"We stay strong with who we are. We make it clear that Christ the King High School is a Catholic, Jesuit school, and that we're not going to back down from that.For us to water down our Jesuit identity because most of our kids aren't Catholic would be a huge mistake on our part." We make sure that our students and our families are aware that we come from this great 450 year-old tradition of Jesuit education and that we teach students what it is to be Catholic, to be women and men for others, what it means to find God in all things, to seek excellence, and to reflect on how to grow and improve." ("The Jesuit Partners," Fall, 2008)

I would hope that the sentiment reflected in this response would also be ours as Dominican educators. If we are not about this ultimate philosophical goal, I believe we will not succeed in our efforts to sustain our schools and offer our students a defined future.  This goal, however, is not an easy one!  As Mary Ann Foy, R.C.S.J., asserts in her response to an article in America magazine ("Identity Crisis," 10/13/08), "How do we deal with the numbers of Catholic students and teachers, uneducated in the faith who enter our high schools."

I have visited several of our Dominican high schools in these past several months. In most instances, I have found that the leaders in these schools and their sponsoring congregations are keenly aware of the challenges they face and are taking appropriate steps to deal realistically with the "givens" of the situation. Most of our schools have in place a standing committee of their Board of Directors who oversee and sustain the mission in the school community.  Most of our sponsoring congregations designate a given person on their leadership team to visit schools frequently and to meet regularly with the head of school, faculty, and staff.  In a few instances, the congregational leadership team has even assigned an experienced educator from their community to work as full time director of mission integration in each of their schools. Additionally, faculty/student retreats, in-service opportunities, Dominican/congregational celebrations are offered as formational efforts to retain a Catholic, Dominican focus. Finally, the DASS organization, now in its sixth year, was created and organized to address and support the member schools in their efforts to achieve these goals.

In the end, however, as cited in the article "Relationship Revisited: Catholic Institutions and Their Founding Congregations" (Occasional Papers, Holtschneider, Rev. Dennis, and Morey, Melanie-2005), "Organizational cultures are kept vibrant by the energy of a core group within them who believe the organization's values in their hearts and who accept their role in motivating others to do the same."  Our own Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey,OP succinctly voiced a similar sentiment when she addressed the DASS Convocation group in 2003: "the Dominican charism is more caught by our presence than taught by our seminars. I do believe it is more critical that vowed or lay, we bring the spirit of St. Dominic to the enterprise by our incarnation, by being there. Dominic himself felt this incarnational pull; he was not only present to the heretics, he 'walked all day' to get there."

Together, as we begin 2009, let us be about our deliberate and dedicated efforts to nourish and sustain Catholic Dominican education in our schools. Let us remember, however, that the message we communicate will be better received if delivered with compassion and a gentle, loving, joy-filled Dominican spirit.

Pat Brady,OP

On Sunday, December 7, 2008, Trinity High School celebrated ninety years of educating women leaders. Board members and friends gathered in the Trinity auditorium to celebrate the Eucharist with His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago. "The Trinity spirit was amazing," said Marigayle Watts Harrington, class of '78. Following the Mass the community gathered for a reception in the Sister Michele Germanson,O.P. athletic facility. (pictures available on the Trinityhs.org website)

Trinity High School was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin in 1918. The school has earned an excellent reputation as a premier high school with a strong commitment to educating young women and preparing them for the future. Each student is encouraged to become self-directed toward responsible participation in the Christian community in order to impact society, Church and family in the twenty-first century.  Forty percent of the students at Trinity are enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program. Over the past seven years, ninety percent of Trinity's full time IB students have earned the prestigious IB Diploma. Trinity is also the first Catholic school in Illinois to adopt Block Scheduling. Students at Trinity exceed state requirements in every academic area. 

Sr. Dominica Brennan,OP, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield will also join the DASS Executive Board as a resource person. Presently, Sr. Dominica is the Coordinator of Mission Integration for the Springfield Dominican Schools. We welcome Sr. Dominica who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our meeting table.  

After 125 years, Immaculate Conception Academy in San Francisco, CA has been accepted as an Associate Member of the Cristo Rey Network of Schools. "This is a proud day for ICA and the Dominican Sisters!" exclaimed Sr. Gloria Jones, OP, Congregational Prioress of the Mission Sisters, San Jose. We believe all that Cristo Rey Network stands for strongly resonates with our Dominican commitment to Catholic education. We are confident that our participation will benefit our students and their families, the city of San Francisco as well as the Network itself."

"If you want good news, you've come to the right spot," said Dominican Sister Mary Virginia Leach,OP,  new president as well as a 1968 alumna. "Cristo Rey is an opportunity to expand what ICA already offers and does well.It will expand our opportunity to include students who might not even be able to think about a Catholic high school education because of the cost." 

More information in these two documents:

ICA Update (school publication)

ICA moving to Cristo Rey model by Tom Burke