Ten Tips for Maintaining a Positive,Complementary Relationshipbetween the Pastor and theParochial SchoolPractical ideas to bring the rectory and theschool closer together

Carol Cimino, SSJE

versince the publication ofStephen O'Brien's (1987)study of the attitudes ofbishops and priests towardCatholic schools, there has

been a great deal of interest in thesubject, especially because more than2,000 Catholic schools have closedsince then, affecting the ministriesand fortunes of parishes. In addition,more and more dioceses are movingtoward the separation of the ownershipand governance of Catholic parochialelementary schools from that of theparish to forming various boards andcom missions.

However, because the basic socialstructure of the Catholic Church in theUnited States is the parish, schools thatare defined as parochial would do wellto maintain a symbiotic relationshipthat recognizes the special benefitsthat accrue to parishes with schools.

"Whenpastors are committed,competent and collaborative,the school and the parish enjoy a

symmetry that is unparalleled"

This article summarizes the results ofO'Brien's and others' studies in thisarea and suggests 10 ways that schoolscan work on maintaining and improvingtheir relationship with their pastor.

In "Mixed Messages, What Bish-ops and Priests Say about CatholicSchools," O'Brien surveyed bishops andpriests on their perceptions of Catholicschools in four areas: value, effective-ness, funding practices and futurestructure of Catholic schools. Not sur-prisingly, bishops and priests who had

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attended Catholic schools were posi-tive, and pastors with Catholic schoolsalso were positive. Older priests weremore positive than priests out of semi-nary for from one to five years.

Convey's (1997,1999) follow-upstudies found much the same thing,although the intervening decade hadresulted in the young priests becomingpastors and retaining their less positiveview of Catholic schools, especially inthe areas of value and effectiveness.Subsequent studies have focused onindividual dioceses with mixed results,and the attitudes of younger prieststoward their role in ministry have alsochanged from that of service to that ofseparateness (Rossetti, 2011, CARA,2012).

In addition, the 2012 CARA(Centerfor Applied Research on the Apostolate)study found that many pastors:• Believe that the school is a divisive

force in the parish.• View principals and teachers as

being at the opposite end of thepolitical spectrum (also in Kushnerand Helbring, 1995, "The PeopleWho Work There").

• See the school as a financial"drain" on the parish, and are sup-ported in this belief by the demandsof other parish ministries.

• Believe that they were trained tobe pastoral leaders and not plantmanagers.

• Fail to see the presence of Catholicschool parents and students inattendance at Mass and the sacra-ments.It is important that there be strong

ties between the pastor and the Catho-lic school. "When pastors are commit-ted, competent and collaborative, theschool and the parish enjoy a symme-try that is unparalleled" (O'Keefe, etaI., 2004). The question, then, is howdoes the Catholic parochial schoolestablish and maintain a mutuallybeneficial relationship with the parishpastor? Here are 10 suggestions forprincipals, teachers and parents toconsider in bringing the rectory closerto the school.

1workwith seminarians to empha-size the importance of Catholicschools in attracting families with

children to the parish and the effective-ness of Catholic schools in the church'smission to evangelize.

2Demonstrate the effectiveness ofCatholic schools in fostering theFaith. Past ACREtest scores show

that even non-Catholics in Catholicschools know more about Catholicismthan Catholics who are not in Catholicschools (Convey, 2011). Furthermore,CARAstudies show that graduates ofCatholic schools tend to attend churchmore frequently than those that did notattend Catholic schools.

3School officials need to discusswith pastors the worthiness ofCatholic schools to receive parish

monies. By the involvement of Catholicschool students and their parents inparish ministries, including parish fun-draisers, the parish has the potential togarner more than it gives.

4Kushner's and Helbing's (1995)research showed that teachersand administrators' political and

religious views were more liberal thanthat of pastors. School administrators

Momentum April/May 2013 29

would do well to ask the pastor to con-duct the annual teacher and studentretreats so that pastors have the op-portunity to share their points of view.

5Shafer's (2005) and others' re-search demonstrated that leader-ship styles differed between pas-

tors and school administrators. Schooladministrators and pastors would dowell to dialogue about their perceptionsof each person's areas of responsibil-ity, leadership style and perceivedoutcomes. Only by keeping the conver-sation going can school administratorsand pastors come to an understandingof each other's gifts in this area.

6CARAstudies suggest that moreand more pastors, when giventhe choice, will choose to pastor

a parish without a school because theydon't want to fund this very compli-cated ministry. Dioceses can mitigatethis by adjusting the cathedraticum sothat parishes with schools pay less intothis fund, allowing parish resources tobe used for building upkeep and tuitionsupport.

7Cimino (2004) found that teach-ers in Catholic schools valuedcolleagueship more than religious

formation for themselves. Catholicschool administrators would do well toinvite the pastor to be an integral partof the school community in order totake a leadership role in the religiousformation of teachers.

8Eversince school expensesbegan to exceed parish income,the issue of parish investment

has been debated (Harris, 2003).Schools and parishes that collabo-rate on conducting successful annualfunds both benefit from this effort, andstewardship programs that involve par-ishes should include the parish schoolparents. In this way, parents, who oftenfeel that their tuition is also benefitingthe parish, can grasp the integral rela-tionship between parish and school.

30 Momentum April/May 2013

9When the parish school pub-lishes an annual report, it candemonstrate to the pastor and

the parish its accountability to itsconstituents, including parishioners.What needs to be done, however, is toseparate what it actually costs to runthe school, apart from what it costs theparish to have other ministries usingthe school building and its resources.In this way, parishioners can see thereal costs of the school, how much ofthis tuition covers and what it costs toconduct other ministries.

10In parishes with largeHispanic populations andnewly-arrived immigrants,

The role of the pastor assumes newimportance; Father's word carriesclout. School administrators need todemonstrate to the pastor his influenceand authority with this demographic.In addition, Catholic schools originallywere founded for immigrants, withthe intention of providing a qualityeducation while maintaining their tieswith the Catholic Church. In 2010, theCatholic bishops of the United Statescommitted themselves to increasingthe number of Hispanic children inCatholic schools. This can only be doneon the local level. Instead of assumingthat these families cannot afford thetuition, pastors have the opportunity offinding creative solutions to the bish-ops' commitment.

The de-coupling of parishes andschools that is occurring in several dio-ceses may be the solution to the ques-tion of the future of Catholic schools.However, since the parish is committedto the formation of the whole person, itwould seem that, as has been demon-strated historically, the amicable, mutu-ally beneficial relationship between theparish and the school is what worksbest. Pastors and principals need toconsider seriously their mutual rolesand the strength of their bonds.

Sister Carol Cimino, SSJ, was a na-tional consultant for William H. Sadlier,

after being a teacher and administra-tors at all levels of Catholic educa-tion. This summer she will becomesuperintendent of Catholic schools forthe Diocese of Buffalo, where she willrelate to 48 pastors of parishes withschools. She holds a B.A. from Syra-cuse University, an M.A. from the Uni-versity of Rochester and a doctorate ineducational leadership from St. Mary'sUniversity of Minnesota (srcaroI150@aol.com)

ReferencesCenter for Applied Research on the Aposto-

late. (2012). Same call, different men: Theevolution of the priesthood since Vatican II.Washington, DC.

Cimino, C. (2004). Called and sent: The vocationof the Catholic school lay teacher. Unpub-lished dissertation, St. Mary's University,Winona, MN.

Convey, J. (2010). What do our children knowabout their faith? Arlington, VA: NationalCatholic Educational Association.

Convey, J. (1997, 1999). Mixed messages revis-ited: Views of bishops and priests concern-ing Catholic schools. A paper Prepared forAmerican Legacy at a Crossroads: ResearchSynthesis and Policy Analysis for CatholicSchools, Washington, DC.

Greeley, A. (1998, September). The so-calledfailure of Catholic schools. Phi Delta Kappan,5,24-25.

Kushner, R. & Helbling, M. (1995). The peoplewho work there. Washington, DC: NationalCatholic Educational Association.

O'Brien, J.S. (1987). Mixed messages: Whatbishops and priests say about Catholicschools. Washington, DC: National CatholicEducational Association.

O'Keefe, J., Greene, J., et al. (2004). Sustainingthe legacy: Inner-city Catholic elementaryschools in the United States. Washington,DC: National Catholic Educational Associa-tion.

Rossetti, (2011). Why priests are happy: A studyof the psychological and spiritual health ofpriests. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press.

Schafer, D. (2004, December). Leadershiprole expectations and the relationship ofprincipals and pastors in Catholic parochialelementary schools, part 1. Catholic Educa-tion: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. 2,234-250.

Schafer, D. (2005, December) Leadershiprole expectations and the relationship ofprincipals and pastors in Catholic parochialelementary schools, part 2. Catholic Educa-tion: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 2,230-250.

The New Catholic SchoolLeadership: Principals and PastorsWorking TogetherBy continuing to redefine their roles in the areaof Catholic school leadership, principals andpastors can achieve a partnership with regardto school issuesthat is both nurturing anddynamic

Connie H. Urbanski

Father C. Tim Meares, pastor of Out Lady of Perpetual help, visits on the playgroundwith students from the school.

eading a school in today'sdiverse and challengingsociety is a daunting task.It requires an administra-tor with unwavering vision,

••• passionate advocacy for hisor her school, focus on the bottom line,the ability to prioritize, swift and definitedecision making and the skill neces-sary to communicate those decisions toan often unreceptive audience. Add tothese tasks the need to garner the ap-proval and support of the parish priestbefore any decision can be finalizedand you have some idea of the oftenoverwhelming, but equally gratifying,world of the Catholic school administra-tor.

True autonomy often can be nonex-istent for an administrator working ata Catholic parish school. The pastoris in charge of all facets of his parish,including the school that is part of theparish. Because the hierarchy in a par-ish school places the pastor above theprincipal (Walch, 1996), acting upondecisions and policies can becomecumbersome. For most administra-tors, action on a particular issue entailsresearching the topic, determining thecorrect course of action and employingstrategies to best execute the decisionwith as little dissension as possible.

Momentum April/May 2013 31

Kindergarteners and their teacher givethumbs up for their class during theschool field day.

For the principal of a parish school,however, it is necessary to first attainthe approval of the pastor before con-tinuing with the process. This addition-al layer can result in complications.

Priests who become pastors of par-ishes with attached schools are con-sulted about their wishes with regardto taking on such a parish. If a priest isstrongly opposed to being assigned toa parish with a school, his preferencesdo impact his assignments. Therefore,in most cases, pastors who work in par-ishes with schools can be assumed tobe either supportive of Catholic schoolsor at least unopposed to them. Thisshould ensure the parish school princi-pal a certain level of involvement andinterest on the part of the pastor.

However, often pastors are too busywith their own overwhelming respon-

"For some administrators, having a sounding board who can be trusted

and who also has the best interests of the school at heart can be extremely

gratifying. The pastor who is willing to be as available as possible and the

principal who can welcome a different perspective can form a powerful

partnership. Together, their synergy can provide both a system of checks

and balances and a blend of secular and spiritual focus for the school

community."

sibilities to be available readily to theprincipal. Thus, the necessity of procur-ing the pastor's support and keepinghim informed of matters of significancebecomes difficult for logistical reasonsalone. If a matter requires immediateaction, and the pastor is insistent uponbeing a part of the decision-makingprocess, such action is delayed, oftento the detriment of the school, and usu-ally to the frustration of the principal.

Further, many pastors have noformal training in educational admin-istration. Although they may bring tothe discussion a firm moral compass,knowledge of human nature and yearsof experience as a priest, sometimesthey are unaware of best practices ineducation. For some personalities,discovering that there may be a new

32 Momentum April/May 2013

and previously untapped way to frameissues can be disconcerting. For thepastor and the school administrator toview the same issue through differentlenses can create a difference in opin-ion that may result in misunderstand-ing on one or both sides.

Forming a PowerfulPartnership

Yet, for some administrators, havinga sounding board who can be trustedand who also has the best interests ofthe school at heart can be extremelygratifying. The pastor who is willing tobe as available as possible and theprincipal who can welcome a differ-ent perspective can form a powerfulpartnership. Together, their synergy

can provide both a system of checksand balances and a blend of secularand spiritual focus for the school com-munity. This partnership can result ina strong and responsive school thatis guided by a Catholic ethos and amulti-dimensional vision that can bestprepare the school for the demands ofthe present and the challenges of thefuture.

In recognition of the strength of thispartnership, the Diocese of Raleigh re-cently began a series of formal princi-pal-pastor meetings organized by thediocesan superintendent of Catholicschools and Bishop Michael Burbidge.The meetings are an attempt to createa more even distribution of resourcesin a diocese that includes both urbanCatholic schools with student popula-tions numbering more than 1,200 andstruggling rural schools whose studentbody may include fewer than 100.Urged by the principals of some of thestruggling schools to unite to addressthe problem as a systemic responsibil-ity, this diocese has been looking foranswers to questions, including how toattract students to schools located innon-Catholic areas and how to addressfinancial challenges creatively without

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sacrificing educational rigor.Apparent at the first of these meet-

ings was the pastors' differing attitudesboth toward the existence of parishschools and toward their own relation-ship to the school in their individualparishes. Encouraged to brainstormways to help schools in towns withweak economies meet their bills, somepastors expressed the opinion thatsuch schools should simply be closed.Others, however, made constructivesuggestions including group-purchasingcoalitions and shared workforces.

Commitment to Continue theDialogue

One significant result of the meet-ings was the commitment of both pas-tors and principals to a series of meet-ings to continue the dialogue over thefuture of Catholic schools within the Di-ocese of Raleigh. As stated by the prin-cipal of one of the struggling schools,"I have always felt isolated, working at

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Momentum April/May 2013 33

The school welcomes students of diverse backgrounds and works in partnership with parents to maximize eachstudent's spiritual and intellectual growth. Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Photos

the only Catholic school in my county oreven within 50 miles. Although I talk tothe pastor about the issues the schoolfaces, and he has really accepted hisrole as my primary resource, it wasn'tenough. We needed more. This meet-ing, seeing that the pastors and otherprincipals were concerned with ourfuture, has made an impact on me. Ithas made me even more committed toCatholic education. We are not alone.We are Catholic in every sense of theword. We are in this together."

Just as Catholicism draws strength

from its universal nature so, too,

can Catholic school administratorstap into that universality for

wisdom and support.

For the Diocese of Raleigh, thisunity between pastors and principalshas resulted in the identification ofa four-point Action Plan, the focus of

34 Momentum April/May 2013

which is to offer support to all dioc-esan schools, but most particularlyto schools that are in need. This planincludes a comprehensive market-ing strategy, research into alternativesources of funding, more effectivedistribution of diocesan funds and thecreation of a support team that wouldadvise the schools that appear mostvulnerable.

Despite the creation of this re-sponse plan, the Diocese of Raleighdoes not intend to drop the dialoguebetween pastors and principals, recog-nizing the constructive nature of an on-going conversation between these twovital components of a parish school.

For Catholic school administrators,it is this sense that their responsibil-ity can be shared with their pastorsand, if needed, with their diocese, thatis a sustaining force. Just as Catholi-cism draws strength from its universalnature so, too, can Catholic school ad-ministrators tap into that universalityfor wisdom and support. By continuing

to redefine their roles in the area ofCatholic school leadership, principalsand pastors can achieve a partner-ship with regard to school issues thatis both nurturing and dynamic. Thispartnership will reap benefits for theirschools, their dioceses and for Catho-lic education as a whole.

Connie Urbanski has been with theDiocese of Raleigh for 15 years andhas been principal of Our Lady of Per-petual Help Catholic School in RockyMount, North Carolina, for the past sixyears. She holds an Ed.D. from NorthCarolina State University, an M.S.A.from the University of North Carolinaand a M.S. from Wilkes University(principal@olphrm.com)

ReferenceWalch, T. (1996). Parish school:American Catholic parochial educationfrom colonial times to the present. St.Louis, MO: Crossroad Publishing.