Town Hall Session Questions and Nativity School

Thanks to those who read the Town Hall Listening Sessions summary report found in the bulletin for the past two weeks and on our website at crescentparishes.org/beacons-of-light.  The question I would like to answer this week is How will a name for our united parish be chosen?

Choosing a name for our Parish
Before our parishes become one over the next two or three years, we will need to choose a name for our parish.  An often asked question at the Town Hall Listening Sessions was “How will a name be chosen for our parish? By the end of February the Parish Leadership Team (PLT) will put together a Parish Naming Subcommittee to create a process for this endeavor.  The process the subcommittee creates will be publicized in the bulletin.  The goal for having a name for our parish is this June!

Not Rocket Science
Even as the process has not yet been created, there are some common sense steps that are likely.  For example, the process will likely begin by generating a pool of suggested names along with explanations as to why the name offered would be a good one.  I have already invited parishioners to do so in the bulletin.  Undoubtedly, there will be a form for the submission of names and rationales on the website and on paper. After that, it is probable that the committee will engage parish leaders, especially Pastoral Councils and the Pathways Planning Team, who will shorten the list of names and rationales.  Also likely is that the short list of names and reasons will be published for all to see along with a manner by which parishioners can offer feedback/rank the names.  The top names will be considered again by leaders in our parishes and a final name will be recommended to me.

Be Careful of Voting
Interestingly, we have to be careful about using a purely democratic approach to naming our new parish, not only because the Church doesn’t vote on important things, but primarily because if it is left to voting, we may as well say St. Saviour Parish gets to choose the name since they have significantly more parishioners than our other parishes.  For example, I know some St. Saviour parishioners favor naming our new parish Transfiguration of Our Lord, the image of the large stained-glass window at St. Saviour Church and if we simply vote, that may not be just or best.

Winners and Losers
I am also concerned that the naming process will create winners and losers.  We did not get to choose our names as individuals.  Certainly, our parents entered into conversations about our name, perhaps favoring the names of relatives and saints, perhaps coming up with something completely unique or at least spelled so.  However, ideally, parents work as a team and can more easily compromise, coming to a consensus in a way that doesn’t create a winner and a loser.  That might not be as easily done for a family or parishes.
Thanks to parishioners who put on their thinking caps and call upon the Holy Spirit for inspiration so that we can generate lots of great options!

Catholic Schools Week
Happy Catholic Schools Week to those who teach and learn in Catholic Schools!  I encourage Crescent Parishioners to go to Nativity School’s website (nativity-cincinnati.org) and check out the good news That Nativity Schools is.  As well, keep praying for Xavier Jesuit Academy as construction continues at the St. Agnes School building.
Nativity Church Subcommittee:  Teacher Retention at Nativity School
 Speaking of Nativity School, I want to take a moment to thank Jason Moser and Beth Adkins two “go gettum” Nativity parishioners who have been working hard to help me and the PLT keep Nativity School excellent.  Let me explain.
Those who are attentive to the news locally and throughout the country know that, since COVID, many dimensions of education are proving more challenging than usual.  One of those areas of challenge is finding teachers, not to mention finding and keeping great teachers!  Most are also aware that while the Catholic Church educates more children than any other single worldwide institution, Catholic Education was made great by vowed religious teachers who worked for next to nothing.  While Catholic schools are great places to teach and learn, salaries are lower than for public school educators and when the available teacher pool is low, this makes retaining teachers even more difficult.

Back to Beth and Jason
Going back to Beth and Jason, they have been working since November to take a fact-based approach to studying the topic of teacher retention at Nativity School.  They formed an outstanding committee including parents, Pastoral Council members, Nativity School faculty and administrative staff.  They have met four times since early December collecting data through external research, surveys of current and former employees, and one-on-one and group discussions.   Last week they presented their extensive findings and recommendations to Acting Principal Jeff Warren and me.  Those findings will now be shared with the Parish Leadership Team and Nativity Pastoral Council.

Wide-Ranging Recommendations
While their findings and recommendations are wide-ranging, it is no surprise that regarding teacher salaries, they recommend increasing salaries.  At the same time, for many years, the Nativity Finance Committee has been working to do just that.  For example, this year Nativity Church was able to move Nativity teacher salaries up a tier on the Archdiocesan recommended teacher salary scale, investing nearly $91,000 in our teacher salaries.  Being proposed for next year is an additional $135,000 toward teacher salaries.  Thanks also to parishioners and school parents alike who donate generously to Nativity Church, making such increases possible!
Again, thanks to the Nativity Parish Teacher Retention ad hoc committee for their hard work.   Utilizing their recommendations it will be a pleasure to work with Nativity parish leaders and Nativity School administration to make Nativity School an even better place to be for all!

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat