February 19, 2010

To: St. Gabriel and St. Michael Parishioners and Parents

Dear Parishioners and Parents,

In an effort to communicate with you regarding the uniting of St. Gabriel and St. Michael, the Archangels, Schools, I offer the following information.

My name is Virginia Suttner and I have been involved in Catholic education for a total of 31 years as teacher, principal and educational consultant for the Office of Catholic Education. On February 10, 2010, I was officially appointed as coordinator to assist and oversee staffing, curriculum, administration, and other related issues in this transition process.

Thus far in my short tenure as coordinator, I have interviewed the faculty and staff of both schools in order to better understand their strengths and the challenges they have faced in this unification process. I have had individual meetings with both principals to learn more about their school’s unique profiles. Additionally, Father Larry Crawford and Father Varghese Maliakkal met briefly with me to provide their perspective of this rapidly approaching merger.

A West Deanery Commission has been established with three members from St. Gabriel, five members from St. Michael, both pastors, the Dean of the West Deanery and the newly appointed coordinator. The members of this Commission are committed, involved and excited about this incredible opportunity to take part in the creation of a preschool through grade 12 Catholic school.

The Commission first met on February 16, 2010 to discuss four critical issues that must be addressed immediately: tuition, staffing, registration and communication. At the next Commission meeting on February 23, we will determine the tuition rates and registration fees for the next school year, 2010-2011, discuss hiring processes for administrators, faculty and staff, and review marketing materials.

An Open House has been scheduled at St. Michael the Archangel School, Sunday, February 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We would like to invite all interested parents to an informational meeting immediately following the Open House. We want to be open to your concerns and will do our best to answer any questions that you may have.

I ask for your prayers and cooperation as I work with all of you on this new educational opportunity for your students.

Sincerely,

Virginia Suttner

West Deanery Consolidation Coordinator

Archbishop Buechlein has approved our plans to go forward with the educational partnership between St. Gabriel School, St. Michael’s School, Cardinal Ritter High School, and Marian University. Below is the text of a letter he sent to Father Larry outlining the steps that will occur to facilitate the transition. More information will be forthcoming soon.

Most Rev. Daniel M.Buechlein, O.S.B.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
P.O. Box 1410
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1410
317-236-1400

February 2 , 2010
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Reverend Larry Crawford
Saint Gabriel Catholic Church
6000 W 34th St
Indianapolis IN 46224

 Dear Fr. Crawford:

 I have reviewed the latest recommendations for enhancing Catholic education in the West Deanery. I thank you for your hard work and time. I appreciate the sacrifices you have made to attend the meetings and to consider prayerfully and carefully the best options for guaranteeing the success of Catholic education in the West Deanery.

 After consulting with Monsignor Schaedel, Father Crawford, Father Varghese, and Mickey Lentz and our Office of Catholic Education staff, I believe we are all in agreement that it would be best for the schools and parishes  involved if we proceed in phases.

 Phase I

 Based on the committee’s recommendation, the Archdiocese approves the following:

1. The Archdiocese will appoint an outside coordinator to assist and oversee staffing, curriculum administration, and other related transition issues. This position will start in early February of 2010 and will end with the opening of the 2010-2011 school year.
2. The governance of St. Michael School for us 2010-2011 will be by a newly fanned commission made up of five members from St. Michael School. three members from Sf. Gabriel School. the two pastors, the Dean of the West Deanery, and the newly appointed out.side coordinator. This new commission should be in place as soon as possihle.
3. The 7th and 8th grade programs at St. Michael School and Cardinal Ritter High School will continue to work in close collaboration with one another during the 2010-2001 school year and will continue to be operated out of both sites.

 Items of priority to be addressed:

• Smooth and effective integration of students, parents, and faculty/staff St. Gabriel to St.Michael Schools for the 2010-11 school term
• Further collaboration of the 7th and 8th grade programs at Sf. Michael and Cardinal Ritter schools
• Begin the marketing and communication of the collaboration with a focus on the advantages
• Continued discussions and planning of the curriculum
• Implement professional development program for instructors Pre-K to 8
• Identify and implement actions to provide a phasing in of curriculum

Phase II

 Based on the committee’s recommendation, the Archdiocese approves the following:

1. A new Board of Limited Jurisdiction for Cardinal Ritter High School and St. Michael the Archangel School will he established that ensures representation and expertise by January 1, 2011.
2. The Chief Executive Officer of this new Board of Limited Jurisdiction is the President of Cardinal Ritter High School

 Items of priority to be addressed:

• Establishment of administrative structure for this new union of schools
• Implement active marketing and advancement plans to increase enrollment and resources
• Continued discussions with Marian University on increased collaboration

 I am pleased that these efforts are continuing to move forward. There is still much work to be done and I encourage everyone involved to continue to stay focused on what is best for the children of the West Deanery. 

Again, I would like to give my sincere thanks to the committee members from St. Gabriel School, Saint Michael the Archangel School and Cardinal Ritter High School for all of your hard work, time and innovative ideas.

May God bless you and your continued work to strengthen Catholic education in the West Deanery. 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Daniel M. Buechlein, O.S.B.
Archbishop of Indianapolis

Our apologies for not having a complete schedule of our Ash Wednesday and Lenten activities posted here. A mailing went out to all parishioners with the complete schedule. You can also find information about Ash Wednesday in this week’s parish bulletin which is available online http://www.stgabrielindy.org/news/ .

We will have more detailed information available on this page soon.

The Indiana Catholic Conference has the latest up-to-date information about health care reform legislation. You can visit their website at http://www.Indianacc.org.  Of particular interest are two articles which you can download titled “National Healthcare Reform- What Does the Stupak Amendment Really Do?” and “U.S. House Keeps Abortion Funding Out Of Health Care Reform” There are also brochures available at the doors of the church about health care reform.

We’ve been referring to our new school partnership between St. Gabriel, St. Michael, Cardinal Ritter, and Marian University as providing “21st Century Education.” Our school website now contains an article which provides some questions and answers about what we mean by 21st Century Education. Click here for the article about 21st-century education. For more information about the new school partnership see the articles below titled “Frequently Asked Questions About the Future of St. Gabriel School” and “Our Continuing Commitment to Catholic Education“

YouTube videos on our October 25, 2009 parish meeting is now available in our photo and video gallery. This is the meeting described in the articles below where a proposal was presented to pay down our debt and to renovate our church. Click here to visit our gallery and see highlights of this important meeting about the future of our parish.

Photos of the conceptual design of how we might renovate the church will be available soon.

At a parish wide meeting held after the 12 noon mass on October 25, 2009 there was unanimous consensus to adopt a plan proposed which would pay down our existing debt and set us on course to a remodeling of our church using funds from our capital building fund. Father Larry Crawford and Jim Schillinger of CSO Architects presented what has been described as an unprecedented offer from the Archdiocese to help the parish pay off the parish’s debt.

The opportunity presented to the parish was to utilize funds that had been raised in two previous capital campaigns to pay 50% (approximately $350,000) of the outstanding debt immediately. The remainder of the debt would be carried by the archdiocese at zero interest. Additionally the archdiocese has agreed to match dollar for dollar when St Gabriel makes the required annual debt payment. The plan would allow St Gabriel to eliminate the remaining debt over the next 10 years.

 “With our current debt growing daily with interest, this was an opportunity to not only eliminate the debt, but do so by saving over $200,000 during the next ten years” commented Father Crawford.

The other part of the presentation by Mr. Schellinger dealt with the physical structure and plans for remodeling the church. As part of the financial arrangement with the archdiocese, St Gabriel has been given the approval to begin construction on remodeling the church. The construction project would have a guaranteed maximum cost of $750,000.

Mr. Schellinger presented a rough concept of what kind of remodeling we might be able to do on our existing church. The plan is to revitalize the building committee to work out a more detailed plan for the future of our facilities given our changing needs.

More background on this proposal is available in Father Larry’s message below. 

After a question-and-answer session with the parishioners in attendance, a motion was made and seconded to adopt the proposal. There was some brief further discussion in which it was suggested we make every effort to contact people who had given to the building fund but who werw not able to attend the meeting. When the discussion concluded a voice vote was taken. There was a hearty round of “Ays” and when the “Nays” or called for there were none. The proposal passed unanimously.  The vote will allow the parish to move forward and help create a bright and vibrant future, which will help the parish grow.

Highlights from this important parish meeting will be available sometime early this week on St. Gabriel’s YouTube channel with links from this website to the videos. We also hope to have images of the renderings presented by the architects of a possible design for remodeling our church.

When I was a child the Little Sisters of the Poor operated St. Augustine Home for the aged in downtown Indianapolis.  In those days, the Sisters would go begging every day at the Market and other places to get food for the residents.  The Sisters have a great devotion to St. Joseph.  When things were good, they praised Joseph.  But if they did not have enough coal for heating or enough food, Joseph got turned to the wall.  I am sure you have noticed that for several years we have prayed to St. Joseph to help with our financial stability.  I at times have wondered if Joseph was going to answer our prayer.  I think he has; just not the way I thought it would be. 

Over the past several years St. Gabriel parish has experienced a number of significant changes.

• The demographics of our population has changed substantially
• The number of families has remained relatively constant, but the economic and social nature of our family has changed.
• The income level in the Sunday collection has dropped significantly
• The number of students in St. Gabriel School has declined and the educational cost per student has risen substantially. One of the reasons for drop in enrollment is the increasing inability of parents to afford private education; and there has been an increase in requests for financial aide.

In recent years there has annually been an operational deficit.  At first the savings that had been built up over a period of years was used to cover the shortfall.  Then the parish began to carry an operational deficit.  At first it was just a few thousand dollars per year.    But as income declined the deficit rose per year.  Currently we are running an average of $10,000 per week deficit in payroll.  Each week the deficit is added to our parish debt to the Archdiocese.    

In recent years the Archdiocese has hired a man by the name of Mike Witka.  He is Director of Parish Financial Services.  Shortly after I assumed responsibility for the parish Financial Commission Mr. Witka contacted me urging me to formulate a plan to retire the parish debt. At the same time a number of parishioners were coming to me expressing concern about our debt and what we could do about it.

When I first became pastor in January 1999 the parish had just completed a successful capital campaign.  There had been parish meetings and the decision was made to build a permanent church. Most of the funds taken in by the Legacy of Hope are still on deposit.  Then followed the Legacy for our Mission capital campaign.  It was our hope to get sufficient funds to begin construction on the Church. We tried to make it clear that it was not just a new church we needed.  We needed space for ministry.  We did not quite achieve our goal and over time there were several attempts to raise the needed funds without success.  And as time past, and no construction, a number of givers discontinued payment of their pledge.

I have always been very conscious of the importance of using funds for the purpose they were intended.  A few years ago I was approached by an Archdiocesan representative about using some of our capital funds to pay the debt. I refused because I consider it in appropriate to use funds for anything other than the designated purpose.    

Once I became the “go to man” for the Finance Commission two things became clear.  We were “dead in the water” regarding getting funds to build.  The debit was mounting literally daily. 

This past summer I had meetings with both Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education and the Finance Services personnel. .

1. Discussions of the consolidation of Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School were progressing favorably.  If this occurred this would alleviate our urgent need for space.
2. Although I had personal reservations, the way out of our financial situation was payment of the debt and I began talking about what might happen if we used some of our capital funds to pay down the debt.

The Archdiocese and I came to a tentative understanding that we would pay down half of the debit with funds from the capital campaign and retire the remainder over a 20 year period, interest free. Which I thought was kind – interest free.  When the final agreement was reached – the Archdiocese had added an element.  The Archdiocese would match us dollar for dollar that we paid on the remainder of the debt.  So now we would be able to pay off the debt in less than 10 years.

Now the debt is manageable. With the educational partnership taking effect our educational cost will be manageable. The children will have gym space.  Our current physical plant is now available for the parish for ministry; we have no need for additional space. I have ask Jim Schillinger of CSO Architect to give us a rendering of a concept of what  is possible make our current worship space into a permanent church with the funds we have available.

But first I need your permission to redirect part of the capital funds for debt payment.  Thus my need for the Sunday parish meeting.

Once I have that permission, I am going to revitalize the Building Committee.  They will work on a permanent church.  Then they will work on what to do with the remaining space. 

We have much potential.  I hope we work together and in the months ahead become more energized as a parish than we ever have before.  We have our whole future ahead of us.

Dear Parishioners:

A bit of past/current history might be helpful.  In the Council of Baltimore the first bishops of the United States said that a Catholic School should be attached to every Catholic Church to deal with the immigrant population. Some people today still remember when it was required that if they did not send their children to a Catholic School they had to get permission of the Bishop through their pastor. That model of Catholic Church/School has been the one that we have been familiar with all our lives. 

In recent years we have seen many Catholic Schools enter into consolidations or even close.  St. Gabriel, St. Michael and Cardinal Ritter Jr/Sr. High School have chosen to take a proactive stance, and by partnering to create a new entity do much more educationally than any one institution could do individually, and to take our children into a Twenty-First century educational experience.

I understand that it is more than a saying that there must be a Good Friday before there can be an Easter Sunday.  Each of us has to grieve the loss before we can move on to the new and exciting.  But the educational program being offered to these communities is an incredible opportunity.   It is a concept in which a child can potentially enter the educational program and end up with a bachelor or master degree in 16 yrs.  And as the partnership unfolds in the next few months, you will be kept informed and some of you will be asked to serve on committees (some already have).  It will be a program where every individual student’s needs are met.  And next fall St. Gabriel will be in partnership with an educational program that others nationwide will be looking at.

And St. Gabriel will continue to be a parish for many people of a variety of cultures and traditions.

Please know that the rumor mill is working overtime right now.  It used to be that we had to deal with word of mouth, and written word.  Now we have email, twitter, and everything else.  And everyone is an authority.  But know this.  The only official word will come through Fr. Larry Crawford and/or Sarah Watson.  Anything, including what “downtown” says will come through us and only through us.

Right now we need to focus on all the life and things that are happening this year at St. Gabriel.  

• We have just finished two incredible and great weeks at St.  Gabriel with the two missions.  Many people grew in their Hope in Christ.
• Our Faith Formation program is growing incredibly this year.
  • Sunday Morning Religious Ed (grade 1-6) has 123 students.
  • Thursday Youth Classes (7 grade through high school)  has 50 students
  • Sacramental Prep which includes 1^st Reconciliation (in January and 1^st Eucharist I May has 59 students
  • There are 18 high school students who are asking for Confirmation
  • RCIA has 7 people in the English class and   6 in the Spanish for a total of 13 candidates.

 Our parish is thriving.  We are looking to the future.  We sometimes grieve as we see the child grow into maturity; but we know it must.  We know the tomorrows we face will in fact be better than the yesterdays that were wonderful.

 Sincerely,
Fr. Larry Crawford
Pastor

What you really want to know about the partnership of Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School, St. Gabriel the Archangel School and St. Michael the Archangel School

Is Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School closing?
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School is not closing.  The students attending Saint Gabriel now will have the amazing opportunity to be part of a new school. The opportunities there will be afforded to our students are countless.  This is a brand new school, based on 21^st century education. Because of the proximity of the two schools, it only makes sense that we will use St. Michael and Cardinal Ritter High School’s current buildings, at 30^th and Tibbs.  The resources we will be able to provide number many more than our current resources.  We will be able to have a school counselor, more equipment, a streamlined curriculum, spiritual opportunities, social advantages, athletic opportunities, and much more; and we can do this all while maintaining a similar class size.

Is Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish closing?
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish is not closing.  Saint Gabriel Parish will have ownership in the new school.  This new school will be the Catholic school for the Saint Gabriel Parish families.  The Saint Gabriel Parish will continue to operate.

Where will our students be receiving sacramental preparation?
Parishioners of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish and their families will still have Sacramental Preparation at Saint Gabriel Parish.  The program for Sacramental Preparation will continue to operate out of each parish’s faith formation offices.  The Saint Gabriel program currently operates in this manner.

Is the plan for Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish to become a Hispanic parish?
Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish will continue to honor and hold dear its multicultural community.  We will continue to welcome anyone who would like to be part of our parish community to join. 

What does the new school mean for our students?
The students of Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School will attend school in a new school building.  Each student at Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School, no matter their educational ability will continue to be taught with the same compassion that is provided to them currently.  In addition, we will be able to better serve those with special needs, both for remediation and acceleration. 

What will the name of the new school be?
The name of the new school is one of the many still unanswered questions.

How will the staff be hired for the new school?
Staffing decisions for the new school have not yet been made.  Once these are made, they will be shared with the communities.

Is there a major plan/vision that you are not sharing with us?
There are still many unanswered questions about the new school.  There are a number of people working to get questions answered.  During this process, we are bound to hear things on the street that may not be true.  As facts are settled, we  will be sharing them with you.  One of the reasons we are  bringing families onboard now as opposed to after all decisions are made is that we want to get you involved by serving on committees helping to make some of the decisions.  It is our hope that everyone feels that the new creation is in fact ours.  As opportunities arise, we will be contacting people to sit on committees to help with the task at hand.  

What happens to the existing Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School building?
Do I need to transfer parishes?
There have been no decisions made as to what will happen to the current Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School building.  There are many possibilities yet to explore.  A committee of parishioners will be gathered to begin these discussions.

What will the tuition be at the new school?
Tuition and other financial questions regarding the new school have not yet been settled.  When this information is available, it will be shared.

Who will be in charge of the new school?
The new school will have a board of directors, a president, and principals.  The individuals who will fill these positions have yet to be named.