How religious order pastors and charisms set the tone for successful schools (Catholic Schools Week)
Most of us know about the Benedictines, Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominicans. But are you familiar with the Claretian Missionaries, Vocationists, Carmelites, and Pallottine Fathers? These are some of the religious who are assigned to Catholic schools within the Archdiocese.
The charisms of the religious orders that are assigned at some of our Archdiocesan schools carry over into the school communities in miraculous ways, according to school leaders and the families enrolled in these schools.
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A charism, or “gift,” is a special ability given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit that is meant to be given away to others. It gives a religious community its purpose and informs the way they live out their faith. A charism is connected to the early days of a religious order and its founder.
Of the 68 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Newark, 11 are operated by religious orders, Superintendent of Schools Barbara Dolan said.
Father Stephen Fichter, Episcopal Vicar of Education, credits the many Irish Christian Brothers who educated him at Bergen Catholic in the 1980s.
“Their dedication and missionary zeal inspired me to follow God’s call into priestly ministry,” he said.
Academy of Our Lady of Grace, Fairview – Pallottine Fathers
“Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done well.” Saint Vincent Pallotti
At Our Lady of Grace in Fairview, students are taught that “all are called to be apostles of Christ” under the Pallotine Fathers, officially named the Society of the Catholic Apostolate.
“A religious order pastor truly sets the tone for a successful school,” Principal Filomena D’Amico said. “The charism of our school is very special and is evident in all the service projects we do at AOLG.”
In 1835, Saint Vincent Pallotti founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate or the “Society of the Catholic Apostolate.” He also had an intense devotion to Mary and the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity.
Father Peter Sticco, S.A.C., is a daily presence to the children of the academy. He is on the Pre-K through 8th grade campus for morning prayers and Masses and is a part of Christmas concerts, Halloween events, service projects, and all award ceremonies. Five Pallottine sisters are also immersed in the school community.
“One of the main missions of the presence of the Pallottine Priests and Sisters is to make everyone an apostle by rekindling faith and charity, which here we do well,” Father Sticco said about the Pallottines, who have operated the school for 40 years. “We try to make a foundation to live out the Gospels throughout life. We teach to lead, not follow, as Saint Pallottine preached, and we start very young.”
Every month, students don their “A Kind World Begins with Me” T-shirts and hold or contribute to charity drives for hats and gloves, food, the Make a Wish Foundation, swimsuits, and other causes. They also support mission trips for high school students and parents to places like Mexico, Appalachia, and Peru. Father Sticco accompanies them on all of the missions.
Students volunteer after their 8th -grade graduation to help with youth groups, Breakfast with Santa, and the theater group.
Pallotti was also deemed a patron of Vatican II for his efforts toward building unity in the Church through such practices as inviting the people of his community to worship in the Roman parishes of Eastern Catholic churches. Our Lady of Grace also holds an Eastern Rites Mass in January, and rabbis have been invited to the school during Lent.
St. Joseph School, Jersey City – Claretian Missionaries
“A son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a man who is consumed with love and who sets on fire everything in his path. He is a man who unceasingly expends himself to light the fire of divine love in the world. Nothing stops him.” – Saint Anthony Mary Claret
At St. Joseph School in Jersey City, students are taught under the Claretian Missionaries, formally known as Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with a charismatic heritage of “listeners and servants of the Word” and a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Claretians were founded in 1849 in Spain by Saint Anthony Mary Claret, a Spanish Catholic prelate and missionary who served as Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and was the confessor of Isabella II of Spain.
He was an exceptional preacher, and witnesses said his body would become transfigured while preaching or in prayer. He would levitate up to six feet off the ground at times and a light would shine from him, according to witnesses including the queen herself.
Principal John Richards said the Claretians were appointed to the parish about five years ago and their presence has positively impacted the school community. Father James Raphel celebrates Masses throughout the year for causes like their patron saint, Anthony Mary Claret; Thanksgiving; Ash Wednesday; and St. Joseph’s Day and is present at graduations, holidays, and award ceremonies.
Father Raphel said, however, that it’s the simple interactions with children he enjoys the most, such as classroom visits and homilies to the students.
“And I make casual visits during their lunchtime, which takes place in the church basement,” he said.
The Claretians are devoted to the Cordimarian tradition, which honors the Blessed Mother under the symbolism of the heart as it reflects her love and sanctity. St. Joseph’s School honors this tradition with regular recitations of the rosary on the school basketball court. And on the feast of St. Antony Mary Claret on Oct. 24, Father Raphel celebrates a Mass to instill some Marian traditions in the students’ lives.
When an Our Lady of Fatima statue from Portugal’s Shrine of Fatima visited St. Joseph’s last year, the students held a procession and prayed the rosary in front of her image, Richards said.
“It was very special for the children and the school community,” Richards said.
The students also learn about the Claretians’ devotion to justice, peace, and the climate. Four priests reside in the rectory and are part of a United Nations Ministry.
“The Claretians join together with other religious orders to watch, review, and analyze the proceedings of the United Nations, especially on matters of justice, peace, climate, etc.,” Father Raphael said. “They together make reports every year and send their opinions to the different departments of the United Nations.”
If relevant and appropriate, some of their work is shared with the students and staff through class visits and homilies during school Masses. At Christmas this year, there was also a display of various United Nations themes included in the Christmas decorations in the school’s garden, Father Raphel said.
Academy of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Tenafly-Carmelites
“O my God, I want to work for Your glory and for that I must be wholly filled with You and You are love. Then I shall be all-powerful. A look, a desire will become a prayer that cannot be resisted and that can obtain everything. Apostle, Carmelite, it is all one!” -Carmelite quote
At the Academy of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Tenafly, students are taught under the Carmelites, formally known as the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. The Carmelites are still a contemplative order, who were once hermits, with essential values of community/fraternity and service.
The Carmelite Order is one of the few monastic orders and does not have a founder. According to tradition, the order was founded in 1185 with a group of hermits led by Berthold of Calabria living in the Mount Carmel caves in Israel and following the prophet, Elijiah.
Although the Carmelites don’t have a founder or one patron saint, the students are placed in groups with names of the Carmelite saints.
Father Richard Supple, O.Carm., pastor, lives in a friary by night but is an active member of the school community by day. That reflects an ancient tradition that has moved into a new century, Director of Mission Development Elliot Guerra said. In addition to Mass, students will also find Father Supple on the basketball courts or playground trying to master his hula hoop skills, said Principal Barbara Verdonck.
The monostatic order teaches students to be meditative and how to center oneself, but also to go forth and serve, Verdonck said.
Retreats are regularly offered to the students, and 8th -grade students run prayer sessions.
Drives such as toiletry collections are held during the school day, but students are encouraged to serve outside of school on the weekends. They are also urged to include their parents, creating families of service.
Last year, students volunteered for the Hackensack Riverkeeper, cleaned trails in the Palisades, prepared sandwiches for the needy, and served at the Office of Concern Food Pantry in Englewood. Preparing and cooking meals at home for soup kitchens is a service encouraged for families with younger children to instill service at an early age.
And Father Supple said that there’s plenty of time for reflecting on why the students’ service is needed.
“We encourage students to ask why they need the sandwiches or why we need to help the riverkeeper.” Father Supple said.
By the time students enter middle school, completing their required 15 hours of service comes easily.
Guerra said through the Carmelites, the school is laying down a foundation of “faith in action.”
“Whether you are in pre-K or high school, there’s something you can do to serve others,” Guerra said.
Last year, rising 9th graders headed to Portland, Maine, to aid migrants. Father Supple made the six-hour drive to support them.
Giving back and serving others results in growth for the students, he said.
“One mother thanked me after seeing a profound change in her son after coming back from Portland and helping with the migrants there.”
Visitation Academy, Paramus — Vocationists
“Grant that I may be an act of love, a gift of love, a service of love, a conversation of love, a communion of love, O my God and my all!” — Saint Justin Maria Russolillo
Since July 2023, the Vocationists Fathers, formally known as the Society of Divine Vocations, have been assigned to Visitations Academy in Paramus. The order was founded in 1920 in Rome by Giustino Russolillo (Saint Justin Maria Russolillo.)
The mission of the Vocationists is to cultivate vocations. They believe that by the grace of God and the virtue of baptism, everyone has a vocation calling to live a life of holiness and service. The challenge is to figure out and understand how God wants them to live out that call, whether through marriage, as a religious person, or remaining single.
The Blessed Trinity, the Holy Family, and the Mother Church are the source and center of the Vocationists’ spirituality. This belief comes alive among the students and the staff, Principal Dr. Karen Drew said.
Dr. Drew said the newly formed relationship with the Vocationists has had a positive impact on the school community and that the students have found Father Cyril Offionji, S.D.V., and Father Antonio L. da Silva, S.D.V., “very approachable.”
“Father Cyril isn’t just the priest they see on the altar,” Dr. Drew said. “He spends time in the classroom when he can. He’s not some scary person they can’t talk to. The students feel really comfortable spending time with him and talking to him.”
When Father Offionji first appeared last year, he said the students were quite shy with him. He encouraged them to ask him questions about him and their faith, and now the students are comfortable with him.
This relationship leads to a closer relationship with God, Jesus, and the Church, Father Offionji said. He will be doing a presentation this week, focused on celebrating vocations for Catholic Schools Week.
Father Offionji holds Masses and is present at special events at the school. He also accompanied the students to the Daniel Sight and Sound Show in Pennsylvania last fall, where everyone shared a meal on an Amish farm.
“I really don’t do anything scheduled. I am just called to be present,” Father Offionji said. “The Lord will use us the way he sees fit.”
Just as the Vocationists’ founder was dedicated to promoting, cultivating, and educating young people about God’s call in their life, and Saint Joseph called the children around a tree for catechism and song, Father Cyril said he hopes he is an inspiration just by being there for the students.
Father Fichter said the department of schools is grateful to all the members of religious orders throughout the four counties of the Archdiocese who work in the schools.
“They have been serving so selflessly — and for so many years — all the children entrusted to their care,” Father Fichter said.
