Quality academics, culture draw students of all faiths

Metro Detroit — Since even before the formation of Detroit College by the Jesuits in 1877, the Catholic Church has committed itself to the education of millions of Detroit-area children.

Today, the archdiocese supports more than 60 grade schools along with 25 high schools, providing a well-rounded education rooted in Catholic teaching.

Catholic schools provide a first introduction of Catholicism for many students, including those who do not come from a Catholic background, while priding themselves on being open and inclusive to non-Catholic students.

“A Catholic education looks to grow the entire student in body, mind and spirit,” said Basilian Fr. Dennis Noelke, principal at Novi Detroit Catholic Central High School. “For our non-Catholic students, it provides a safe area where they are able to have open discussions about their faith and learn about their Catholic brothers without being pressured to convert.”

In interviews with The Michigan Catholic, Detroit-area Catholic school officials cited high-quality academics, athletics and safety as the primary reasons many non-Catholic families choose to send their children to Catholic schools.

“We offer a faith-based education with a moral and an ethical vision that you can’t get at a public school,” said Jesuit Fr. Karl Kiser, president of University of Detroit-Jesuit High School. “We offer a quality education where students are in an environment of like-minded people. The Catholic vision of education is not just to give an education, but the education of the whole person.”

At many schools, non-Catholic students participate in all-school Masses and take four years of theology, learning the basics of the Catholic faith, which has led some students become more interested in the faith on a personal level.

“We get some students interested in converting on some occasions,” said James Wasukanis, president of Cabrini Schools in Allen Park. “We have some students who have received the initial sacraments and then ask if they can be confirmed. If they are interested, we help them with joining a parish community close to where they live and about what it takes to join the RCIA process.”

Principals who spoke with The Michigan Catholic estimated anywhere between 10 to 40 percent of their students are not practicing Catholics — numbers vary school to school — but said their schools are a welcoming environment.

Students are in no way pressured to convert to Catholicism, but many non-Catholic students graduate with a greater understanding and appreciation of the Church, Fr. Kiser said.

“We’ve had a few conversions along the way, but the real reason people come to U-D Jesuit is for the discipline and the academics,” Fr. Kiser said. “We’ve even had some non-Catholics who’ve expressed interest in becoming a Jesuit. But the most common result is non-Catholic students gaining a greater appreciation of the Catholic faith and a greater sense of the Catholic identity.”

Fr. Noelke at Catholic Central said non-Catholic students are an integral part of the school’s community and the expression of other faiths in the halls of Catholic Central serves to strengthen the faith of Catholic students.

“Our Catholic students have a lot to learn from our non-Catholic students, especially from those who are active in their faith while at Catholic Central,” Fr. Noelke said. “Seeing a Muslim or Jewish student express and support their beliefs with their words and actions can be an inspiration for our Catholic students. Alternatively, it allows our Catholic students to show our non-Catholic students what it means to be a Catholic man.”

Outside of the religious aspects of Catholic schools — which school officials maintain will always be the bedrock of Catholic education — the learning environment can also be a key factor in why parents of all faiths choose Catholic schools.

“Our faith is very much represented in our curriculum, but also in how we teach and how we treat students within our school system,” Wasukanis said. “I don’t think you have to be a Catholic to benefit from a Catholic school system. Our culture is very welcoming and we want to give every student the opportunity to succeed in academics, athletics and in the community.”

In addition to educating students from kindergarten through 12th grade, Catholic schools focus on preparing students for post-secondary education and asking students what they want to pursue, guiding them toward their goals.

“At Cabrini, we start working with kids in the eighth grade and hone their aspiration for post-secondary education,” Wasukanis said. “We have college fairs every year and tell students to have a focus on the future. We have a very excellent education program, and you can’t separate that from the faith aspect of our school.”

Generally, administrators across the archdiocese are in agreement about what makes Catholic schools appealing: strong academics, a sense of community and expanded opportunities for success outside the classroom. All of these, said Bro. Michael Segvich, CFC, principal of Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice High School, can be traced back to the nuns who laid the foundations of Catholic education in the United States.

“We feel our schools produce good people, and that’s the greatest recruiting tool we have,” Bro. Segvich said. “We have a history of athletic success as well, which doesn’t hurt. But it all goes back to the holistic education Catholic schools can provide to all students and focusing on building good people, not just good students.”

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Catholic Schools

For more information on Detroit-area Catholic schools, visit aod.org/schools.