ACE event celebrates Catholic education, challenges donors, honors teacher

September 21, 2018

by Theresa Laurence, Tennessee Register

The newly re-named Advancement of Catholic Education, which provides tuition assistance to needy families in the Diocese of Nashville, celebrated educators and students, community and donors on Tuesday, Sept. 18, with a festive celebration at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, “Celebrating Catholic Education, Now and into the Future.”

ACE, formerly the Endowment for the Advancement of Catholic Education, raised more than $130,000, which ensures another $50,000 from an anonymous donor.

“We are really excited about that,” said Betty Lou Burnett, a Holy Family parishioner, ACE board member and event organizer. “The event had great energy and turnout.”

But those generous donations just scratch the surface of the need. Addressing Catholic school supporters at the event, Bishop J. Mark Spalding issued a major challenge: to grow the ACE endowment tenfold, from $3 million to $30 million over the next five years.

Using one of his favorite phrases, he reminded those gathered that “to whom much is given, much is required.”

With overall enrollment in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Nashville down over the last decade, and tuition increasing, “we have got to reach deep,” to support Catholic schools, Bishop Spalding said. “We have an opportunity to make a difference for our children if we rise to the challenge.”

Advancement of Catholic Education board members will soon begin strategizing a plan to undertake such a major fundraising effort, Burnett said.

The ACE fund helps students like Esosa Osaitile, a senior at Pope John Paul II High School, who spoke at the event about how scholarship money has impacted her life.

Osaitile, whose family is originally from Nigeria, attended St. Joseph School as well as JPII and is involved with the choir, the bowling team, and forensics. She is also a Eucharistic minister and volunteers at the Loaves and Fishes community meals program.

An aspiring pediatrician, Osaitile told the audience that “Catholic education is the best investment you could ever make.”

Father Ryan High School alum Mike Mammarelli also spoke about how tuition assistance helped his family when he and his siblings were attending St. Joseph and Father Ryan in the 1970s and 80s. His father, a Korean War veteran, suffered from mental illness and struggled to work and provide for his family, but “he never lost the love of God and family,” and always wanted his children to attend Catholic school.

While the Mammarellis’ teachers and classmates knew of the family’s situation, “we were never treated any different,” he said. Their time in Catholic schools led to their success as adults and confirmed “that the gifts of love, mentorship and support does make a difference.”

The Sept. 18 event served as a “passing of the baton” between former superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Nashville Therese Williams and the new superintendent, Rebecca Hammel. It was the first opportunity that many people had to meet Hammel, who took over the position less than a month ago. She previously served as associate superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Catholic education, she said, “plants the seed for a transcendental life,” and she invited those present to “join with us on mission and help us carry the torch.”

After her remarks, Hammel presented the Christ the Teacher award, the highest annual award given to a teacher in a diocesan school. This year’s winner is Julie Schwarz, music teacher at Christ the King School.

A veteran performer, cantor and teacher, Schwarz has sung and led choirs at St. Henry and Christ the King for more than 14 years. This past year, she led the children’s choir that sang at Bishop Spalding’s ordination and installation Mass. “That was a highlight of my career for sure,” she said.

Originally from Wisconsin, Schwarz said the Catholic community in Nashville has been so welcoming to her and her family, and she wants her students to become part of that supportive community, and to give back.

Speaking about her role as a teacher and a musician, Schwarz says her approach is simple: “I just do my job and love the kids.”

More information about ACE and our schools go to these links:

Advancement for Catholic Education Catholic Schools Office Find a School