new lens to deal with our youth at significant moments and experiences of our life. It is a great honor.”

Having spent 27 years in Catholic higher education at Marian University, as the vice president for enrollment management and marketing and, most recently, as the vice president for advancement, institutional partnerships and alumni relations, Akey is embracing her new role as president and happy to continue under the legacy of the Congregations of Sisters of St. Agnes, founded in 1909.

“In striving to create an environment that allows each student to develop their God-given strengths and reach their full potential, I serve as the Chief Executive Officer, reporting to the board of directors in providing strategic direction But it’s also about more than just technology fluency — it’s exposure to the study of different languages and literature of different ethnic traditions, participation in mission work and a sense of responsibility for one’s own community and for the world itself.

“When our students get to college, they have a sense of what the obligation of a Christian is beyond their immediate environment,” said Dr. Cepelka.

Do you have questions about Catholic high schools? We’ve got answers.

Contact a school near you for more information.

in a servant leadership role,” she said.

Since beginning in her new position, Akey has received a warm reception, from students, parents, faculty, staff donors and the community. The sense of tradition, legacy and charisms she witnessed at Marian University is also thriving at St. Mary Springs Academy.

For the second consecutive year, Akey said SMSA ended the fiscal year in a strong financial position thanks to increasing enrollment, sound fiscal planning and the support of Holy Family parish.

“Our donors have allowed us to add two state-of-the-art classrooms, move to 1:1 Chromebooks for high school students, begin to address salary compensation in our faculty compensation model and pay down a portion of a capital loan,” she explained.

“Moving forward, we must build a culture of excellence, holding students and ourselves to high expectations.”

As the school’s new middle and high school principal, Eamonn O’Keefe brings vast experience from his role at Milwaukee’s Seton Catholic Schools, where he served as director of mission and campus ministry. He has also served as director of mission integration at Columbia St. Mary’s, executive director of the St. Clare Center at Cardinal Stritch University and principal at Dominican High School. u

TIMELINE, FROM PAGE 12

While this process may sound like a whirlwind, this is an exciting milestone in your family’s lives, and the high schools want to make it as easy as possible for you. Here are the two biggest takeaways from this timeline: n Don’t wait. It’s never too early to

O’Keefe views Catholic education as a calling he received as soon as he graduated from Marquette University.

“I joked when I interviewed for this role that Catholic education is our family business, as my wife, Becky, has served as a principal in the archdiocese for 25 years,” he said. “We are committed to our church and personal faith development and we are committed educators and serve in environments that have a Catholic mission and identity.”

Well into the first quarter of school, O’Keefe is enjoying his new role at SMSA and all the myriad activities taking place among the 300 students in the middle and high school grades.

“October is busy in high school with homecoming, spirit week, bonfires and all of the other exciting times,” he said.

“The senior class is already very special to me, due to the death of a student last year. We are coming up on the anniversary of that for this class and while it is very difficult for them, we are at school moving forward the way it should be. I do feel like a father to them and try to offer them the care and attention they need due to what happened. We have gotten very close.”

The opportunity to serve in secondary education brought O’Keefe from college to SMSA because he missed the daily dynamics of dealing with students, parents and teachers. schedule a tour or attend an open house. n The admissions office of your

preferred Catholic high school(s) will be your best friend and ally. They’ll be your sounding board, the keeper of knowledge and knower of deadlines.

Reach out to them early and share any questions or concerns.

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CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION GUIDE

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October 17, 2019

Beyond the Books: Clubs, Sports, Service and More COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

While solid academic instruction is integral to every Catholic high school education, it’s only part of the story. Forming well-rounded leaders also means offering a vast array of extracurricular opportunities that will capture their imaginations, challenge them and lead them to a deeper understanding of who they are.

Here are just a few examples of the hundreds of amazing, “beyond-thebooks” learning that takes place at Catholic high schools of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. n Every year, the students of Divine

Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) High School choose an Advent and Lenten school-wide service project. Their Advent project focuses on a local need, while the Lenten project tackles a global issue. This Lent, a team of student campus ministers led the effort to raise $22,000 to construct a maternity ward in Ghana. n The theater program at Dominican

High School doesn’t just produce onstage excellence in acting and music (their 2019 production of “Newsies” nabbed 23 Jerry Award nominations, recognizing excellence in high school theater). Their stage crew fosters an environment of teamwork and collaboration, and imparts real-life skills that students take into adulthood. n Students at Cristo Rey participate in

an impressive array of corporate workstudy jobs that not only help to offset the cost of their education but prepare them for successful careers. Work-study jobs take place in collaboration with partners that include Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Betty

Brinn Children’s Museum, HarleyDavidson and Kohl’s. n Do you have a budding Latinist on

your hands? Marquette University High School offers a Latin club as part of its co-curricular opportunities.

Loves anime? Pius XI High School has an anime club. St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Kenosha offers a knitting club, meteorology club and stock market club (to name just a few). St. Joan Antida High School has clubs that specialize in peer mediation, photography and so much more. n Catholic Central High School in Burlington has earned 51 state championships and 88 conference championships to date. n St. Catherine’s High School in

Racine is well-known for their boys basketball program, which won eight state championships under legendary coach Bob Letsch. Last year, the school nabbed its first state championship in football. n A significant part of a young man’s education at Marquette University High School (MUHS) revolves around the Jesuit ideal of becoming “a man for others.” To that end, MUHS students must rack up 141 hours of community service throughout their high school career. The culmination of this experience is the Senior Shared Life project, where students are released from school for two weeks to work on a community service project. Since the project began in 1972, more than 10,000 students have provided nearly 500,000 hours of service at more than 70 sites.

Contact a Catholic high school near you to learn more about extra-curricular activity offerings.

FROM the SIDELINES

October 17, 2019

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SJCA Honored By WIAA For Excellence LARRY HANSON CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

few years, and it’s really taken off just with our sportsmanship stuff.”

The list of criteria schools must meet to achieve the WIAA’s Award of Excellence reads like a best practices of what the athletic department at a Catholic high school should look like.

While the award has nothing to do with success in the win-loss column, St. Joseph had no shortage of success in games, matches and meets during the 2018-19 school year. The baseball team won a conference championship, the cross country team won its ninth consecutive conference title, and the tennis doubles team of Giana Apostoli and Megan Setter won the Division 2 state championship last fall, going 22-0 for the season.

St. Joseph Catholic Academy Dave Witthun made a conscious effort with his coaches, athletes and the rest of the school community to achieve the award, and the Kenoha school was successful, recently receiving word it was among 27 schools across the state to earn the recognition.

“This is my 10th year here and I noticed that there was a lot of stuff we had been doing for a long time,” Witthun said. “I thought, “We could probably get this award if we put our minds to it,’ so I sought it out. I think we’re going to try and keep it going.”

The award recognizes WIAA schools for their efforts and achievements in the areas of sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, leadership and character.

Among the criteria are athletic director conducted regular occurring meetings with a Captain’s Club/Team Leadership Council/etc. – sportsmanship, ethics

p St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Kenosha is one of 27 WIAA schools who recently were awarded the organization’s Award of Excellence for the 2018-19 school year. (Submitted photo)

and/or integrity is on the agenda and is discussed; coaches and studentathletes attended a sportsmanship summit/leadership conference/etc.; three or more athletic teams gave back to their school or community through volunteerism; and athletic program had no coach ejections at any level.

It takes more than one person checking boxes off a list to make an award like this happen.

“My thought process over the last couple of years was getting the leadership aspect with our studentathletes and our coaches,” Witthun said. “I’m really blessed to have really

great coaches; they’re really great men and women, and great leaders in their own right. That’s why they’re here at St. Joe’s; that’s why I hired them.

They’ve done a good job of putting that leadership onto their athletes.”

One of the programs Witthun was instrumental in starting was the J Club, which is a leadership and service organization for student-athletes and students involved in extra-curricular activities.

“We’ve shifted the focus off the field and on to everyday life,” Witthun said.

“We’re bringing that into the school a little bit, so that’s been a focus the last

High School Football Scores and Schedule WEEK 8 RESULTS Catholic Central (Burlington) 21, St. Joseph (Kenosha) 14 Catholic Memorial (Waukesha) 24, Waukesha West 7 Marquette (Milwaukee) 13, Germantown 3 St. Catherine (Racine) 34, Martin Luther 20 St. Mary’s Springs (Fond du Lac) 31, Omro 0 Racine Lutheran 48, Dominican (Whitefish Bay) 0 New Berlin Eisenhower 49, Pius XI (Milwaukee) 14

Cudahy 45, Shorewood-Messmer 18 Shoreland Lutheran 52, St. Thomas More (Milwaukee) 6

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE Thursday, Oct. 17 St. Catherine (Racine) vs. St. Joseph (Kenosha), Horlick Athletic Field, 7 p.m.

Brown Deer at Pius XI (Milwaukee), Wisconsin Lutheran College, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18 Racine Lutheran at Catholic Central

(Burlington), 7 p.m.

Waukesha North at Catholic Memorial (Waukesha), Carroll University, 7 p.m.

Shoreland Lutheran at Dominican (Whitefish Bay), Whitefish Bay High School, 7 p.m.

West Allis Hale at Marquette (Milwaukee), Hart Park, 7 p.m.

Shorewood-Messmer at West Allis Central, 7 p.m.

St. Mary’s Springs (Fond du Lac) at North Fond du Lac, 7 p.m.

Martin Luther at St. Thomas More (Milwaukee), St. Francis High School, 7 p.m.

Like at all Catholic schools, the teams at St. Joseph are active in the community, especially doing charitable work for cancer organizations, and feeding hungry children and homeless people.

“You want to promote your Catholic identity,” Witthun said. “I think that’s what you should be doing.”

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SACRAMENTS

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October 17, 2019

Nuptial Blessing Serves to Seal Sacrament of Marriage We are drawing our examination of the marriage ritual to a conclusion by examining the Nuptial Blessing. In my last article, I indicated that there are three possible Nuptial Blessings that can be chosen from. I’d like to take a look at one of them (which just happens to be my personal favorite) to deepen our understanding of the marital covenant. The Nuptial Blessing takes place immediately after the Our Father and begins with a call to all those who are present to “pray to the Lord for this bride and groom, who come to the altar as they begin their married life.” After a pause for silent prayer, the priest begins the blessing, “Holy Father, who formed man in your own image, male and female you created them, so that as husband and wife, united in body and heart, they might fulfill their calling in the world.”

The first part of the blessing reminds

groom so that they may live out their baptismal call and serve God with the gift of their lives.

THE SACRAMENTS FR. PETER BERGER

us that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God and that reality is what gives us our human dignity. The first part of the blessing also recalls that marriage is part of God’s original plan for creation and helps the couple to fulfill their calling – in other words, marriage becomes a great source of strength and support for the bride and

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The second part of the blessing ties the Sacrament of Marriage into God’s plan as a sign of the love that Christ has for His Church (something we have already spoken about in a previous article). It prays, “O God, who, to reveal the great design you formed in your love, willed that the love of spouses for each other should foreshadow the covenant you graciously made with your people, so that, by fulfillment of the sacramental sign, the mystical marriage of Christ with his Church might become manifest in the union of husband and wife among your faithful.” This is a reminder of the call that married couples are to reflect the very love that God has for his people by the way they love one another which, as has been stated before, is faithful, permanent and fruitful.

After a calling forth of the Holy Spirit (“graciously stretch out your right hand over these your servants, we pray, and pour into their hearts the power of the Holy Spirit”), the blessing now asks God to bestow certain gifts on the couple. The first is that they may be able to “share with one another gifts” of God’s love and that they may be “for each other a sign of your [God’s] presence,” and that they become “one heart and one mind.”

This part of the blessing points out the

intimate union that they have with one another, but also with God himself as a couple married in his presence. Then follows these prayers for a blessing of the couple, a blessing upon the home that they will form and the call to Christian parenting, “May they also sustain, O Lord, by their deeds the home they are forming and prepare their children to become members of your heavenly household by raising them in the way of the Gospel.” We see here clearly pointed out the fact that the married couple will be the foundation of the home that they are forming and the first teachers of their children in the way of the Faith.

Having called forth a blessing on the couple and on their home and future family, the nuptial blessing now blesses the bride individually, that she may be “a good wife and mother” and one who brings “warmth to her home with a love that is pure,” and that she may “adorn it with welcoming graciousness.” Following this, there is a blessing upon the groom, that “he may be a worthy, good and faithful husband and a provident father.”

Both of these specific prayers point out and draw attention to the various gifts that the bride and groom will bring to the formation of their household and ask God to strengthen them as they live out their marital consent as a husband and a wife, and as a father and a mother.

Finally, the blessing concludes by calling to mind the reality that married couples are meant to help each other to get to heaven. It recalls that the destination for the newly married couple is not in this world, but the next, that “as a couple joined in marriage” in God’s presence, “they may one day have the joy of taking part” in his “great banquet in heaven.”

(This article is part of a series of articles on The Sacraments which will appear in the Catholic Herald in the coming months)

SCRIPTURE

October 17, 2019

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Pray Always, Pray All Ways There is a small faith sharing group I meet with once a month. Over the past two years, we have put all our shyness aside and have come to share life at very real and authentic levels. The group consists of a young couple raising three sons, a school teacher, an engineer, a retired couple, a dedicated sacristan and a real estate agent. Of late, we are viewing Bishop Robert Barron’s series on Catholicism, an excellent tutorial on the basic traditions of our faith.

At our most recent gathering, the young school teacher took us into her frightened heart. A mandatory in-service at her school about how to keep students safe if there was an active shooter on the premises left her week-kneed. The vividness of the videos and the strategies for the safety of the kids robbed her of peace. She could not sleep at night. To add to the terror, there was a former student who was making public threats on the teachers. While she told us her story, she wept wondering how she would lock down the door and keep 6-year-olds quiet if the worst might happen.

There were no words of promise or consolation that could cut through her sorrow. We could only pray for her and with her. As we gathered around her laying our hands on her burdened shoulders, the love for her was palpable, and the presence of God all the more.

We prayed that God would lift from her all fear and anxiety, that God would give her peace in her night hours, that God would hold fast to the young student threatening others and block any ill intent. There were long periods of silence as we let the minutes pass by holding her in the embrace of God. We were hounding God. We were pleading with God. We believed that God would work a miracle that night.

The next day we received this text from the young teacher: I just wanted to reach out and thank you

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Exodus 17: 8-13 2 Timothy 3;14-4;2 Luke 18:1-4 for surrounding me with God’s love last night. I awoke several times in the night worried about catastrophic events and without even thinking I was repeating “give it to God” over and over and over until I fell back asleep. This morning, I woke up calm and far less anxious.

Not only that, the student withdrew his threats on the internet.

When Jesus talks about persistence in prayer, he is dead serious. The human

Saint of theWeek Born in Syria, St. Ignatius of Antioch (died c. 107) converted to Christianity and eventually became bishop of Antioch. In the year 107, Emperor Trajan visited Antioch and forced the Christians there to choose between death and apostasy. St. Ignatius would not deny Christ and thus was condemned to be put to death in Rome.

St. Ignatius is well known for the seven

part of us would like to wallow in hopelessness and defeat, but then we are in dangerous territory. It is in the heart of the storm that we must continue to cry out to God, our Savior. It is when we feel most defeated that Jesus says: “Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?

Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.” And when we become weary of praying, then like Moses in the heart of the battle, we must ask others to hold up our weary arms and intercede with us before the throne of God. There is no doubt that the great Catholic writer C.S. Lewis was madly in love with his wife, Joy. When she was dying of cancer, Lewis would go to the chapel every morning to pray. One day, his colleague asked him why he went to the chapel so frequently. “Do you think you are going to change God’s mind?” he asked Lewis. To which Lewis responded, “No, I don’t go so that God will change his mind, I go so that God will change me.”

Prayer for all of us must be habitual. In the parable, the widow is a powerless figure. She has no economic resources to rely upon. The judge represents every system that does not recognize the outcry of the poor. The fact that she is letters he wrote on the long journey from Antioch to Rome.

The final letter begs the Christians in Rome not to try to stop his martyrdom.

“The only thing I ask of you is to allow me to offer the libation of my blood to God. I am the wheat of the Lord; may I be ground by the teeth of the beasts to become the immaculate bread of Christ.”

Ignatius bravely met the lions in the Circus Maximus.

He is the saint of the day for Oct. 17.

able to wear down a hard-nosed judge would not be possible without help. For when the powerless who seek justice take down the powerful who refuse to give in, there is always evidence of God’s action.

The weakening of a belligerent judge is caused by the widow’s history of frequent communing with God in prayer.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are encouraged to pray always. Prayer must animate every moment of our lives. St. Gregory Nazianzus, the Fourth Century theologian, said, “We must remember God more than we draw every breath.” We cannot pray at all times if we do not pray at specific times: morning, evening, liturgy, liturgical seasons, praying with the Scriptures and other devotional prayers. Prayer must live in our very bones so that when crisis comes or injustices visit us, we, like the widow, can engage the forces of God in warfare against the powers-that-be. Here we are able to better trust the agency of God to bring change.

The young teacher found peace that night. I suspect it will continue. But if she becomes overwhelmed again, rest assured, we will persist in our prayer for her engaging the love and power of God whose intervention carries all of us into the realm of hope.

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October 17, 2019

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Bishops’ Calendars Among the bishops’ public commitments for next week are the following: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 5:30 p.m.

Campanile Society Recruitment Event, Racine/ Kenosha

l ARCHBISHOP LISTECKI

— A community of Priests and brothers

Friday, Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m.

White Mass for Medical Personnel, St. Camillus, Milwaukee

Thursday, Oct. 24, 8 a.m.

Opening Prayer for Re-Entry Expo, MMCPC

Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m.

Soles for Education, Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Schools Walk, Mount Mary University

l BISHOP SCHUERMAN

Sunday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.

Mass, Celebrant and Homilist, Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Milwaukee, Radio 920 WOLF

Friday, Oct. 18, 10:30 a.m.

Deanery Meeting, Sacred Heart, Horicon Monday- Wednesday, Oct. 21-24 Holy Land Pilgrimage

l BISHOP EMERITUS SKLBA

Monday- Wednesday, Oct. 21-24 Holy Land Pilgrimage

Saturday, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m.

Mass for Diaconate Program, MMCPC

l BISHOP HAINES

Sunday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.

Mass, St. Francis Convent

Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m.

Soles for Education, Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Schools Walk, Mount Mary University

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m.

Dedication at Mediation Room, Mitchell Airport

Prayers for Priests

We invite you because we are convinced of the necessity to continue the ministry of love and reconciliation in the Church and the world.

P.O. Box 206 Hales Corners, WI 53132 1-800-609-5559 Find us on Facebook www.dehoniansusa.org vocationcentral@wi.twcbc.com

The Monthly Prayer Request for Priests (MPRP) is an international lay apostolate founded in 1990 to encourage people to pray and sacrifice for priests. This is a weekly calendar listing the name of a Milwaukee Archdiocesan priest for whom those who are interested in praying may offer prayers.

Friday, Oct. 18 Schoenstatt Fathers Saturday, Oct. 19 Fr. Arthur Heinze Sunday, Oct. 20 Fr. John Hemsing Monday, Oct. 21 Fr. Patrick Heppe

Tuesday, Oct. 22 Fr. Jerome Herda Wednesday, Oct. 23 Fr. Jorge Enrique Hernandez Thursday, Oct. 24 Claretian Priests For information about MPRP, call Anne Bender at 414-328-1568 or visit www.tinyurl.com/3a78y5r.

Next Issue Oct. 24: Grief and Loss Wondering what our Archbishop has to say about current news, local events or Catholic questions?

Listen in! 30 minutes with Archbishop Listecki and Bob Benes on Relevant Radio 100.1FM/1640AM. Shows are archived at archmil.org/LOF

LIVING OUR FAITH

FRIDAYS AT 8:00 a.m.

CATHOLIC MAMAS

October 17, 2019

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Pray Together, Stay Together: How to Pray With Your Family COLLEEN JURKIEWICZ CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

usually anything but quiet and reflective but at least we are there, right?)

How do you teach your children to pray? We asked our Milwaukee Catholic Mamas what their strategies are, and a few patterns emerged.

– Amanda R.

We usually start with a Guardian Angel prayer, then go around the room saying what we are thankful for, then give some intentions and say other prayers like the Hail Mary and the St. Michael prayer.

My son, who has been away with the Marines and is now in college, joins us on the phone when he can. When my husband is away on business, he calls in to join us. We started the habit of nightly family prayer when they were little. I think it is one of the most important parts of our family culture. It is just a given that we do it and it has really helped our teens stay close to the family and active in their faith. It also has been an important part of keeping an attitude of gratitude in our home.

Most moms tried to weave prayer into the fabric of the day. A Hail Mary when an ambulance siren is heard, an Angelus at noon or another designated hour, a Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m. — all found small, frequent opportunities to “check in” with God throughout the day. n Several moms mentioned getting

their husbands involved, noting that it was a particularly profound example for their children to see their father pray. Research has shown that children are more likely to embrace spiritual practices if their father (not just their mother) teaches them.

– Laine S.

Right now, my son is 3 and says a bedtime prayer by himself. He says “Dear Jesus, God bless mommy and daddy ... etc.” and names all the people and pets he knows and ends with “Amen.” He has fun so far and looks forward to it. He even tells me to kneel down with him.

n Most moms reported a mixture of

written prayers and spontaneous prayer for bedtime, encouraging children to memorize traditional prayers while also reflecting on their own needs, gratitudes and desires.

We pray every night. We start with the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be and then do our personal prayer intentions and things we are thankful for.

As I am getting up to head out of the room, I make the sign of the cross on their forehead and invoke their guardian angels to watch over them as they sleep and keep them “happy, healthy, holy and safe.” On the way to school in the morning, we thank God for a new day and any other intentions we have. Then, I call on the guardian angels again to watch them through the day and do the same blessing in the forehead as at bedtime.

Both of my kids will say something if I somehow forget to do the blessing. They have come to love it.

– Amy B.

– Melissa P. p Laine Soper did this arts and crafts project with her children for the the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. “After dinner we grabbed things we had on-hand like chocolate chips, Cheerios, Kix cereals, pretzels and some homemade toffee. The kids ate each ‘bead’ as we said the rosary.”

(Photo courtesy of Laine Soper)

We do prayers as a family at bedtime. My husband will occasionally have the boys each pick a prayer to “lead.” He’s the stay-at-home parent, so I didn’t even realize until one of those nights that our 3-year-old knew the Our Father. When one of our kids was pushing back one night about not wanting to pray, he told them that as boys they would be the spiritual leaders of their family and would have to lead their families in prayer. It’s always awesome to watch him stress to them the importance of boys praying rather than it being just a “girl thing.”

– Susan D.

We pray a prayer in Croatian at bedtime and then go around and each one of us gives thanks for whatever we want that day. Sometimes it’s our health, other times its silly things like our new car, or the fact we all survived the day.

– Dolores G.

At night, we all say someone special we want to pray for (to encourage thinking outside ourselves), something we are thankful for (to encourage gratitude), and something we want God/Jesus to help us with in the coming day/week (to encourage recognizing where we have faults and to ask God to help us improve). Also, meal prayers and Hail Marys when we hear emergency vehicles. We also do a weekly family Holy Hour of Adoration (which is

We had a time when our twins were struggling at night because they were scared. As we tucked them in, we would all say a prayer that I made up one night (thank you Holy Spirit): “Guardian Angel wrap your wings around me tight (hugging yourself), and help keep me safe through the night.”

– Mary A.

We do a decade of the rosary every night as a family and then pray for our godchildren and a current intention.

Katy C.

Check it out. Our own Grace Mazza Urbanski, a Milwaukee Catholic Mama and author and speaker, wrote a great book on this very topic. “Pray With Me: Seven Simple Ways to Pray With Your Children” is published by Ave Maria Press. https://www.avemariapress.com/ product/1-59471-574-2/Pray-with-Me/

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EVENTS

catholicherald.org

l FRIDAY, OCT. 18 Spaghetti Dinner: 4 to 7 p.m., Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 1919 54th St., Kenosha. Additional meals will be held Saturday, Oct. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each meal will cost $10 and will consist of homemade spaghetti and sauce, with a meatball, sausage, salad, Italian bread, dessert and coffee. Each meal will cost $10. Soda, bottled water and wine will be available at an additional cost. Carry-out meals are available. Tickets are available for purchase at the door on the days of the dinner. Contact the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church office with questions at 262-652-7660 or via email at parishoffice@ olmckenosha.org.

Rosary for Healing and Strength: 4 p.m., St. Robert, 2200 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood. Catholics concerned about the abuse crisis in the Church gather for prayer.

Prayer Service: 12:15 p.m., Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 N. Jackson St., Milwaukee. A 30-minute communal contemplative prayer service with the intention of reconciling and healing racism in our city.

Sponsored by Men of Christ. Build on your faith and enjoy some male cameraderie. Begins at 7 a.m. with Mass by Fr. Philip Schumaker. Light breakfast and lunch included. Register at menofchrist.net.

Cost is $40/person.

Francis. Women gather for Eucharistic adoration, Benediction and spiritual formation, all in support of an increase in vocations. Fr. Rob Kroll, S.J. will present on St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “Spiritual Exercises.”

l SUNDAY, OCT. 20

Opioid Awareness and Naloxone (Narcan) Training: 6 to 7 p.m., St. Leonard, W173S7743 Westwood Ave., Muskego. All are welcome.

Attendees will learn what an opioid is, who is at risk for poisoning, signs and symptoms of poisoning, what Naloxone is and how to use it, and recognizing and responding to opioid poisoning. Free Naloxone kits will be available to adults who attend the training. For more information, call 262-896-8061 or email OverdosePrevention@waukeshacounty.gov.

Turkey Dinner: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., St. Theresa, 136 W. Waukesha Road, Eagle. It’s the 81st year for this home-cooked, family-style dinner that includes turkey, dressing, real mashed potatoes, carrots, gravy and pickled beets and assorted desserts. Prices are $11 (adults and carry-outs) and $6 (children ages 5 to 12). The Country Store also offers many canned goodies, a craft room, book sale, cash and quilt raffle, blueberry bush and cherry tree.

Sunday TV Mass: 5:30 a.m. on WITI-TV channel 6 and 9 a.m. on WCGV-TV channel 24. For Catholics unable to attend a parish Mass due to illness, frailty, caregiving for loved ones, inclement weather or other grave circumstances. Online Mass video: www. heartofthenation.org. Information: 414-475-4700.

l MONDAY, OCT. 21

Fish Fry: 4 to 7 p.m., St. Bernadette, 8200 W. Denver Ave., Milwaukee. Kids’ meals and takeout available. 414-358-4600, stbweb.com.

Catholic Underground Halloween Potluck: 6 p.m., Reinl Center, 824 Superior Ave., Sheboygan.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ sheboygancu.

l SATURDAY, OCT. 19

l TUESDAY, OCT. 22

Aiming for Christ: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Waukesha Gun Club, N22 W23170 Watertown Road, Waukesha.

De Chantal Society: 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Seminary, 3257 S. Lake Drive, St.

Classifieds CEMENT JOHN SHEEHAN CONSTRUCTION Brick, Block, Stone, Stucco, Tuck pointing, Chimneys, Retaining Walls, Concrete Work, New and Repair. Free Estimates, Accepts Visa and MasterCard. Call John: 414-258-9838

FOR RENT Nice 3 bedroom house for rent, all appliances, new carpet. 1123 S. 92nd St., West Allis, WI 53214. $1195/ month, available Nov. 1st. No smoking or pets.

Call Joan: 414-333-0166

FOR SALE HOLYART - Religious items and Church goods http://www.holyart.com

October 17, 2019

SERVICES OFFERED CLEANING OUT Basements, attics, garages and houses. Will haul away.

Senior discount. Accepts Visa and MasterCard.

Call John: 414-258-9838

WANTED TO BUY ARE YOU CLEANING OUT? CASH FOR OLD THINGS. I buy HOUSEHOLD ITEMS and ESTATES AND estates items. Call me BEFORE you clean out and throw away. You may be throwing away money. Furniture and other items from 1900 until now I buy also. Call Susie 262-782-7138 or 414-405-0454.

BUYING OLD COSTUME JEWELRY. CALL SUSIE: 262-782-7138 OR 414-405-0454 BUYING OLD SPORTS CARDS, NON-SPORTS CARDS, VINTAGE MEMORABLIA. OLD COINS PRE 1964, MILWAUKEE BRAVES, BREWERS AND GREEN BAY PACKER COLLECTABLES, ANYTHING OLD. CALL JOHN: 262-510-9029.

OLD CAMERAS WANTED CASH PAID. CAMERAS, PHOTOGRAPHY ITEMS, 3-D, REALIST, OLD PHOTOS, ADVERTSING. JOHN: 414-640-6599.

To place a classified ad, call 414-769-3464.

“I Thirst” Series: 6:30 p.m., St. Teresa of Calcutta, W314 N7462 State Road 83, North Lake. Mother Mary Catherine, Missionaries of the Word, will reflect on her 10 years as a Missionary of Charity, working in New York and acting as a driver for Mother Teresa when she visited their community.

l WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23 Holy Hour for Life: 6:30 p.m., St. Teresa of Calcutta, W314 N7462 WI-83, North Lake; and Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary, 7307 40th Ave., Kenosha. u

HERALD OF HOPE, FROM PAGE 3

that was modeled by our parents and grandparents. Faith was the glue that held us together through the tough times in our lives. Why would anyone deny their child the formula for successfully integrating faith into life’s vision? This is what a Catholic high school provides and, like my Archdiocesan Pastoral Council friend offered, it is a great investment.

Our young people need an educational environment where they don’t have to apologize for their faith. A place where they can exercise the faith they profess and individuals who will willingly assist them in growing in

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Rosary for Life will be led by deacons from parishes throughout the Archdiocese. All are welcome to join in prayer for respect for the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, for those wounded by abortion and that our elected officials may be guided by justice, truth and profound respect for life.

“Unplanned” Showings: 6:30 p.m., St. John the Evangelist, 8500 W. Coldspring Road, Greenfield, and Thursday, Oct. 24 at 12:30 p.m.

Cor Jesu: 7 to 9 p.m., St. Robert, 2200 E. Capitol Drive, Shorewood. Prayer with music, silence, reconciliation, 8 p.m. Mass, followed by social in the parking lot.

l THURSDAY, OCT. 24 The Center in the Center: 6:30 to 8 p.m., Blessed Sacrament, 3100 S. 41st St., Milwaukee. Spend an evening learning about what the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is doing to minister to residents of the Amani neighborhood. The evening’s speaker is Anne Haines, Respect Life Director for Urban Ministry at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The presentation will take place in the hall just below the church. their relationship with God. This is the difference and it’s a difference that you’ll utilize throughout your life.

Join with me on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Mount Mary University. I’ll don my red Converse All-Star gym shoes and we’ll proudly walk in support of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. We will share stories reflecting our great affection for the years of academic and spiritual formation that we experienced in Catholic education and we’ll pledge to do our best to keep the Catholic school tradition available and affordable for all our Catholic families.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us!

October 31 Issue: Family

October 17, 2019

catholicherald.org

27

DCN. MIKE CHMIELEWSKI

Dcn. Mike Chmielewski has been the director of clergy/deacon services for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and has been assigned to Holy Apostles Parish in New Berlin since his ordination in 2009.

LARRY HANSON CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

Is it a blessing that so many of the early deacons in this archdiocese are still around?

Can you explain your role as director of deacon/clergy services?

They really established a really strong foundation for those of us who’ve been ordained in the 2000s. They’ve established those basic principles of being organized and working together, developing relationships with the pastors, with the parishes, with the archdiocese.

They’ve really created an entity in the permanent diaconate here in the archdiocese, which is wonderful to see. It’s still growing. It’s still pretty young when you consider the diaconate is only 45 years old in Milwaukee

Someone once told me the job was basically to be a pastor to all of the permanent deacons in the archdiocese.

I oversee, advocate, communicate, send information, offer guidance, offer direction, encouragement to all the permanent deacons. I’m overseeing about 165 permanent deacons. I take them from when they’re ordained and work with them and walk them through all their time as deacon.

How rewarding is that?

It’s amazing to hear their stories. I love hearing their stories about how God has called them and where God has led them and directed them in their life. One of the things I tried to do when I started this job was to make contact with some of our older deacons and hear their stories. It’s humbling and it’s really wonderful to hear the stories of the guys who were ordained in the mid-70s and the 1980s and the 1990s, and to hear how God worked in their life. The vast majority of them continue to be wonderful servants of our Savior, and wonderful servants of the Church.

How did God lead you to the diaconate?

I’ve always been connected with service to the Church.

It was part of my family background. My wife and I have always been active in our parishes. When I felt the call to the diaconate, it kind of came strangely. There was a short article in the Milwaukee Journal inviting people to come to look into the lay ministry program which, at that time, the lay ministry program and the diaconate program were combined formation. I saw that article and didn’t think much of it. My wife saw the article and said, “Did you ever think about that? You could get some extra training and be of special service to the Church.”

The next day, my mother said she saw the article, and she said, “Why don’t you go check it out?” I began formation in lay ministry but was accepted into the diaconate program after one year.

Is it like a brotherhood?

n Worked as a therapist and social worker at Carmelite

Home for Boys in Wauwatosa for 42 years until he started working for the archdiocese in 2015. n Received his master’s in social work at UW-

Milwaukee after graduation from De Sales Seminary High School and College (the current Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center). n Has been married to his wife Mary for 44 years; the

couple has four children and eight grandchildren. n He has been member of Holy Apostles since 1993.

There’s a real common bond, because we all share the same calling. I think we all understand it’s that call to service and it’s that call to continue reaching out to make disciples. I think there’s a real strong bond and connection between the guys, even if they don’t know each other. To walk into a room and see a deacon, there’s an instant connection.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing the work of the Church?

We do a lot things with our grandkids. One of our daughters lives in Chicago and has three kids, and we try to get down there. I help my wife gardening, and I enjoy doing that, just enjoying nature. I do some hiking and some golfing and support local sports teams. I’m living the dream.

That period of your life when you got ordained was a time of big change in your life, wasn’t it?

In the 52 weeks of April 2009 to April 2010, all three of my daughters got married and I was ordained. We had all of those things happening. It was quite of year of celebration and challenge and hard work.

What kind of movies do you like?

p Dcn. Mike Chmielewski and his wife Mary have four children and eight grandchildren. (Submitted photo)

I have not been to a movie in a theater in 15 or 20 years. We will on occasion rent some movies. We will watch the Oscars and then go out and rent some of the Oscar movies.

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October 17, 2019

catholicherald.org

Ready, Set, WALK! Saturday, October 19 — 10 a.m.

2-Mile Walk | Mount Mary University

Support your local Catholic school — donate today!

Visit catholicschoolswalk.org