Dr. Bill Watson, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools, still remembers what Bishop Dennis Sullivan told him when they first met: “If we’re not working with the poor and we’re not in schools, then we’re not doing our job.”
The superintendent has taken these words as a charge in his own role to support Catholic schools and ensure that they remain strong for years to come.
“I have held that with me since that day as motivation for our work in Catholic schools,” Dr. Watson said, “and I have been reminded of it time and time again in the actions Bishop Sullivan has used to support those words.”
Whether through consistent engagement in each Catholic school community or working to develop and implement recommendations to support these institutions, Bishop Sullivan has made investing in Catholic schools a key component of his leadership in South Jersey.
Forward-thinking approach
In his second year in the Diocese of Camden, in September 2014, Bishop Sullivan convened the Bishop’s Commission on Catholic Schools. That data-driven planning process culminated in a report, “Forming Minds and Hearts in Grace.”
“I am convinced that now more than ever that Catholic schools provide the best opportunity for the full integration of human formation, the physical, intellectual and spiritual development of the young person that is the root of Catholic education,” Bishop Sullivan shared in 2015, when writing about the importance of the commission’s work. “We cannot rest and presume that this great treasure of the Church will continue without hard work. It is a treasure worth the sacrifices made.”
Dr. Watson shared that the report, which he called forward-thinking, offered recommendations around the stewardship of parish resources for schools, the integration of marketing and communications efforts, and the importance of recruiting and cultivating talent for school leadership.
“Bishop Sullivan presided over the report and has wholeheartedly supported each of the recommendations in practice,” Dr. Watson said. “Together, they have established a strong foundation for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Camden now and in the future.”
Mary Boyle held the role of diocesan superintendent at the time of the commission’s work. She also noted the Bishop’s personal engagement throughout the process, and described the resulting report as “the blueprint for the vitality and vision of our Catholic Schools.”
For retired principal Joan Dollinger, reading the report was among the first things she did in 2017 before beginning her tenure as principal of Assumption Regional Catholic School, Galloway.
The report was a breath of fresh air.
“Having lived through many closures and mergers, the sense of commitment to Catholic education by Bishop Sullivan was extremely encouraging,” she said. “For the seven years that I served as principal, I never doubted Bishop Sullivan’s belief that the ministry of Catholic education in the Diocese of Camden was critical in ‘forming minds and hearts in grace.’”
‘Parishes in their own right’
Among the Bishop’s priorities in his first year in the Diocese was to strengthen Catholic identity in diocesan schools – and in August 2013, he created the role of Director of Catholic Identity, which is filled by a priest in each diocesan high school.
“Catholic schools are a vital ministry of formation,” Boyle said. “While the school can never replace the responsibility of faith formation that is a parental responsibility assumed at baptism, the Catholic school provides an additional community of faith and shared Catholic values for parents, students and school staff as well.”
Dr. Watson noted that assigning priests to high schools supports both the school and each man’s priesthood and ministry.
“Having them in the schools builds in these priests leadership capabilities and an appreciation of Catholic education,” he said. “That appreciation can carry over into a priest’s future role as pastor.”
Michael Chambers serves as president of Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, and has seen the benefits of this approach in his community.
“While parish priests primarily minister to their parishioners, Bishop Sullivan recognized that school communities also function as parishes in their own right,” he said. “His forward-thinking vision ensured that each school had a diocesan priest to serve as its pastoral leader, fostering a stronger Catholic identity and deepening the faith life of students, faculty and staff.”
Goals for underserved communities
Diocesan and school leaders also pointed to Bishop Sullivan’s commitment to supporting Catholic schools in struggling communities – seeing the additional importance of strong educational foundations within neighborhoods experiencing poverty.
Father Kevin Mohan, pastor of the Parish of Saint Monica Parish, Atlantic City, has seen this through his parish school – Our Lady Star of the Sea.
“No one believes more strongly in Catholic education than Bishop Sullivan. He sees clearly the potential for Catholic schools both to assist parents in handing on the faith to the young generation of Catholics, and in serving our neighbors irrespective of their faith, but because of our faith,” he said. “Bishop Sullivan has heralded the power of education to assist families who struggle in breaking the generational cycles of poverty. Catholic schools have a proven record of educating children with excellence, and in this sense, we have the ability to assist the children of poor families in our Diocese in a key way.”
Father Mohan described the efforts Bishop Sullivan has made to direct diocesan resources to support schools in communities like Atlantic City and Camden – including through clergy assignments, financial subsidies and the sharing of expertise from diocesan staff.
“Under Bishop Sullivan’s leadership, the continuance of Catholic schools in underserved areas of our Diocese has been made paramount,” he said.
‘A legacy of presence’
Principals, priests and superintendents past and present all agree that one of the most defining aspects of Bishop Sullivan’s legacy around Catholic schools has been his consistent engagement.
“I think one of Bishop Sullivan’s greatest legacies is a legacy of presence,” Dr. Watson said. “He has been present physically in schools, at teachers’ meetings, and at principals’ meetings when his leadership was most needed. He has also been present spiritually, sharing homilies that leave a lasting impression.”
Dr. Watson noted that the Bishop has rarely skipped a chance to celebrate Mass at schools, preside over high school Baccalaureate Masses and graduations, and engage with teachers and students.
“He has also taken every available opportunity to share what I believe is one of his favorite phrases – ‘Catholic. Schools. Work.’ – to support the efforts of principals and teachers, and to let parents know that he recognizes, appreciate and honors the sacrifices they make to ensure a Catholic school education for their children.”
Chambers shared how the Bishop responded to the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Fla. – and when he visited Paul VI to join students and faculty for a silent tribute.
“Together, we walked in silence around the track for 17 minutes – one for each life lost,” Chambers recalled. “His presence that day was a powerful testament to his compassion and unwavering commitment to the students he serves.”
Boyle added that a parent once shared with her that the Bishop was not an abstract concept or figure to her children – but rather, that “my children know Bishop Sullivan.”
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