From the Director: A Reason for Hope

If you haven’t read Patrick McCloskey’s masterpiece, The Street Stops Here: A Year at a Catholic High School in Harlem, you’re missing out. McCloskey tells a moving story of the ups and downs of Rice High School, an all-boys Catholic school in New York City. With impressive academic results (each of this year’s graduating seniors have been accepted to college) and a proud athletic heritage, Rice has been a blessing to children, families, and the community since it was opened in 1936.

But despite its many civic and sacred contributions, and the heroic efforts of the entire school community, Rice will close at the end of this academic year. Similar to an alarmingly large number of U.S. Catholic schools over the last decade, the weight of declining enrollment and mounting debt have become too much to bear.

Even though Catholic schools are flourishing in many, many places (over 450 new Catholic schools have opened since 2000, and over a quarter of Catholic schools have waiting lists), other areas see increased and significant challenges. It can be easy to be discouraged about the future of our schools.

This past Sunday at Mass, we heard a beautiful line in our second reading: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15). So, what’s my “reason for hope?” Simply put: You are.

I have great hope that ACE Advocates will grow as a mobilizing force for prayer and entrepreneurial energy for Catholic schools. Our movement is calling energetic, intelligent, and faith-filled disciples into the mission of sustaining and strengthening Catholic schools. Your participation in ACE Advocates means that you are part of the solution, and that you are supplying hope to future generations.

Challenging times have always called the very best out of the Church. I’m proud to be standing next to you as we respond to the needs facing Catholic schools.

Gratefully,
Chuck