January 23, 2024 (Louisville, Ky.) –Students, families, pastors, faculty and staff at 48 Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville will join dioceses throughout the nation in celebrating Catholic Schools Week from January 28-February 3, 2024. The national theme for this year’s Catholic Schools Week is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.”
Festivities include an archdiocesan Mass on Tuesday, January 30, 10 a.m., at St. Agnes Church, 1920 Newburg Road, Louisville. The Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre, Archbishop of Louisville, will preside and preach. Students (about 8-10 per school) and faculty representatives attend this archdiocesan Mass each year.
During this week, as part of efforts to unite the archdiocesan Catholic school community in the teachings of Christ’s love and to serve the community’s most poor and vulnerable people, Catholic Charities of Louisville invited schools to collect items to serve clients of Catholic Charities’ Migration and Refugee Program, Sister Visitor Center and Bakhita anti-human trafficking program. Schools that participated will bring a few of these donations to the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Week Mass on January 30 for a symbolic presentation of donations during the Mass.
At the Mass, Father Linebach and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Beth Bowling will present the following recognitions: Distinguished Catholic School Leader Award (Suzanne Barnett, Principal of St. Martha School in Louisville), Irene Casey Catholic Inclusion Award (Tony Kemper, St. Xavier High School in Louisville), and Outstanding School Volunteer Award (Sharon Delaney, St. Augustine School, Lebanon, Ky.). Julie Domzalski, a teacher at St. Margaret Mary School in Louisville, Ky., will be recognized for the Father Joseph McGee Award for Outstanding Catholic Educator. The Catholic Education Foundation presents the Father Joseph McGee award at the annual Salute to Catholic School Alumni Dinner, which will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Galt House Hotel.
In addition, the Catholic Education Foundation will present poster and essay-writing contest awards to elementary students for posters and to a high school student for an essay. The poster and essay contests invite students to depict or write about the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Week theme for this year: “Be Disciples of Christ: Live as a Blessing.”
The 48 Catholic elementary and secondary schools reside in seven counties of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Below is a sampling of ways in which various schools are observing Catholic Schools Week.
St. Albert School (1395 Girard Drive, Louisville)
All week long, students and staff of St. Albert School will be collecting diapers for the St. Bernadette Parish Diaper Bank, which serves the broader community.
On Friday, February 2 at 1:05 p.m., St. Albert will hold a Winter Pep Rally for academic teams and winter sports in the gym. Students will wear school colors (blue and yellow) from head to toe. After the pep rally at 1:50 p.m., the 7th and 8th grade Quick Recall Team will play the junior high teachers in a Quick Recall match.Contact Lindsay Finley or Janelle Richardson, (502) 425-1804 or lfinley@stalbert.org or jrichardson@stalbert.org.
Assumption High School (2170 Tyler Lane, Louisville)
Four Assumption High School sophomores in a Lead4Change group have launched a service project for Catholic Schools Week. They will collect donated items that parishioners at St. Patrick Church will take to Guatemala on a mission trip this summer. This project is a 100% student-led initiative that allows a Catholic high school to partner with a Catholic grade school in serving people in need in Guatemala. Lead4Change is a national program that teaches students leadership skills through the implementation of a service project. Groups come up with a team name, slogan, logo and social media account that they use to advertise their work and educate people about the issue they are addressing. They assign different roles, complete an extensive action plan and create a pitch video for the L4C evaluators. Winning teams can earn grant money for the non-profit agencies with whom they work. Collections will take place all week during school hours.
Contact: Mary Ann Steutermann, (502) 458-9551 or MaryAnn.Steutermann@AHSrockets.org.
Bethlehem High School (309 West Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown, Ky.)
Bethlehem will hold a variety of activities to honor parishes, community, students, faculty and those who serve the Church through a religious vocation.
All week, the Bethlehem High School community will hold a penny war for the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral’s Souper Bowl of Caring.
On Monday, January 29: Because Bethlehem means “House of Bread,” members of the school community also will deliver bread to first responders throughout the day. In addition, Bethlehem High School freshman will participate all day in a scavenger hunt during their religion classes. This will be focused on the school’s history.
On Wednesday, January 31, the Patriotic Rosary also will be prayed over the school intercom at the beginning of the school day following morning announcements. All religion classes will participate in a lesson based on Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – A Pastoral Letter Against Racism. This pastoral letter was written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
On Thursday, February 1: Bethlehem students will celebrate vocations by writing thank you notes to their parish priests.
On Sunday, February 4, the Bethlehem High School Liturgical Choir will participate in the 11 a.m. Mass at the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral.
Contact: Sara Thurmond (502) 348-8594 or sthurmond@bethlehemhigh.org.
St. Francis of Assisi School (1938 Alfresco Place, Louisville)
On Wednesday, January 31, St. Francis of Assisi will hold a Prospective Parent Night Tour from 5 to 7 p.m. Registration is welcome but not required. Go to Saint Francis of Assisi (sfalouisville.org) and click on the “Join Us” in the top banner to access Sign-Up Genius.
Contact: Steve Frommeyer, (502) 459-3088 or sfrommeyer@ccsfa.org.
St. Gabriel School (5505 Bardstown Road, Louisville)
All week, students will collect canned soup for Fern Creek United Ministries. Each class has a goal of 22 cans.
On Sunday, January 29, the parish will hold a School Alumni Mass at 10 a.m.
On Monday through Friday, students will have a theme for their attire:
Monday: School-appropriate pajamas.
Tuesday: Dress as favorite cartoon character.
Wednesday: Dress as athlete or pop star.
Thursday: Crazy hat/toboggan day.
Friday: Neon colors day.
Contact: Lara Krill (502) 239-5535 or lkrill@stgabriel.net.
Holy Angels Academy (12201 Old Henry Road, Louisville)
On Thursday, February 1, students in grades K-8 will participate in a Religion Quick Recall tournament, which will be held at 1 p.m. They will answer a series of questions regarding their Catholic faith, including feasts, saints, and the catechism.
Contact: Terri Glotzbach (502) 254-9440 or administration@haalou.org.
Holy Spirit School (322 Cannons Lane, Louisville)
Prospective families interested in shadowing or scheduling a tour can contact jgiannone@hspiritschool.org, (502) 893-7700, or on our website at https://hspirit.org/schedule-a-tour-2/.
On Monday, January 29, students may wear sunglasses to school and will honor staff of the school and parish who serve the school.
On Tuesday, January 30, students may wear crazy socks. Members of the student council will deliver cookies to the local fire and police department in gratitude for their service. Check with school as to the approximate time.
On Wednesday, January 31, students may wear school-appropriate sweatshirts to school.
On Sunday, February 4, the community is invited to celebrate Catholic Schools Week at the Children’s Mass in the Church at 10 a.m.
Contact: Jen Giannone (502) 893-7700 or jgiannone@hspiritschool.org.
Holy Spirit and Our Lady of Lourdes Schools (322 Cannons Lane/510 Breckenridge Lane, Louisville)
Students at the two schools will unite to create “Happy CSW Cards” for each other. These cards will be distributed at the two schools on Monday, January 29.
The two schools also will unite to collect items for Catholic Charities of Louisville with a goal of reaching 800 items. On Friday, February 2 at 9:45 a.m., Peyton Rhea from Catholic Charities will come to Our Lady of Lourdes (510 Breckenridge Lane) to pick up all items. Student Council reps from both schools will participate in a brief prayer service and then will assist with loading up the collected items.
Contact: Deanna Askin, (502) 895-5122 or deannaa@ourlourdes.org or Jen Giannone (502) 893-7700 or jgiannone@hspiritschool.org.
Holy Trinity School (423 Cherrywood Road, Louisville and 2117 Payne Street for Clifton Campus)
Holy Trinity School has several activities planned for Catholic Schools Week. All week, students and families are invited to donate items for each grade’s school service-learning community partner.
On Monday, January 29: Students may dress in their favorite style from a decade since Holy Trinity’s founding date – 1885. On this day students also may search for their patron saint on the cafeteria wall.
On Tuesday, January 30: Students may wear appropriate pajamas. An all-school bingo will be held at 1:45 p.m.
On Wednesday, January 31: The faculty and staff will play the eighth graders in volleyball games at 1 p.m. in the school gym at Holy Trinity – St. Matthews (423 Cherrywood Road.)
On Thursday, February 1: Students may adopt the dress of the career they plan to pursue. A Spelling Bee will be held at 8:05 a.m.
On Friday, February 2: Students will participate in Eucharistic Adoration during their religion classes at each campus.
Contact: Wendy Stewart (502) 897-2785 or wstewart@ht-school.org.
Immaculata Classical Academy (440 Zorn Avenue, Louisville)
Each day from Monday to Friday of Catholic Schools Week, Immaculata will hold a school-wide assembly from 8 to 8:30 a.m. High school students will present information about saints to the K-8th graders, with some even dressing up in character.
On Friday, February 2, students, friends and families of Immaculata Classical Academy will participate in a Eucharistic Procession and Adoration from 2 to 3:15 p.m.
Contact: Justin Fout, (502) 365-3545 or jfout@immaculata.org.
Mercy Academy (5801 Fegenbush Lane, Louisville)
On Monday, January 29, as part of Mercy’s service-learning program, the school is hosting a Legislative Breakfast with state senators and representatives and Mercy Academy juniors at 8:30 a.m. The students will begin to build relationships with their elected representatives before they meet with them in Frankfort on February 8.
Contact: Kari Sims (502) 882-5824 or ksims@mercyjaguars.com.
Presentation Academy (861 S. 4th Street, Louisville)
Presentation’s National Honor Society (NHS) will host a toiletry collection during Catholic Schools Week. This will support the school’s ongoing service project of assembling toiletries and snack packs for UP for Women (https://uplouisville.org), which is a local women’s day shelter at 425 S. 2nd Street. Presentation’s NHS has been raising money for this organization throughout the school year.
On Tuesday, January 30, from 11:15 a.m. to noon, NHS students will assemble these kits for UP for Women. This will take place in the Center for Academic Success (861 S. 4th Street).
Contact: Jennifer Carver (502) 583-5935 or jcarver@presentationacademy.org.
St. Raphael School (2131 Lancashire Avenue, Louisville)
In collaboration with WaterStep, St. Raphael School will host a shoe drive all week during school hours. Donating shoes to WaterStep will help fund water projects that save hundreds of thousands of lives in the world’s poorest countries.
On Tuesday, January 30, students are invited to wear green shirts and accessories to “Celebrate our Earth and Go Green.” Representatives from Louisville Metro will provide presentations throughout the day to all grades of the school about recycling and helping to protect our Earth for future generations. Louisville Metro will present to kindergarten and 1st grade from 11:10 to 11:50 a.m.; 6th-8th grades from 12 to 12:40 p.m.; 4th and 5th grades from 12:45 to 1:25 p.m. and 2nd and 3rd grades from 1:30 to 2:10 p.m.
Contact: Jenny Garcia or Diane Justice, (502) 456-1541 or jgarcia@sraparish.org or djustice@sraparish.org.
