Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I MAY 14, 2014 BY JULIE FILBY Editor's note: This story is the second in a Denver Catholic Register series about archdioc- esan ministries and programs funded by the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. While Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools is the largest private school system in Colo- rado—at nearly 10,000 students and 1,000 teachers—it is a rela- tively small, but dedicated and experienced, team of individ- uals that act as the "central of- fi ce." This team of fi ve provides vision, direction and supervi- sion to the community of 38 el- ementary/middle schools and two high schools. Individuals that make up the Offi ce of Catholic Schools, based at the chancery building on the campus of the St. John Paul II Center in south Denver, include: Richard Thompson, superintendent; Sister Eliza- beth Youngs, S.C.L., and Mary Cohen, associate superinten- dents; Barbara Anglada, spe- cial programs director; Deidre Moog, executive secretary; and the offi ce is in the midst of hir- ing a Spanish-speaking admin- istrative assistant. "We work hard with the funds we're provided," Thomp- son told the Denver Catholic Register May 7. "We try to be good stewards of those funds and pay it forward." In the spirit of servant lead- ership, the offi ce advises and assists administrators and teachers, so they in turn can achieve their mission: to form the whole child in moral and academic excellence. "When (donors) invest in us," Thompson said, "they're investing in all kinds of stu- dents and teachers." From a practical and cat- echetical standpoint, just a few of the ways the offi ce serves the schools are: helping re- cruit qualifi ed teachers by at- tending teachers' fairs, head- ing up a principal formation program that forms teachers into potential leaders through 65 hours of discernment, ed- ucation and catechesis; com- plementing education and Church teaching related to sex- uality with an annual chastity rally for eighth-graders, and developing ethically responsi- ble sports leaders by promot- ing the "Play Like a Champion" initiative of the University of Notre Dame. The offi ce recent- ly received a Faithful Leader- ship Award from Notre Dame for their efforts implementing "Play Like a Champion" in the archdiocese. "We work to get kids to col- lege," Thompson said, "and (ultimately) to heaven." Additional support services they provide include long- term strategic planning, policy promulgation, safety guide- lines, fi nancial review, legal ad- vice and school accreditation. For more information about the Offi ce of Catholic Schools, visit www.archden.org/schools, call 303-715-3200 or email schoolinfo@archden.org. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie.fi lby@archden.org; www. twitter.com/DCRegisterJulie Central offi ce 'pays it forward' to 40 Catholic schools "GO, THEREFORE, AND MAKE DISCIPLES..." (MATT 28:19) As she fi nishes up her fi rst year as principal at Sts. Pe- ter and Paul School in Wheat Ridge, Carmelite Sister Mary Patrice Matamoros refl ected on the experience. While it's been a good one, it has also in- volved a learning curve. Sister Matamoros, along with all school principals, manages numerous details and makes many decisions over the course of a school year. She is grateful for the sup- port she has received from the staff of the Offi ce of Catholic Schools in managing those de- tails, making good decisions, and continually striving to pro- vide students with a rigorous education and strong spiritual formation. "They have been extremely supportive," she told the Denver Catholic Register May 8 while on a break from the monthly prin- cipals' meeting at the St. John Paul II Center in south Den- ver. "Whenever a new and un- known situation has come up, number one, they always an- swer the phone. They respond quickly, and they are always there to give advice." Sister Matamoros, a native of Miami, Fla., entered the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles community in 1993. She is an experienced educator, serving in elementary education for 25 years, including teaching in Colorado, Florida, California and Arizona. "Not only do they provide support, but true dialogue," she said. "They guide and mentor and form the princi- pals, with love and encour- agement, in a straightforward way." Part of that formation has included participation in the principal induction program provided by the Offi ce of Cath- olic Schools. The program brings new principals togeth- er for a full day once a month to help set "principles for the principals" through study and learning to apply Church doc- uments, such as St. John Paul II's writings on catechesis, to the Catholic culture of the school. "In the induction program we receive solid Catholic for- mation so we are equipped," she said. "To help form stu- dents we must make sure we ourselves are solid in our faith. "We have the mission to impart the Catholic faith that is subtlety being eroded by society." The program also includes time for the Offi ce of Catholic Schools' team to further ed- ucate new principals on pol- icies and procedures, and for the principals to get feedback from the superintendents. In addition, the offi ce as- signs each new principal a sea- soned mentor principal: Sis- ter Matamoros was assigned Sister of St. Francis Mary Rose Lieb, principal at St. Francis de Sales School since 2012 and principal of Holy Family High School for 18 years. Sister Matamoros also ap- preciates the Offi ce of Catholic Schools for their guidance and expertise in areas such as legal and contract situations, com- pliance, liability, events, mar- keting and planning. "They walk us through any situation," she said, "and they direct us and teach us where to fi nd the information we need. "Because the support is there and I've been able to keep in contact with them," she said, "I in turn can do the best I can for the school." Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie.fi lby@archden.org; www. twitter.com/DCRegisterJulie Principal gives schools offi ce A+ OFFICE OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Phone: 303-715-3200 Email: schoolinfo@archden. org Online: www.archden.org/ schools ACA See a video about the appeal here: http://vimeo. com/archdioceseofdenver/ appeal2014. TO MAKE A DONATION Online: www.archden.org/ donate Mail: 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Phone: 303-715-3111 Archbishop's Catholic Appeal Through the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal, nearly 40 archdiocesan ministries are supported by donations to the annual campaign. Donations fund ministries created to catechize students, educate seminarians, provide food and shelter to the impoverished, lead the wayward back to the Church and communicate the Gospel message. Archbishop Samuel Aquila chose this year's theme "Go, therefore, and make disciples" (Matt 28:19) to encourage the faithful to re-evaluate their roles in making disciples. Everyone can be disciples for Christ, he said, either directly or indirectly. Gifts to the appeal are one way the faithful can help make disciples for Christ. PHOTO BY ROBERT LINN/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER CARMELITE Sister Mary Patrice Matamoros, principal of Sts. Peter and Paul School in Wheat Ridge, shows an exhibit to kindergarten students done by third-graders during the school's Culture Day fair May 9. "We work to get kids to college and (ultimately) to heaven." Richard Thompson Superintendent of Catholic Schools

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