‘A Bold Act of Courage and Faith’

SLUG  Msgr. McHugh, Catholic Academy of Sussex County director and the Bishop turn over ceremonial shovelfuls of soil during groundbreaking ceremonies for a new $4.5 million, two-story St. Pope John XXIII Middle School in Sparta that will open its doors in November to students in grades, 5, 6 and 7.

SPARTA  On a sunny June 6 morning, Bishop Serratelli broke ground for what he called a “sign of hope” and a “bold act of courage and faith” for Catholic education in Sussex County — a new $4.5 million, two-story St. Pope John XXIII Middle School here that will open its doors in November to students in grades, 5, 6 and 7. The building of the new middle school is part of the Diocese’s comprehensive strategic repositioning plan for the long-term viability and vitality of Catholic education in Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties.


In front of a large, enthusiastic crowd, Bishop Serratelli blessed and dedicated the project: a 22,000-square-foot middle school that will become part of the Catholic Academy of Sussex County and a first-of-its-kind university-style campus model at St. Pope John XXIII Regional High School and Rev. George A. Brown Mem­orial School here. Also, the diocesan plan — which maps out a way to best provide continued and exemplary Catholic education to its students in a fiscally responsible manner — consolidates three Sussex County Catholic elementary schools —Immaculate Conception Regional School, Franklin; St. Joseph Regional School, Newton; and St. Michael School, Netcong — into the campus for the upcoming academic year.

“Today, religion has been driven from the public forum and, tragically, it has lost some influence in private life. Even among faithful Catholics, Catholic truths, values and observances seem to be diminished in our secular culture,” Bishop Serratelli told the audience, before he turned over a ceremonial gold shovel filled with soil. “In this context, our investment as a Diocese, as a school community and as the people of Sussex County in finding a new way to continue Catholic education is a great sign of hope. Today’s groundbreaking for this new middle school is a bold act of courage and faith against the tide of our modern secular society,” he said.

The existing Rev. Brown School will educate pre-k through fourth-graders, while the new middle school will serve fifth- through seventh-graders. The existing high school, which has been thriving, will continue to educate students in grades 8-12. The facilities will provide enough space for all students from their sending districts and more. The middle school has been made possible through financial support from both the Diocese and the Pope John XXIII Endowment Fund — both of which have made $1 million commitments to this project.

The middle school will be will house an administrative suite and a large gathering space near the entrance, 12 regular classrooms and four specialty classrooms for music, art, science and robotics. Technologically, these three schools will be linked by “dark fiber” and the latest infrastructure “to keep up with education in the 21st century learning environment,” said Craig Austin, the Academy’s vice president of institutional advancement.

As a cost-saving measure, the middle school will be built in sections off site with modular commercial construction — a faster method that also will help contractors meet the project’s tight completion date. All of the 292 middle-school students who have enrolled will start classes along with the other two schools on Sept. 1, and will be housed in the high school, which has some flexibility with its space, Austin said.

Attending the ground-breaking were Diocesan officials and members of the Sussex County faith and school communities, including priests and principals teachers and students from the high school, Rev. Brown and the three sending schools — many of whom participated in the ceremony. Among the speakers was Msgr. Keiran McHugh, the Academy’s director and high school’s president, who said the project is “a milestone for Catholic education in Sussex County and its growth for decades to come.”

Msgr. McHugh thanked a long list of supporters, including Bishop Serratelli; Father Stanley Barron, diocesan vicar for education and pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Flanders; Mary Baier, diocesan superintendent of schools; Austin; the Presbyteral Council; the Pope John Educational Foundation; the Academy’s board; and local clergy and Catholic schools.

“We are taking an important leap of faith to ensure Catholic education in Sussex County,” said Msgr. McHugh, who happily reported that the new middle school already has a waiting list for its sixth and seventh grades and that the high school expects the largest incoming freshmen class in years — 220 students. “We have more work to do and many more miles to travel. Our focus must be providing top-notch quality Catholic education for the people of Sussex County. We ask God’s blessings on our work ahead. Let us not be afraid but have the courage to stay the course,” the priest said.

Afterward, Joseph Mazich, a Rev. Brown sixth-grader, spoke in front of the audience with gratitude about the importance of Catholic education to him and his family.

“There is nothing better than attending a school,where I can practice and further strengthen my faith. All my teachers show that they believe in Jesus by acting like his disciples. They instruct us in our coursework to prepare us for the future. They teach us to be kind-hearted and give back to the community. They guide us to make the right decisions like Jesus would,” said Mazich, who noted that the Rev. Brown community deepens its faith in many ways, including daily prayer and Mass. “At Rev. Brown, I am able to express myself and become a better person through Christ. We are always using the gifts that Jesus has granted us. My teachers remind us what Jesus would do in certain situations. My classmates and I have daily religion classes, so I am able constantly to examine Jesus’ actions and miraculous life,” he said.

In his address, Mazich also noted that the Rev. Brown teachers “push us to do better, because they know it will only benefit us in life.”

That morning, Mark Young, president of the Academy’s board, which has been helping with the construction and implementation of the plan, called the June 6 groundbreaking “a great day.”

“It [the middle-school project] is a win for Catholic education. It’s a day that we can be proud to be a Catholic and be a member of this Catholic school community,” Young said.