Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program

As people who believe that we are all made in the image and likeness of God, we affirm the inherent dignity of all human life, and we stand—as disciples of Christ—against any form of bias, discrimination, hatred, and violence. The discriminatory and violent killings of George Floyd and so many others serve as a grim reminder of the racism that has plagued our nation for centuries. This reminder functions simultaneously as a sobering reality check with respect to the depth and breadth of the challenges confronting educational institutions. And this reminder is especially important for Catholic schools and educators, given our charge to teach as Jesus did and to form students who will use their gifts to serve others and work toward a more just society.

The $2 trillion stimulus package signed into law on Friday includes a program that may allow eligible Catholic schools and (arch)dioceses to pay employee salaries and other expenses through forgivable loans of up to $10 million.

These loans could have far-reaching positive impacts for Catholic schools now facing serious financial hardships brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout Catholic Schools Week 2020, we'll be sharing some of our favorite Catholic Schools Week reflections that ACE graduates, team members, and friends have submitted over the years. The below reflection is from Jennifer Beltramo and was originally published in 2012.

Last week, as several “partners in mission” began arriving for an appreciation event, I anxiously wondered whether I should have prepared our student ambassadors more fully. “What should we say?” they had asked just two days earlier. “They already know that I believe in Catholic education,” I had shared, “They want to know what you believe.  What makes our school unique? What difference has it made in your life?” That was it, no further guidance, just lofty questions for twelve-year-olds to ponder. 

Throughout Catholic Schools Week 2020, we'll be sharing some of our favorite Catholic Schools Week reflections that ACE graduates, team members, and friends have submitted over the years. The below reflection is from Fr. Lou DelFra, CSC and was originally published in 2011.

I discovered my vocation to be a priest in Catholic schools. Surely, the seed was planted by the diocesan priests and IHM sisters who taught me at St. Pius X Grade School in Broomall, PA, and the Augustinians who taught me at Malvern Prep. But it was while I stood on the other side of the desk, as a teacher, that these seeds took root and blossomed into a religious vocation. Though the details differ, many could tell a similar story….

Throughout Catholic Schools Week 2020, we'll be sharing some of our favorite Catholic Schools Week reflections that ACE graduates, team members, and friends have submitted over the years. The below reflection is from John Schoenig and was originally published in 2014.

Perhaps the most sacred promise we make as a republic is the one that every generation is invited to renew for the next: that we will do whatever it takes to ensure that every child, regardless of color, creed, or socioeconomic status, has equal access to an outstanding education. This promise is in many ways as confounding as it is inspiring – and it serves as the bedrock of our foundational aspiration to form a more perfect Union.