Estelle Mandeville
Staff Writer
The superintendent and associate superintendent of the Archdiocese of Boston spoke to Franciscan University of Steubenville students Thursday at 7 p.m. about applying to be a fellow in the diocese’s Catholic teaching initiative.
Superintendent Thomas W. Carroll said teaching in a Catholic school in Boston is a missionary task. He said even the Catholic schools are succumbing to the “steady drumbeat of secularism.”
Carroll said he asked if anyone in the archdiocese was in charge of making sure Catholic schools were actually Catholic, and, when he found out no one was, he asked Colleen Donohoe to become the associate superintendent.
Carroll said this process of “putting the Catholic back in Catholic schools” started with changing the leadership. The high turnover rate of principals and teachers in the archdiocese has become an advantage, he said.
By June 30, the archdiocese will have replaced around 35 principals with vetted, faithful Catholics, Carroll said.
Carroll said the purpose of the Catholic school is to save the immortal souls of the children. He said the question teachers should be asking is: “Did we lead (the children) closer to God or not?”
Carroll said, “The magic that happens in the school happens in the four walls of the classroom,” which is why the archdiocese is recruiting faithful teachers for the St. Thomas More fellows.
The program starts with a summer boot camp where fellows will be trained, formed and encouraged to build a community. The mentors will then help place fellows in schools to teach.
St. Thomas More is the patron of the fellows because he was not afraid to stand up for the truth and the Church. Carroll said he wants fellows who are also not afraid to stand up for the truth and the Church.
Carroll said people should apply because he and Donohoe are the only recruiting superintendents. They will train, teach and form fellows so they can become good Catholic teachers.
Donohoe said, “We need your optimism; we need your joy”.
Senior Danielle Bovat said, “It’s really awesome to see that they’re trying to bring a young adult community to the Boston area, being from Massachusetts myself.”
To apply, students can go to bostoncatholicschools.org/StThomasMoreFellows or email [email protected].