Catholic Schools Have Friends in Business Community

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/8/03)

Catholic education in the Arlington Diocese received another strong boost from the local business community May 4 at the eighth annual Catholic Schools/Business Partnerships Awards Banquet held in McLean.

The Catholic Business Network of Northern Virginia (CBN-NV) presented a $17,310 check to Dr. Timothy McNiff, diocesan superintendent of schools. The money will be used for scholarships for diocesan teachers to attend summer seminars.

Among the 18 summer seminar topics offered this year are Catholic virtues, helping students cope with grief, world geography and technology. Denise Pope, science teacher at St. Theresa School in Ashburn, spoke on behalf of all diocesan teachers when she thanked the CBN-NV for continuing to sponsor this summer program.

Three students who attend the three diocesan high schools — Paul VI in Fairfax, Bishop O’Connell in Arlington and Bishop Ireton in Alexandria — received $1,000 scholarships from the organization’s scholarship fund.

More than 700 school principals, teachers, parents and friends joined Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the event. Michael Zorio, CBN-NV president and a member of All Saints Parish in Manassas, paid a special note of thanks to the Linton Hall Fife and Drum Corps, which played the national anthem and a litany of other songs.

One hundred and twenty-three individuals and groups were honored at the banquet. The business grand prize winners included Air-Pac, Inc., of Front Royal (Sacred Heart Academy); John Delaware, CPA (Aquinas School); Murphy Funeral Home (Linton Hall School); and PTI Business Telephones (St. Theresa School).

Officer Paul Whitney of the Falls Church City Police Department (St. James School) and the John Paul I Council of the Knights of Columbus (Holy Family School) received the organization grand prizes.

Individual grand prize winners included: Milena Campbell (St. Thomas More School), Nancy Ciatti (Paul VI High School), Mary Jane Gowarty (St. Patrick School), John Hofbauer (Corpus Christi School), Jeanette Kraynak (St. Louis School) and Victoria Zadnik (Holy Family School).

Bishop Loverde said Catholic education nurtures and develops the seeds of faith and Catholic schools provide the best environment for these seeds of faith to grow. In Catholic schools, "young people are equipped and inspired to proclaim the Gospel of Life," he said.

Bishop Loverde wore the cross and ring of the late Msgr. Justin D. McClunn, former diocesan Judicial Vicar under both Bishops Thomas J. Welsh and John R. Keating. The CBN-NV originally was known at the McClunn Society when it was established in the early 1990s under the leadership of Kevin Childers, a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Gainesville. Msgr. McClunn, a strong proponent of Catholic education,

Hugh O’Hara, former CBN-NV president, later changed the group’s focus to support Catholic education. O’Hara, the brother of Father Jack O’Hara, was recognized at the banquet for his strong leadership and guidance.

"The Catholic school student is the best our country has to offer," said McNiff, who also extended a special thanks to the 1,200 teachers in the diocesan school system.

The Catholic Business Network of Central Virginia (CBN-CV) presented checks to three area schools May 6 at Renato’s in Fredericksburg.

CBN-CV’s Mardi Gras Dinner and Auction in February raised over $13,000 to benefit Catholic education in central Virginia. A share of those proceeds was distributed to three local schools: Holy Cross Academy, St. Patrick and St. William of York.

The principals of all three schools received a check for $2,500. An additional $2,500 was set aside for the building of a Catholic high school in the Fredericksburg area. Hugh Brown, CBN-CV president, made the check presentations.

The CBN-NV will sponsor its next monthly breakfast on May 9 at 7:30 a.m. at the On the Border Café in Tyson’s Corner. The speaker will be Father Stephen J. Rossetti, president of the St. Luke Institute in Silver Spring, Md.

Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.