By Julie Godfrey Miller
Catholic Herald
Local perspective included at NCEA symposium
SUPERIOR -- Phyllis Schlagel, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Superior, traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a symposium marking the 100th year of the National Catholic Educational Association. About 250 Catholic educators from around the country attended the meeting held Jan. 8-11.
Schlagel said it was a privilege to be in the room with the top Catholic educators and to hear the current educational research and all of the different dimensions of Catholic education.
Schlagel was also one of the delegates chosen to visit President Bush at the White House.
"The time he gave us to celebrate us and the thing that spoke out to me most was the importance of Catholic education," Schlagel said, and added, "We save the country a lot of money."
But Schlagel's reasons for going to the symposium went beyond listening and learning. She said that as superintendent of schools in a small rural diocese, with no Catholic high schools or colleges, she wanted to be sure that perspective was heard. It was here chance to say, "Hey, we're different."
Educators throughout the country had been asked to hold local meetings to prepare for the Washington symposium. They were to discuss Catholic education in relation to Catholic identity, leadership and engagement.
Schlagel said, 'We carried out their wishes of having a presymposium in our diocese on Oct. 7. I tried to bring our message to them." She added that the comments from most parts of the country were mainly from the Catholic school perspective, while the comments from the Diocese of Superior included many contributions from religious education leaders.
Schlagel had a chance to share her message in the small group discussions. Schlagel said, "I think our dimension is quite different than that at a national level because of our location and the resources available. Citing a quotation from the Bible about small places, she asked, "What good can come out of Nazareth?"
Schlagel said that northwestern Wisconsin has quality public schools, but education needs to be for the whole person -- heart and head work together. Catholic schools can teach social justice from a church perspective and staff and students are free to speak about God wherever they are.
Everyone needs to work together toward the common goal, she said. First they should ask, "Where did we come from? Where are we now? Where are we going, and why aren't we all going together?"
Schlagel said, "Christ is truly God and truly man -- not different dimensions. All of us are a part of him. ... We are mystical body of Christ. We are not out there alone."
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004