Denver Catholic

2 SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 13, 2017 | DENVER CATHOLIC Archbishop's Page Archbishop's Column Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila PHOTO OF THE WEEK @ArchbishopDen Sep. 5 Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Denver Catholic (USPS 557-020) is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January. Denver Catholic is printed by Prairie Mountain Publishing, LLC in Boulder. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $50 a year in Colorado; $57 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $57 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $63 air; Canada, $70 air. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or email circulation@archden.org. CIRCULATION: denvercatholic.org/circulation General Manager KARNA SWANSON Business Manager MICHAEL O'NEILL ARCHBISHOP'S SCHEDULE OCT. 8: Mass for Installation of Pastor, Holy Cross Parish, Thornton (11:30 a.m.) OCT. 11: Mass with seminarians and faculty, St. John Vianney Seminary chapel, St. John Paul II Center (12:10 p.m.) OCT. 13: Marian prayer service and Consecration of Archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (7:30 p.m.) Making Catholic education a ordable " E ducation," St. John Bosco often said, "is the great art of forming human beings." And this is what happens every day across the archdiocese as children attend our schools are receive intel- lectual, spiritual and character for- mation. But the reality is that many parents perceive a Catholic education as being fi nancially out of reach, no matter how much they might desire it for their children. Since becoming Archbishop of Denver in 2012, I have been seeking ways to reinvigorate our Catholic school system and to make a Catholic education more accessible to people throughout northern Colorado. These inter-related goals are important to me for two reasons that might seem unrelated but are in fact connected. The fi rst reason I am so invested in Catholic education is that our Church and society need the witness of faithful people. During a 2010 visit to a Cath- olic school in London, Pope Benedict XVI explained the mission of our schools — in partnership with parents — this way: "A good school provides a rounded education for the whole person. And a good Catholic school, over and above this, should help all its students to become saints." Our world needs more saints. The second reason I am focused on a‹ ordability is that many parents have told me that they want to send their children to our schools but the rising costs of living in northern Colorado and raising a bigger family make it too diŒ cult. In response to these concerns, I have asked our Archdiocesan Finance OŒ ce, the OŒ ce of Catholic Schools, and a group of pastors with schools to work on ways to improve the a‹ ord- ability of our schools. The result of their e‹ orts is a two-step plan of action. The fi rst step involved creating a budgeting model that is being applied to all our schools over the next three years, starting in the 2018/19 school year to ensure that their staŒ ng and resources are properly aligned with their student enrollment. This model will also implement a tiered tuition scale that adjusts for income, family size, and other factors, allowing principals to accommodate the many situations that come with family life. The second action that is being taken is to expand the mission of Seeds of Hope. For those who are not famil- iar with this wonderful organization, it was fi rst founded in 1996 after the closure of St. Joseph's School in central Denver, which upset many in the local community. In response, a group of business and community leaders com- mitted themselves to ensuring that Catholic schools in low-income neigh- borhoods could survive. "Every child," they emphasized, "is a seed of hope." The historical focus of Seeds of Hope of supporting nine inner-city schools remains untouched, but begin- ning in the 2018/19 school year, we will begin the process of including all 37 archdiocesan schools in its mission. This means that families who are unable to a‹ ord a Catholic education will be able to do so, regardless of which school they are attending. The work of forming the next gen- eration is vital for the success of our Church and our country. As parents and family members consider your educational plans for your children, I invite you to approach your local Cath- olic school to discover what new oppor- tunities might be available for you. May God bless you and fi ll you with his gifts of wisdom and understanding! The O• ce of Catholic Schools will be implementing a new budgeting model over the next three years with the goal of making Denver Catholic Schools more a„ ordable for families . PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT Avery, 4th grader at St. Vincent de Paul school, proudly holds up her rosary, which she learned how to pray during a Sept. 12 talk given by Father Jim Kelleher to the students at St. Vincent de Paul. PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT #Dreamers many of you are friends, you are a tremendous gift! #Congress must act now to pass #DreamAct +sja

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