My hometown Catholic parish of Sacred Heart in the Diocese of Greensburg consisted of a church, rectory (full of priests), a convent (full of nuns), and a parish elementary school. At that time, it was not unusual to find all those elements comprising a Catholic parish. Like many who went to a Catholic “grade school,” I still fondly remember my teachers to this day: Sister Ursula (who taught math), Sister Winifred (who showed us the world through geography), Pastor Fr. Marcian (a kind and humble man who taught us how to be reverent), and the many others who shaped me through my Catholic education.
Some have pre-conceived notions about Catholic school education. One popular belief is that the nuns in Catholic schools swat students with rulers. I can tell you I personally never experienced a nun asking me to put my hands out so that she could swat them with a ruler. Maybe I was a well-behaved child?
On the other hand, the belief that a Catholic school delivers unmatched excellence in education, prepares students to succeed in higher education, provides a solid foundation of spirituality, instills an undying love for God, and teaches students to be kind to others among other virtues — that is absolutely true! The lessons I learned early in Catholic school set me on the path for life and have continued to be with me to this day. That’s the power of a Catholic education.
Today, with fewer priests and smaller congregations, many Catholic churches are forced to merge to form new parishes. My cherished Northside parish — Christ Our Savior Parish — is no different and is a result of the merger of St. Peter, St. Boniface, and St Cyril churches. My parish still has rectories with priests but no parish convent or parish school. However, due in part to Pastor Rev. Michael Caridi of Christ Our Savior Parish, there is a new Catholic elementary school — St. Cyril of Alexandria Academy (SCAA) — located in Brighton Heights which will serve the ENTIRE Northside community.
SCAA has been established as a diverse, independent Catholic school (pre-kindergarten through eighth grade) created and funded by the Miraculous Medal Academies Foundation (MMAF) and will be governed by a Board of Directors with Fr. Mike as its Chairman. South Hills Catholic Academy — SCAA’s sister independent Catholic school in Mt. Lebanon — was also created by MMAF and served as the model for SCAA. SCAA has also been endorsed by Bishop Mark Eckman of the Pittsburgh Diocese and although not a parish school per se, Fr. Mike says the role of Christ Our Savior Parish will be to provide “pastoral support.”
The mission of SCAA is to “assist parents in the Christian spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of their children by ensuring the total development of each child – body, mind and soul” (corpus, mens, and anima). This is a tall task for today’s schools yet SCAA and its unique approach to education is up to the challenge.
The pastoral support will be part of the spiritual formation each child receives at SCAA including attending weekly masses, Eucharistic adoration, and of course, praying. As Fr. Mike explains, “all knowledge and truth come from God” and the mass which is the “integrating force” is an opportunity for the children to future, become leaders with purpose. In the end, these students learn how to “use what he or she learned to glorify God.”
SCAA guarantees a scholarship to each student based on need
Fr. Mike also shared that this Catholic School will not be limited just to children who are Catholic. SCAA wholeheartedly and openly welcomes and encourages children of all faiths to enroll. Non-Catholic students will be exposed to the Catholic faith through mass and prayer and participate in the spiritual formation program to the degree allowable. They may serve as lectors, altar servers, choir members, or cantors. Fr. Mike says the “hope is that they will be moved to freely ask to become members of the Catholic faith.” The student altar servers and lectors I witnessed during mass were confident, poised, articulate, and comfortable with public speaking.
To round out the school experience and develop each student’s body, athletics, a full music program, and Christian service opportunities will be offered at SCAA. The plan is for students to participate in Diocesan athletic competitions and to engage in service opportunities such as serving at the Red Door ministry of downtown’s St. Mary of Mercy Church.
And yes, there is a dress code and those school uniforms serve a purpose. Principal Godwin wholeheartedly supports a uniform dress code and explains that uniforms help students “foster a positive attitude about themselves, promote reverence in appearance for God, and unify the student body” by eliminating visible differences in clothing. The uniforms foster a more inclusive environment where students are judged more on their abilities than their appearance.
Principal Godwin also explained another way that makes SCAA stand out as a unique Catholic school is that it is an “income-based scholarship school” and fully intended to “serve the underserved” of the Northside community. As a scholarship school, SCAA guarantees a scholarship to each student based on need. SCAA welcomes all God’s children from every race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background and especially focuses on making this school affordable to our growing immigrant population. Many believe that a quality Catholic education may be unattainable because of price. Due to the scholarships offered, Godwin describes SCAA as “accessible and affordable.”
If you are seeking an accessible, affordable, diverse, and authentic Catholic School that provides a traditional, quality education where your child will be taught to think, reason, engage, and where the spirituality and the love of Jesus is fostered; look no further. SCAA welcomes you all with open arms. P.S. There is year-round enrollment in SCAA.
St. Cyril of Alexandria Academy is located at 3854 Brighton Road. For more information on enrolling in St. Cyril of Alexandria Academy, contact Principal Joshua Godwin at (412) 631-3131 or [email protected] n
