“From the first moment a student sets foot in a Catholic school, he or she ought to have the impression of entering a new environment, one illumined by the light of faith and having its own unique characteristics…an environment permeated with the Gospel spirit of love and freedom. ” —The Congregation for Catholic Education, Rome
Order, as well as subject to Rome’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life giving each school a unique spirit and implementation of “Catholicity.” No two Catholic schools are identical. SHM: So what is the relationship between a school sponsored by a religious congregation and the diocese in which it is located? JE: All Catholic schools must work to maintain a positive relationship with the diocese and with the local bishop. The primary functions of a Catholic school are shared by all, diocesan or private; to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to provide young people with the opportunity to practice their faith in the service of others, to live in community and to worship God. This will look different in each school, based on the priorities of the sponsoring congregation.
Sacred Heart Magazine (SHM): Just as starting point, what IS the basic difference between the many Catholic schools in our area? James Everitt (JE): The practicalities of Catholic schools around the globe are mostly universal. In each there will be some degree of prayer and worship, religious instruction as part of core subjects, an emphasis on Christian service and justice activities, on the centrality of relationships within the community, and signs of Catholic imagination (Crucifixes, religious statues and artwork, places of prayer, etc.). In the San Francisco Bay Area, there are about 111 total Catholic schools, ranging from preschool through high school programs. About 40% of these are diocesan or parish schools, governed by the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome and locally by the bishops. The remaining 60% are apostolate schools, founded to carry out the work and charism—or guiding principles—of a particular religious Order, be it Dominican, Jesuit, Sisters of Mercy, Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ), etc. These schools are under the auspices and governance of the individual
SHM: What’s the relationship between the goals of an apostolate school and those of the diocesan school? Are the expected outcomes relatively the same? JE: I’d say it varies; there are some commonalities, but many differences based on respective interests or historic emphasis. For example, many diocesan schools focus on cultivation of strong parish membership, devotion to marriage and family, service to those in
Participating in an all-school contest, students submited photos and reflections on what they see as SHS’ Catholicity. Kylie Aboukhalil’s (LMS ’19) representation of the SHS community showcased the collective hearts it takes to bring kindness and joy to others.
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