GLEN CARBON - A new Catholic high school serving southern Madison County will open in the fall of 2011, according to a joint announcement by Bishop George J. Lucas and Doug Villard, president of the board of directors of the parents group Catholic School for Me.
The high school, to be located in the Glen Carbon/Maryville area, is now developing under the leadership of the Catholic School for Me board, with the full support of Bishop Lucas.
"Of course, there is much to be done in the next three years," Villard said. "However, we're off to a great start with the support of Bishop Lucas and of the community. We move ahead with confidence that the funding can be secured and the school built and established in time to open as scheduled in 2011."
Luke Harris, spokesperson for Catholic School for Me, said the parents group has researched the feasibility of a Catholic high school and dedicated itself to assuring that a comprehensive Catholic education is available to children of all ages in southern Madison County.
The high school will be named for Father Michael J. McGivney, the parish priest who founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 and is remembered for his devotion and commitment to young people and families. The Knights of Columbus is now the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization, with more than 1.7 million members.
In March 2008, Pope Benedict XVI approved the sainthood cause for Father McGivney, recognizing his "heroic virtue" and bestowing on him the title "Venerable Servant of God." Father McGivney could become the first American-born priest to be canonized a saint.
Father McGivney died on Aug. 14, 1890, at age 38. Harris said the Catholic School for Me board chose the anniversary of his death - and his potential feast day - as the date for the announcement of the new school named in his honor. "It is a way of honoring not only Father McGivney and all dedicated parish priests, but literally millions of Knights who have selflessly provided service and charity to people for more than 125 years," he said
Bishop Lucas has praised the board and other volunteers of Catholic School for Me for their efforts. "I am very proud of these Catholic lay men and women who have so diligently explored the feasibility of a new Catholic high school," he said. "They have proceeded prayerfully and competently, investing so much of themselves in the process. I am confident that God will continue to bless their faith and their desire to serve the young people of the community. I offer my full support to this new Catholic educational apostolate."
The Catholic high school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2011 with two classes - freshmen and sophomores (the classes of 2014 and 2015, students currently entering sixth and seventh grades) - and will add a class in the each of the following two years to have all four classes by fall 2013.
Cost for the new school is estimated to be $12 million to $14 million. Harris said several committees of Madison County residents are already at work on aspects of developing and building the high school.
The actual site of the school has not yet been determined, but the school will be "situated in a site conveniently located to the six Catholic grade schools and eight parishes of southern Madison County," according to the Web site www.FrMcGivneyHS.com. "It will open with new facilities on a site that can be expanded to meet the student population goal of 400 students and beyond," the site goes on to say.
Catholic School for Me, Inc. is in the process of formally transforming into the Father McGivney Catholic High School organization. A local office will be established which will oversee the project and serve as a centralized management point.