Diocesan educators and administrators spent time in prayer and preparation at two major events prior to the launch of the new school year.
The annual Bishop’s Convocation on Aug. 12 was hosted by Lake Catholic High School. It was highlighted by a Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic and a keynote address delivered by Sister Patricia McCormack, IHM.
A new event -- a daylong professional development program for teachers and administrators in urban schools throughout the diocese -- was hosted by Magnificat High School on Aug. 14. About 400 attended the workshop and heard presentations by well-known educator and author Hamish Brewer.
“Embrace Grace” was the theme of the convocation, which included elementary school leaders, high school leaders, Newman campus ministers, youth and high school campus ministers and parish catechetical leaders.
“What better way to launch a new year of ministry than by gathering around this table of the Lord’s Supper?” the bishop asked.
No matter what the educators hope to accomplish in the coming year, he told them the task given them is always the same, referencing St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy where he writes: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus … be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine … and will stop listening to the truth … But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.”
He told those gathered that evangelists are people who tell the story of the Gospel, the good news of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. “At the end of the day, all of you are his story tellers. You also tell the story of his ongoing work in the Church through the Holy Spirit. And this story is the basis of all that is in the catechism of our Catholic Church,” the bishop added.
Bishop Malesic also said the educators bear God’s love to the people and serve as God’s storytellers, bringing God’s call into their lives, a theme echoed by Sister McCormack, a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in her keynote address. He noted she was a fellow Pennsylvanian who has served many in his home diocese of Harrisburg.
He shared a poem he had heard years ago that talked about the old story of Jesus and his glory. “Tell me the story simply. As to a little child; for I am weak and weary, and helpless and defiled,” wrote poet A. Katherine Hankey in 1866.
“Show Jesus to your students in the story of the Eucharist,” the bill said. “Tell then, but also remind us, too. In fact, to tell the story, you yourself must never forget it,” he added.
The bishop also expressed his appreciation to the educators for the often-unnoticed work they do and for answering the call to form young disciples in the Church. “Thanks for planting the seeds of faith, watering the seeds of faith and trusting that God will make the seeds of faith grow in the lives of those you serve,” he said.
“Finally, as my episcopal motto says, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness,’ Fee free to make that your motto, too, as you head back full swing into your mission of forming young disciples of Christ,” the bishop added.
Greg Coogan, director of catechetical formation for the diocese, introduced Sister McCormack, noting she is from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. She has classroom experience at the elementary, secondary and college levels, in elementary school administration and adjunct teaching in university programs of Catholic school leadership. Sister also has written 10 books and 200 articles about aspects of education, faith and evangelization.
(See above for a photo gallery of images from each event.)
She borrowed from the title of her 2017 book, “Engaging the Parking Lot Parent,” for her address.
“Engage and evangelize and empower the parking lot parent,” she charged the educators. She suggested they adopt one of her methods: ACTS – adore, confess, thank and seek. Even if time is limited, she urged them to spend some with Jesus. “Let him see you,” she said. Sister told the group to spend a minute focusing on each aspect of ACTS. “What can you adore/admire in a minute? Then move on to the next letter (“C” for confess). What can you confess or acknowledged in a minute before moving on? What are you thankful for and seek what you need.”
She also encouraged the group to be a catalyst, to set the stage for people to encounter Jesus, explaining that was their main task. “Be the voice leading the prayer. Nourish them and they’ll find the voice of Christ,” she said.
Reflecting on Bishop Malesic’s episcopal motto, she asked the educators if they have smiles on their faces, noting that can color the way people perceive them and their work. “What can I do to change their perception?” she asked.
Sister McCormack offered a few suggestions for engaging students – and parents – by sharing inspirational messages, incorporating faith into games, activities and crafts, explaining it’s an easy way for people to be exposed to and to express their faith in a non-threatening way.
Empowering parents will help bring casual catechesis into family life.
After her session, the groups of educators formed breakout sessions to discuss the message and share ideas.
At the urban schools’ program on Aug. 14, teachers and school leaders from about 20 urban schools throughout the diocese were invited to listen, learn and share ideas to help their students and families. Their focus was spiritual and personal academic growth since most of their students are not Catholic, but their families choose to send them to a Catholic school.
Brewer, a New Zealand native and a product of Catholic schools, is an internationally known educator with a record of success as a teacher and administrator. An award-winning principal at both the elementary and secondary levels, he received several prestigious honors. Under his leadership, his elementary school in Virginia was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title I School. He also turned around one of the toughest middle schools in Virginia.
A sought-after speaker, he also is an author and used the title of his 2019 book, “Relentless – Disrupting the Educational Norm,” as the theme for his talk. A skateboarder, tattooed and dressed in black with a baseball cap and athletic shoes, he doesn’t look like a “typical” educator or school administrator.
But he mesmerized the group, engaging them with his easygoing style, often sharing stories about students, parents or educators he had encountered during his career and how he handled – or in some cases, defused – a situation.
Speaking to the assistant principals, he encouraged them saying, “Do the work. Your job is to become a principal.” Then he told the principals, “Train your assistant principals to become principals, not to keep them.”
Brewer said he once worked with a principal who was the opposite of him. “She made me do everything. But she trained me to be a principal,” he said.
He also told principals to value the teachers’ time. “Focus on what will help the kids. Laser focus on instruction … This is hard work. If you signed up thinking it would be easy, you’re in the wrong job. There is no off switch.”
About 100 attendees received copies of Brewer’s book and five more won skateboards in a raffle. Brewer autographed each and posed for photos after his presentation.
During breakout sessions after the keynote, participants were asked to reflect and share whey they thought were the important messages in Brewer’s talk. A quote from him, “If we make love the center of our school, we will win every time,” was displayed in the classrooms where teachers gathered according to the grade level they taught.
After some spirited discussion, they enjoyed lunch and a closing session.
Among those organizing the convocation and urban schools’ program were Frank O’Linn, superintendent of schools for the diocese; Tracey Arnone, Monica Dietz, Joe Waler and Michael Zelenka, assistant superintendents; and Coogan.
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