Back to School and Serving Our Neighbor Author: The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. Bishop's Blog 31 Aug 2022 Share Welcoming Students Back to School This week begins a new school year for many of our Catholic schools in the Diocese, and with it, we welcome some new faces in leadership posts and a new school bearing the name of a saint who was once among us. At St. Mary-Sacred Heart School in North Attleborough, longtime teacher Lisa Serak is now its new principal. Serak is a lifelong Catholiceducator who has previously taught at Bishop Feehan High School, St. Mary Academy-Bay View, and has been, for the past 15 years, the middle school ELA teacher at St. Mary Sacred-Heart School. She has been nominated for multiple national teacher awards, such as the Disney American Teacher Award and the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award. In 1992, she received the Bishop Feehan Distinguished Alumni Award. At St. John Paul II School in Hyannis, Susan Niden will serve as Interim President for 2022-2023 academic year. For 29 years, she was the principal of Jackson School in Newton, Mass., a Catholic coeducational school for students in grades K through sixth. Upon retiring from there in 2019, she served as an educational consultant for the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Boston, working to support principals in professional growth. Earlier in her career, she was the principal of Keith Catholic School in Lowell, Mass. James P. Benson begins this year as President of Bishop Stang High School in Dartmouth. He was most recently Acting Head of School for DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, MN, where he instilled the Gospel values, love of learning, and respect for all persons as the foundation of the school’s culture over the course of his 17-year career at the school in various leadership roles. A New York City native with family in New England, he shared that he is excited to enter the next chapter of his career at Bishop Stang, where he can focus his energy on the role of president and enable the high school to take further strides into its bright future. Back in late March, it was announced that our new school in New Bedford would be known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta School. A special meeting to reveal the name was held then for the students, families, and faculty of the new school, which has been formed with the merging of the former Holy Family-Holy Name School and St. James-St. John School in that city. I am so pleased to now have in the Diocese of Fall River a school bearing the name of this special saint. The name of our newest school not only honors the charitable works of Mother Teresa but also honors the blessing New Bedford received with her 1995 visit there. It was of utmost importance to me that the name of the new school be representative of the city of New Bedford, and there is no doubt that St. (Mother) Teresa continues to touch the hearts of many people and, I am sure, showers her prayers, intercession, and blessing on that beautiful city. A Special Collection to Support Catholic Education For the first time, a special second collection will be taken at all parishes in the Diocese of Fall River to help make Catholic schools more accessible to more families. This collection will benefit FACE -the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education, which raises money for need-based scholarships to assist with the cost of a Catholic education in the Diocese of Fall River. This collection will be taken during Masses throughout the diocese on the weekend of September 10-11, 2022. FACE wants to meet the challenges of serving diverse populations while addressing the increase in the demand for financial assistance for families striving to send their children to a Catholic school in the Diocese. There are 19 Catholic schools in the Diocese that enroll more than 5,400 children across grades K-12. In these schools, students receive a values- and faith-based education in a high-quality environment dedicated to helping them reach their God-given potential. I invite you to watch this video to learn more about FACE or visit www.face-dfr.org. My Brother’s Keeper On Wednesday, August 24th, many of the Diocese of Fall River staff volunteered at My Brother’s Keeper at its locations in Dartmouth and Easton. I was happy to join them at the beginning of the day to offer a blessing before the team went about the work of carrying out the mission of caring for our neighbors. Remarkably, the team assisted in delivering food to 51 families in need. It is paramount for the faithful to not only teach the Corporal Works of Mercy but, more importantly, to be Christ in the world as we live them out. Yours in Christ, Bishop da Cunha The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D. The Bishop of Fall River Categories In the News Press Releases and Statements Messages from The Bishop Bishop's Blog Success Stories Photo Gallery Videos Related Posts In the News 2 Jun 2017 Three Long-Serving Priests to Retire FALL RIVER — Three priests will retire in early summer after offering decades of service in the Fall River Diocese. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., announced in May his … Read More In the News 22 May 2014 “Find the Face of Christ in Your Neighbor” is 2014 Catholic Charities Appeal Theme FALL RIVER– Pope Francis provided the inspiring words that frame this year’s Catholic Charities Appeal. In December he was quoted as saying: “In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s … Read More In the News 31 Aug 2018 Renovations, New and Enhanced ProgramsAwait Returning Diocesan School Students NEWS FROM THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE The Fall River Diocese Catholic Schools Alliance has set “Celebrate the Beauty of Every Child” as the theme for the 2018-19 school year. In … Read More