ACE Teaching Fellows

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. 

                Media have turned their attention to the Alliance for Catholic Education recently in writing and referencing stories and commentaries that reflect hope for Catholic schools.

                The Catholic School Advantage campaign, in which ACE is partnering with dioceses to help increase Latino enrollments, was featured Feb. 28, 2013, not only in the Washington Post “On Faith” section, but at Religion News Service online, as well..

                John Schoenig, director of ACE’s Program for K-12 Educational Access, was quoted in a “State Impact” story aired on National Public Radio stations in Indiana, as he helped a reporter explore implications of Indiana school voucher policies.

                Rev. Ronald Nuzzi, senior director of ACE’s Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program, wrote a reflection in late February on Pope Benedict’s support for U.S. Catholic schools. That reflection was linked by the Catholic School Chronicle blog, Sam Rocha’s Patheos Catholic blog, and National Catholic Reporter’s morning briefing.

ACE teachers and other friends of Catholic schools raced in the 2013 ACE Marathon in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 17. These enthusiastic participants thereby sustained what could be called a long-running tradition (since 2002) within Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education, always geared to raise money for under-resourced Catholic schools served by ACE teachers. This year, ACE runners in the annual Jacksonville Marathon sought financial backing that went to support two Catholic elementary schools, called The Guardian Schools, in Jacksonville. Participants in the day’s events also honored Pat Tierney, retired superintendent of schools for the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla., with an award for her many years of service to Catholic education. More information at http://www.acemarathon.org/.

"Be ready for a wonderful ride," says Maggie Smith, an ACE graduate and Catholic school teacher who has a 9-month-old daughter, when asked what advice she would give to a mom who is considering being a teacher.

"There will be times when balancing teaching and motherhood seems too much to handle," says fellow ACE Teaching Fellows grad Stacy Wall, "but know that the daily challenges make you a more compassionate teacher and a more appreciative mother."

These conversations, plus an interview with ACE Teaching Fellows director of operations Amy Wyskochil, were reported in a two-part story at Lisa Hendey's Catholic Mom blog. Read Amy's description of ACE in part one, and read more about Maggie and Stacy in part two.

The Year of Faith is a celebration of our calling to follow Christ. We are called to come to know Jesus in our commitments as members of the ACE community. I hope our faith journey is helping us discover Jesus in the ordinary things that we do as teachers and leaders in Catholic schools and as advocates for Catholic education.

You know how some people read the end of a book before they start reading it from the beginning. This makes me think of Jesus’ disciples when they discovered that He was raised from the dead. That leads me to a proposal I’ll make for living Lent this year.

Let us begin by reading Luke 24: 13–35.

This is a great Easter reading. Two of the disciples meet the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus, a town about seven miles from Jerusalem. They are walking along and meet a stranger who is the Risen Lord. They are not able to recognize him, but they discuss all that has been going on with Jesus, whom they had hoped would be the one to redeem Israel. They share a meal with this person and discover in the breaking of bread that this is Jesus. They later say to each other that their hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke to them.

Here is something to consider. There is nothing more ordinary than sharing a meal with friends. When I think about meals, I think of the words of a priest who used to tell us this: “A meal is a social gathering at which food happens to be present.”

I like this because I know that some of the best moments occur when I am gathered with friends to share a meal. ACE communities come together at the end of a day for dinner. But it is more than the meal that happens. The time of preparation can be special. There is conversation, laughter, and sharing stories while someone is cooking and others gather in the kitchen to help or just be together. I see meals beginning with the time of preparation and extending to the actual praying together and then enjoying what is being served.

There are two important discoveries that can happen in the breaking of bread by a small community of teachers. The first discovery is the friendship, love, and support that the community gives to each other. Stories are told, and people laugh and delight in being together. The second discovery—a really important thing that happens—is to find that it is Christ who is in the midst of the food, stories and enjoyment of being together.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 13. I pray that all of us in the ACE movement will discover that, when we come together for a meal, it is time to look for Christ in the midst of the people we are with. I cannot think of a better way to build community than to see that our hearts are on fire with the love of Christ. If we notice Christ in our midst at a meal, we will see Christ in our students and school community.

Let us pray that we will find Christ during this Lent in the ordinary events of our lives.