ACE Advocates News

Video update: Tony Hollowell reading March 12 at the Conclave Mass.

Audio update: Hollowell interviewed March 14 on Son Rise Morning Show.

An ACE graduate who has pursued a new vocational path, that of seminarian, was privileged to participate in the Conclave Mass this week that was an important step toward electing Pope Francis.

When the Catholic Church’s College of Cardinals assembled on Tuesday for the task of electing the next Pope, they began with Mass, and Tony Hollowell—seminarian, Notre Dame alumnus, and former Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) teacher—served as lector, reading a passage from Isaiah.

Tony, who graduated from Notre Dame in 2004 and again in 2006 when he received his M. Ed. degree from ACE after teaching in a Catholic school in the Diocese of Biloxi, Miss., has been studying for the priesthood in Rome. As reported in The Indianapolis Star, he was selected to ed to read the first reading at the March 12 Mass for the Election of the Pontiff.

ACE congratulates this prayerful student and bold supporter of Catholic education. For more details of his past adventures as a teacher and cross-country cyclist, see Notre Dame Magazine’s story about him, plus a new reflection about Tony's journey provided by Catholic journalist Sean Gallagher. 

Of Sarah Greene, Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC writes, "Sarah has given no less than most of her recent life to the ACE mission...She has served...with incredible pedagogical and pastoral insight and a ceaselessly encouraging personality...She has brought a vibrant faith in Christ as the center of her life and the ACE mission, an untiring (and contagious!) hope in the future of Catholic schools, and an ultra-generous love for all her fellow disciples with whom she shares this ministry and mission."

Sarah is a beloved member of the ACE family. Below she shares some of her history with ACE and her gratitude for the new position she has taken with ACE Advocates.

Seven years ago, I applied to teach with ACE after meeting incredible people who had dedicated two years of their lives to the mission of Catholic schools, which have shaped me profoundly. Through my time as an ACE teacher, I constantly met amazing disciples: administrators, teachers, families, fellow ACE teachers and ACE graduates, all of whom advocated for Catholic schools in their daily lives of service and prayer.

Through my five years on the ACE Teaching Fellows pastoral staff, I have been blessed to work with an amazing array of ACE communities, which has opened my eyes and heart to the common mission of diverse Catholic schools across the country – and even beyond. And I have been privileged to witness through all of these schools and teachers the person who makes our diverse efforts and hopes one – Christ the Teacher, working through all of us.

As a member and chair of the South Bend Advocates community, I've seen our regional community welcome many new faces and send forth many friends to continued and ever-deepening service in Catholic education. I feel truly blessed that my role in the South Bend region has offered opportunities to collaborate with new leaders in ACE Advocates nationally, and an ever-broadening circle of colleagues from the Remick Leadership Program, the ENL and TEC Programs, Notre Dame ACE Academies, and so many other friends and co-disciples in this mission.

I was – and remain! – amazed by the ACE community's passion for Catholic schools, for growth in faith, for increasingly effective service, for supportive and encouraging community. I am humbled and honored to serve Catholic schools and the ACE community in this new role as director of ACE Advocates.

Dear ACE Advocates Community and Friends of ACE,

Greetings from Notre Dame! I am humbled and honored to serve Catholic schools and the ACE community in this new role as director of ACE Advocates.

Seven years ago, I applied to teach with ACE after meeting incredible people who had dedicated two years of their lives to the mission of Catholic schools, which have shaped me profoundly. Through my time as an ACE teacher, I constantly met amazing disciples: administrators, teachers, families, fellow ACE teachers and ACE graduates, all of whom advocated for Catholic schools in their daily lives of service and prayer.

Through my five years on the ACE Teaching Fellows pastoral staff, I have been blessed to work with an amazing array of ACE communities, which has opened my eyes and heart to the common mission of diverse Catholic schools across the country – and even beyond. And I have been privileged to witness through all of these schools and teachers the person who makes our diverse efforts and hopes one – Christ the Teacher, working through all of us.

As a member and chair of the South Bend Advocates community, I've seen our regional community welcome many new faces and send forth many friends to continued and ever-deepening service in Catholic education. I feel truly blessed that my role in the South Bend region has offered opportunities to collaborate with new leaders in ACE Advocates nationally, and an ever-broadening circle of colleagues from the Remick Leadership Program, the ENL and TEC Programs, Notre Dame ACE Academies, and so many other friends and co-disciples in this mission.

I was – and remain! – amazed by the ACE community's passion for Catholic schools, for growth in faith, for increasingly effective service, for supportive and encouraging community. I greatly anticipate meeting or reconnecting with all of you who have worked to serve and strengthen Catholic schools and our ACE community in so many vibrant ways. I am grateful to work with our ACE Advocates team as we strive to learn from you, to support you, and to pray with you.

May God bless and keep you in these Lenten days!

Gratefully, in ACE,

Sarah Greene
Director of ACE Advocates

Dear ACE Advocates Community and Friends of ACE,

I am delighted to announce that one of the most relentless, effective, and joyful Advocates for Catholic education that we all know – Sarah Greene – has accepted the position as the new director of ACE Advocates! We have been so blessed in our movement with all of your gifts – the gifts of so many energetic, talented, inspiring, and zealous supporters of Catholic schools. We could not have a director of Advocates more in tune with, and more committed to, the mission about which all of us care so passionately!

As you know, Sarah has given no less than most of her recent life to the ACE mission! Placed as a member of ACE 13 at McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile, AL as a high school English teacher, Sarah taught freshmen and seniors in one of ACE Teaching Fellows's original dioceses. For the past five years, Sarah has served on the ACE Teaching Fellows pastoral staff, supporting with incredible pedagogical and pastoral insight, and a ceaselessly encouraging personality, ACE teachers in Arizona, Washington DC, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. During these years, Sarah has also been a bedrock member of the South Bend Regional Network of ACE Advocates, where she has also served as communications chair and, this past year, as regional chair. Most importantly, through all of these positions, Sarah has brought a vibrant faith in Christ as the center of her life and the ACE mission, an untiring (and contagious!) hope in the future of Catholic schools, and an ultra-generous love for all her fellow disciples with whom she shares this ministry and mission.

So please join me in welcoming Sarah as she begins her new ministry as director of ACE Advocates!

May God continue the works of freedom and salvation in each of our lives through these Lenten days. Onward to the challenges of the Cross, and the triumphs of the Resurrection, as they are making themselves manifest in our lives!

Yours in ACE,

Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC
Director of Pastoral Life

Click here to read Sarah's greeting to ACE Advocates.

Dear ACE Advocates Community,

Greetings from Notre Dame in this New Year of Grace, 2013! All God's blessings on you, and all those whom God has entrusted to your care, in this New Year!

I write to share some great news. As you know, Chuck Lamphier has provided thoughtful and generous leadership of the ACE Advocates over these past three years. During these years, the Advocates has grown and matured in so many ways – in its spiritual mission and identity, in direct service to local Catholic schools by ACE graduates and friends in now-25 Advocates Regions around the country and world, in its efforts to invite and engage entrepreneurial leaders in Catholic education. We are grateful for Chuck's gifts, and the leadership of the entire Advocates team here on campus.

At Notre Dame, the University has recently created the Office for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs, which will make efforts to coordinate and strengthen the many ways in which Notre Dame serves the Catholic Church. Chuck will become the lead adviser to the vice president of this office. We wish to congratulate Chuck and pray for God's blessings on this new endeavor, which he began on January 1. Please join me in thanking Chuck for his many contributions to the ACE Advocates Movement.

As we continue to discern the future direction and growth of the Advocates, I will provide leadership of the Advocates, together with our Advocates team on campus, in the interim.

We enter the turning of this new year, as we enter each new year, with the words of Christ ringing in our ears: "Behold, I make all things new!" May God renew each of us in our discipleship, in our ministries, and in our love for God and one another, as we proclaim the Gospel ever anew!

God bless you,

Fr. Lou