Catholic school students, supporters focus on service during Mass and rally

By Andrew Junker | February 3, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Hundreds of students, scores of teachers and two bishops celebrated Catholic Schools Week with a Jan. 28 Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral and rally at the state Capitol.

Before Mass, Superintendent Marybeth Mueller reminded those assembled of this year’s theme: “Catholic Schools Celebrate Service.”

“Jesus asks each of us to serve others and work for justice,” she said before the congregation and Bishops Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson and Thomas J. Olmsted.

As part of that commitment to service, Ric and Davonna Serrano, this year’s Charity and Development Appeal co-chairs, asked the students from across the diocese to help in their effort.

“Jesus calls us to join Him as His disciples,” Davonna said as her husband and two Catholic school students looked on. “For so long the world has tried to affect our Church. Instead, we are asking you to take our Church and affect the world.”

The Serranos suggested setting aside family time for prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament as a way for children to help the appeal.

During his homily, Bishop Kicanas carried on the theme of prayer in Catholic education by saying that it can provide a roadmap for the students to get through life.

“Some people say that life is like a journey,” he said. “You are so blessed to have been given a gift to help you in your life’s journey.”

The bishop listed a number of ways young people can find themselves lost to drugs or selfishness. Just as many cars now have global-positioning systems to help drivers find their way, so, too, do Catholics have prayer and their education to help them on their path, he said.

Then, he demonstrated the usefulness of having a guide by pulling out a GPS device from under his vestments and showing it to two bemused high school students he asked to join him on the altar.

“We all have a choice whether we want to waste our lives or live our lives in the Lord,” he concluded. “If you want to find joy, if you want to find true happiness, then you do for others.”

Tax-credit rally

After Mass, many of the students and teachers rode buses downtown to the lawn in front the state Capitol building for a rally in support of the Catholic Tuition Organization of the Diocese of Phoenix.

The CTODP provides tuition assistance for Catholic school students through individual and corporate Arizona tax credit contributions.

This year’s rally comes at a time when the state legislature is facing an unprecedented budget crisis. Just across the street from where the Catholic students gathered, students and professors from Arizona’s state universities marched against proposed budget cuts to their schools.

“Our first goal is to defend what we have,” said Ron Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s three dioceses.

Part of his effort is trying to make the corporate tax credit permanent. Johnson said that Bishops Kicanas and Olmsted met with Governor Jan Brewer the day before the rally.

“One of the first things she said was how supportive she was of Catholic schools,” Johnson said. “We were very, very happy to hear that.”

Under a sunny sky, the hundreds of students enjoyed the time away from their classes and danced to band music from Seton Catholic High School. Many held up signs that supported the CTODP and Catholic education in general.

“Today is our day to let the legislature know that we are important in the educational system,” Mueller told the crowd to great applause.

Paul Mulligan, executive director of the tuition organization, made the case why Catholic schools are so important.

“All learning is supposed to be about the pursuit of truth. What is truth?” he asked. “He is a person named Jesus Christ.”