Retired pastors share fond memories of guiding Catholic schools

Editor’s Note: When Msgr. Seamus F. Brennan, former pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Somerville, and Msgr. Charles W. Cicerale, former pastor of St. James Parish, Woodbridge, retired in September, “The Catholic Spirit” asked them to reflect on their decades of experience in Catholic education.

 

Natives of County Laois, my family benefited from the emphasis on faith and scholarship, fostered in our Catholic education in Ireland. For nearly 40 years of my 48 year-priestly ministry in America, I have been assigned to parishes with schools. As a young priest assigned to St. Philip and James Parish in Phillipsburg, which had a K-12 school system, including Phillipsburg Catholic High School, I had my first view of the American Catholic school system and was impressed by the spiritual and academic formations.
 

On another level as a priest, I saw the strong community spirit, generated within a parish with a school. That observation was not unique to St. Philip and James. I saw it again over my 35 years, serving as pastor of St. Matthew the Apostle in Edison and then Immaculate Conception in Somerville. Having a Catholic school enhances a parish with its vibrancy, grace, and solid parent/student involvement. Having a parish Catholic school in today’s world certainly provides major fiscal and management challenges, but it is a great asset to a church community.
 

What I witnessed at St. Philip and James was a palpable sense of family with school/church events and the beauty of seeing young people, the future of our church, embrace their faith. In the mid-80s, I became the pastor of St Matthew’s, where our parish provided the facilities and financial support to the school and the school significantly enriched our parish life. The Summer Carnival was symbolic of this connection as parents and parishioners worked tirelessly behind the scenes, cooked and served food, handled the finances, and ran the games for our school’s major fundraiser. Regular bingo games, staffed by volunteers, also was a key parish undertaking for both at St. Philips and James and St. Matthew’s. These events greatly deepened the bonds of our parish community.
 

After 17 years of happy leadership at St. Matthew’s, I became pastor at Immaculate Conception, which had a pre-K to 12 singular parish-supported school system (including Immaculata High School). Today, it is one of only 25 such programs in the country. The proximity of Immaculate Conception Elementary School to the church and grounds added a special dimension to our parish. It allowed us to incorporate a weekly Mass schedule, along with beautiful First Friday liturgies, May Crowning, Holy Thursday services, First Communion, Confirmation, graduation, welcoming our parents, grandparents, and friends to join us in prayer and worship. Both the elementary and high schools had chaplains assigned to them, which strengthened their students’ ties to the faith.
 

As a sports fan, I knew about the exemplary athletic program at Immaculata, under the direction of legendary athletic director and football coach Pierce Frauenheim. What I soon discovered was that this school, founded on the pillars of faith, scholarship, service, and friendship, was a beautiful manifestation of the legacy of dozens of Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (who served both schools) and a dedicated lay faculty. The school’s Campus Ministry program, recognized nationally, was ideal for teaching each student the glory of living one’s faith, while providing help to those in need, locally, state-wide, and in Appalachia.  Spearheaded by the indomitable Sister Dolores Margaret IHM, both school’s music programs were great sources of pride for the parish and the schools. The high school’s Marching Band was highly acclaimed throughout the East Coast with scores of state, regional, and national championships.
 

I believe that there is no better way to evangelize young people and their families than through quality Catholic schools. They are a blessing to any parish and community. As Catholics, we must engage our legislators and seek more support for Catholic education. Those alumni, who have been nurtured in Catholic schools, also need to provide ongoing support, so that generations to come can benefit from the special gift of a Catholic school education, which will more likely lead a student to a Christ-centered life, supported by prayer and a greater involvement in service to community.