Editorial

As we look forward to the start of a new school year, there's plenty of good news to report about Catholic schools. And in keeping with this good news, parents should remember that it's not too late to enroll their children in most Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison.

Many of us already know the value of Catholic schools. As a product myself of 12 years of an elementary and secondary Catholic school education, I believe I obtained an excellent academic education combined with a solid education in faith and moral values. My children, too, received an outstanding education at Catholic elementary and secondary schools as well as at Catholic colleges.

Good news. A 2006 study of elementary schools backs up my own experience. The study commissioned by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) revealed that Catholic parents are positive about Catholic elementary schools. Parents believe Catholic schools are better than other schools in terms of moral issues, discipline, and academic standards. Parents are most likely to cite the quality religious education, safe environment, quality academic instruction, and discipline and order as important in the consideration of a school.

NCEA surveys also show that 99.1 percent of students in Catholic high schools graduate. That's three percentage points higher than non-sectarian private schools and more than 20 percentage points higher than public schools. Most Catholic school graduates (97 percent) continue their education at colleges or technical schools.

Comprehensive education. In the Diocese of Madison, we have 47 excellent Catholic schools educating almost 8,000 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. On a national level enrollment figures showed a slight decline last year. However, enrollment in Catholic schools in our diocese increased by almost two percent last year. Enrollment was at a five-year high.

Last year our Catholic schools reported four new preschool programs and one kindergarten opening. This year there are at least four more new preschool programs. Last year, 70 percent of the diocesan schools offered pre-K programs (the national average is 62 percent). Extended-day programs - offered for students before and/or after school - have also been expanding.

As we know, students begin their learning and moral development at early age. Catholic schools, therefore, work with parents in helping provide a comprehensive Catholic education in those early years. Catholic schools also provide a safe environment for children whose parents work outside the home.

Back-to-school information. This week's Catholic Herald includes a special back-to-school section with information on our new Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Michael Lancaster [online here], as well as details on how to contact Catholic schools in our diocese [print edition only]. Most schools are still accepting students, so it's not too late to enroll children in Catholic schools.

I recall a student who decided to enroll in a Catholic school the first week of school. She switched from a public school because she was concerned about the violent behavior of students in that school. That girl - who became a friend of my daughter's - did very well and graduated from both a Catholic elementary school and high school and even continued her education at a Catholic college.

Parents and students throughout our diocese and our nation praise the excellence of Catholic schools. I hope more people will consider the value of Catholic schools and support them by enrolling their children, as well as by providing volunteer and monetary support.

Mary C. Uhler

Mailbag

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Pray for peace and gift of life

To the editor:

Let us pray for peace and God's precious gift of life.

The Lord had mercy on us and the recent plot to blow up airplanes was thwarted. Thanks be to God. I just read that there are 30 more serious plots that need our prayer intervention. Any U.S. response to any tragic terrorist aggression would probably be something we want to avoid also.

The Isthmus newspaper some months ago said that Dennis Christensen, the abortionist who owns Madison Abortion Clinic, which is housed in the Orin Rd. Planned Parenthood, performs 25 surgical abortions per week. It is unknown how many surgical abortions are performed at Meriter Hospital in Madison and how many unborn children die in human embryonic stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin and how many die as a result of the morning-after pill and all abortifacients around the Diocese of Madison.

We want to know how many casualties we avoided by intercepting the airline plot. We want to know how many would die in the 30 serious ongoing plots. We want to know how many might die in U.S. responses. Only God knows how many have died in the abortion industry.

So let us gather in prayer in our homes and churches and in our cities to ask for divine intervention to bring peace and protection for God's precious gift of life. I propose that we pray the Rosary for peace and God's precious gift of life before and/or after every Mass in the Diocese of Madison.

Jeanne Breunig, Middleton

Accept church teachings

To the editor:

It is unfortunate that some Catholics believe that church teaching is divisive (Catholic Herald Mailbag, August 3, writer's view of Ben Kessler's remarks). Church teaching calls us all to communion with Jesus Christ. There is nothing more unitive than that.

There is, of course, one who is divisive. One who would separate us from God. One who tells us lies, much as he told Eve lies. He says that the church's teaching regarding contraception is not for our benefit, that we can ignore it. Go ahead; take a bite, nothing bad will happen. What do those old celibate fools in Rome know, anyway?

As one who allowed himself to be taken in by those lies, I now beseech you to avail yourself of Christopher West's Naked Without Shame and Janet Smith's Contraception, Why Not. I come asking you this from no moral authority of my own. Consider it an invitation to share more fully in the banquet that is communion with Jesus Christ.

Christopher West's work can be obtained from www.giftfoundation.org. Also, that and Janet Smith's work are available from www.onemoresoul.com (1-800-307-7685). Those who need help may call the Respect Life Team of the State of Wisconsin, Knights of Columbus at 1-800-498-5756 and we will help them.

Ron Faust, Cross Plains