Planning is underway for the Alleluia Ball, an evening celebrating Catholic education and supporting tuition assistance. Potential sponsors for the major fundraising event were invited to a sponsorship kickoff featuring Bishop Edward Malesic on Aug. 31 at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Cleveland Browns.
The gala is set for March 26, 2022 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown.
Kevin Stefanski, Browns head coach, was the special guest. Stefanski told the group that Catholic education is very important to him and his family. “It shaped who we are,” he said, noting that both he and his wife Michelle are the products of Catholic education in their native Pennsylvania. The couple’s three children attend Lakewood Catholic Academy and they are members of St. Luke Parish in Lakewood.
Stefanski recalled his oldest child attending Catholic preschool in Minnesota, their former home. “He asked to say grace one night at dinner,” Stefanski said, noting he repeated the blessing just as the children recited it at school – including the last line, indicating which group was to get in line first.
“It’s great to go to CYO basketball and football games,” Stefanski said. In fact, his wife was unable to attend the event because she was shuttling their children to and from sports practices that night.
“This is important to us and to me as a husband and father,” he said, referring to Catholic education. “I deal with wins and losses (in professional football) and I see this (supporting Catholic education) as a win. You have my support. God bless and go Browns,” he added.
Patrick Grace, executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation, which organizes the Alleluia Ball, also used a sports analogy, saying supporting Catholic schools is “a win.” He credited Stefanski for his support of Catholic education.
Theme for this year’s Alleluia Ball is “Keeping Dreams Alive 2022.” Lorraine Dodero returns as event chair.
Father James Roach, Catholic chaplain for the Browns, was on hand to offer an opening prayer before the program at the kickoff event.
Frank O’Linn, secretary for education and superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Cleveland, called the schools “the heart of the mission of the Church, a bedrock institution here in Northeast Ohio.”
Throughout the evening, a slide show played on screens located throughout the Key Club, where the event took place. More than 4,000 students received tuition assistance in the 202-2021 school year, with tuition assistance totaling $3.56 million in 2020-2021. However, 9,755 students applied for assistance. There are nearly 40,000 students enrolled in Catholic school throughout the eight-county diocese and the average elementary school tuition is $5,000. O’Linn said about 1,000 new students enrolled in diocesan schools during the pandemic year and unfortunately, not enough money is available to provide tuition assistance for all students who request it.
The Alleluia Ball generates a large portion of the funds dedicated for tuition assistance in the diocesan schools, including the “Fund a Dream” initiative, which debuted at the 2019 Alleluia Ball. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was a special guest at that event, which raised a record-breaking $1.32 million for tuition assistance.
O’Linn said Catholic schools throughout the diocese soldiered on during the coronavirus pandemic last year and are prepared to do the same this year. “We will build on our success,” he said. “We learned a lot during the pandemic and we will take those lessons and rise to new heights.”
He also used a sports analogy, pointing out the Browns plan to build on last season’s successes as they begin a new one. Noting that Stefanski received Coach of the Year honors last year, he said it was a pleasure to have the NFL draft in Cleveland this year. During the draft, Marty Gibbons, Lake Catholic High School head football coach and the 2020 Browns High School Coach of the Year, announced the Browns’ second-round draft pick: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from the University of Notre Dame.
O’Linn also told those gathered that two schools in the diocese – St. Anthony of Padua in Akron and St. Augustine in Barberton – this year joined the network of Notre Dame ACE Academies. The network strives to create thriving and resilient Catholic schools through an emphasis on Catholic school culture, strong teaching and learning and operational vitality.
Dodero thanked her vice chairs, Maryellen and Umberto Fedeli and Mary Lynn and Michael Silvestro, and Toni Hadad, host committee chair, for their hard work on the Alleluia Ball. Getting a handle on tuition costs is a priority, Dodero said, and funds generated by the Alleluia Ball are a step in the right direction. The Fund a Dream initiative unveiled in 2019 has helped more than 100 students with awards of $2,500 each. “We get acknowledgements from the students and they are very touching,” she added.
Bishop Malesic said he was thrilled they could gather in person for the sponsorship kickoff event. He also acknowledged Stefanski’s leadership, pointing out, “He takes so many different people and personalities and makes them into a team,” noting this is what the Church does, also.
“We are dealing with young souls eager to be formed, like pieces of wet clay. Teachers and educators mold them into good souls,” he added. The bishop also said that many consider a Catholic education as something very important for children.
“All of us in this room are blessed; we are blessed by God. We need to do something with those blessings. Tonight is giving you another opportunity to be generous, to ask the Lord where he wants you to spend your money to do the most good,” the bishop said. “Catholic schools are the biggest youth ministry program in the diocese and education – a Catholic education – is another key to escaping poverty.”
The diocesan schools stayed open last year during the pandemic year, he said, crediting the teachers – who he called heroes – who wanted to be there in person to teach their students. “But we couldn’t do what we do without you,” the bishop told those at the sponsorship event.
“I can’t wait to experience the Alleluia Ball. I can already feel the excitement,” he said, thanking Dodero, the Fedelis, Silvestros and Hadad for their leadership and continuing support.
“This is a team effort that plays out in the stadium of life,” he added.
For more information on the Alleluia Ball, including sponsorships, table sponsorships and tickets, click here, call 216-696-6525, Ext. 3760 or email ccole@catholiccommunity.org.