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2024 Lenten Appeal
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Catholic education is one of the cornerstones of the future of the faith for our Diocese. Catholic education not only provides students with excellent preparedness for their respective vocations, but also provides a peaceful place of Christian growth.
These funds, maintained by the Catholic Community Foundation, guarantees long-term savings, which will serve as a failsafe measure during financial struggle and economic hardship. -
St. John Bosco Catholic SchoolSt. John Bosco Catholic School, in Phoenix’s Ahwatukee neighborhood, has seen significant change in its 23 years of existence. Principal Jamie Bescak shared that as they prepare for the future, they find that their needs are evolving.
Their five-year plan “encompasses various initiatives, including the expansion of classrooms to accommodate our growing enrollment, the modernization of facilities such as restrooms, A/C units, and painting, as well as enhancing recreational areas like play structures and athletic fields.” -
St. Vincent de Paul
Catholic SchoolSt. Vincent de Paul Catholic School was established in Phoenix’s Maryvale neighborhood in 1959 by Fr. John O’Malley Sharpe, C.M. and the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who served as staff and teachers at the school. Today, the legacy of the Daughters of Charity remains, as do the Sisters. Three Daughters of Charity currently serve the school alongside lay teachers and staff members.
Rose DeFer, Director of Development and a proud SVdP 1977 graduate, shares, “This endowment was started by Fr. Sharpe, a Vincentian priest who not only started the school in 1959 but served as the Church Pastor for 10 years. He returned in the 1990s as an Associate Pastor and stayed until his death in 2003. Fr. Sharpe’s love for God, the children, and their families was palpable. They were his mission, and this endowment bears his name because of that same love.”
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School has served the Maryvale and surrounding neighborhoods through highs and lows. The West Phoenix neighborhood was once a booming post-WWII development but faced a period of decline in the face of environmental concerns, an increase in crime and home foreclosures in the late 1980s. Through it all, SVdP Catholic School and the Daughters of Charity have been in the community, serving with humility and courage. As the school strives to provide quality education based in Gospel values to all who come to its doors, the Fr. Sharpe Endowment will provide the school with resources for the school’s tuition assistance and religious education. -
St. Mary-Basha Catholic SchoolSt. Mary-Basha Catholic School, established in 1944, serves families across the East Valley. It strives to promote academic achievement while preparing the student for a life that will positively impact the community through principles rooted in the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Principal Katie Lyon shared, “While tuition covers a portion of our operating costs, it simply cannot meet all our needs. This is where endowment funding becomes crucial.” The income from the endowment, she added, allows St. Mary-Basha to offer financial aid to students in need, upgrade technology and invest in curriculum development, retain exceptional teachers, and maintain St. Mary-Basha’s buildings.
