The Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Miss., has informed the Holy Family School (HFS) in Natchez, Miss., that it plans to close the school's grades one through four, as the parish and the school are struggling financially and enrollment is low. Holy Family Catholic Church and School is not alone in this struggle. "This is happening in urban communities all across the country," said John E. Cawthorne, associate dean for undergraduates in the Lynch School of Education (LSOE) at Boston College.
Cawthorne helped to establish a partnership between HFS and BC 12 years ago. Sr. Marie Santry, SND, the principal of the school at the time, asked Cawthorne if there was anything BC could do to help her troubled school. Cawthorne in turn went to the Graduate Education Association, which agreed to help Santry and HFS.
After a year of sending supplies to the school, BC decided to begin an immersion trip based out of the LSOE to Natchez, Miss., so BC students could experience HFS and contribute in a more direct manner. The partnership turned out to be not only fruitful for the community but also for the BC students. "It was such an accepting community. It is an all-black community, so for most BC students, this was a new experience," Cawthorne said.
"Catholics are the very distinct minority, and black Catholics are even more of a minority," he said. HFS was set up to educate black Catholic children.
When BC first started visiting Natchez, the school went from pre-K to grade five. Three years ago, under-enrollment caused the school to cut grades four and five.
Although the diocese requires a class to be at least 15 students, HFS opened up the school last year with eight fourth-graders enrolled. The school did not inform the diocese because it refused to break its commitment to education in the community.
Despite BC's continued support, HFS is still in hot water. Part of this, Cawthorne said, is a result of the priest's untruthfulness regarding the financial situation of the parish. "[The priest] was deceptive. He was not forthcoming about the real financial problems and gave people a real sense of false security," Cawthorne said. "When we left Natchez after spring break, we were under the impression that everything was OK … I would guess we have sent over $200,000 and we could have done more, but we didn't because we were told everything was OK."
Nonetheless, Cawthorne said, "I love this priest … it is one of those times where good people do bad things for what they think are good reasons."
Cawthorne said that the community holds a similar sentiment. "People trust him," Cawthorne said about the priest. Cawthorne also expressed great admiration for the way that the community has handled the priest's deceptiveness. Rather than blaming the priest, "[the community's] focus has said, 'OK, how do we fix this now,'" Cawthorne said.
Financial assistance will only temporarily solve the problem. Cawthorne said that raising money will help the school get out of its current rut, but the community needs to develop a solution for the long term. A few years ago, "[Santry] met with Father Leahy. He did say he was willing to help them become solvent and stable, and nothing has happened with it." The community must devise a solution despite many false assurances and empty promises, he said.
The diocese has told HFS that next year they will become an early education center (pre-K and kindergarten).
Funding is a consistent problem for the school because in Natchez, "the Catholic population is dwindling," Cawthorne said. Cawthorne said that the "white" Catholic school in Natchez is also losing students partly because of cost, but mostly because of the decreasing Catholic population. For HFS, the lack of funding and decreased enrollment is exacerbated.
Considering the school's all-black demographic, there has been much concern that HFS's downsizing is racially motivated. Cawthorne disagreed: "I don't think it is about race. I think that because the bishop wasn't forthcoming [about the reason for the cutback], it became about race, and I think he needs to take the heat for that." Cawthorne said he believes the root of the problem is economic. "The kids can't afford the tuition, and the diocese doesn't have the money to make up the difference," he said.
He also said that bishops must put their words into action when they speak of finding ways to support Catholic schools in urban communities. One way to do this, Cawthorne said, is to "learn how to tap resources of wealthy dioceses."
Part of the reason Cawthorne is so invested in supporting the school, he said, is because, "if the school dies, the parish dies."
"We are talking about 108 years that this school has been there, that has served the poor black Catholic community. To lose that tears the fabric of the community," he said.
Meg Weldon, student leader of the trip and LSOE '08, said, "Through the experience you see what a central role the elementary school plays in the community."
Regardless of what happens to the school, Cawthorne said that BC will continue its trip to Natchez. He said that over the years, BC has developed a family-like relationship with the community. "At this stage, my goal is to preserve this relationship that is certainly very important to me and I think very important to every student and faculty member who has been there," he said.
Cawthorne said that the method of teaching in HFS is quite distinct from the method many future educators traditionally learn. Participants of the Natchez trip, he said, "learn that there isn't one way to teach. They learn to respect that difference."
The students' minds, though, are opened to more than different styles of teaching. "For BC students, going to an all-black community and being completely welcome is an eye-opener," Cawthorne said. This experience causes students to think critically about their own communities and whether they would be as welcoming in a similar situation.
The experience is eye-opening in other ways as well. "Especially for BC students, seeing a black community that is poor but so vibrant is something they could never have imagined," Cawthorne said.
Jillian Daly, LSOE '08, went on the trip as a junior and returned this year as a student leader. The community and experience profoundly affected her, she said. "As an education major, it is inspiring to see a community that loves their children so much, and values their education above all else. The sense of community in Natchez is palpable and the Holy Family School is at its center. I feel blessed to be a part of the HFS family, and I hope that we can rally together and ensure that this amazing school is able to remain open for many years to come," Daly said.
Hence, the cutbacks that the Holy Family Church and School face hit close to home for many members of the BC community.
For Weldon, the heart of the matter is quite simple: "The love and respect that emanates through the community is unbelievable. The children of Natchez, Miss., deserve to grow up as a part of that amazing community and receive the exceptional education available at the Holy Family School."
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