Inaugural dinner to honor teachers, celebrate diocesan schools
LINCOLN (SNR) – The inaugural “Bishop’s Saints & Scholars Dinner” will be held Oct. 9 at The Graduate Hotel in Lincoln.
Katie Ostgren, director of development and stewardship for the Diocese of Lincoln, said the new event aims to both celebrate the legacy of Catholic education in the Diocese of Lincoln and invest in its future.
“We will honor educators and hear from students who have been impacted by our Catholic schools,” she said.
“Catholic education in the Diocese of Lincoln is second to none when it comes to affordability, faith formation, and excellent academics,” she continued. “Our Catholic faith is woven into everything we do—academics, sports, social development opportunities. We are one of the few dioceses in the nation where clergy and religious teach most of the religion classes.”
In 2021, the Diocese of Lincoln served more than 4,500 students in 24 elementary schools and nearly 1,700 students in six high schools. There were 500 lay teachers, as well as 61 priests and 35 religious sisters teaching.
The proceeds from the Oct. 9 event will benefit the Good Shepherd Scholarship program, a diocesan-wide effort that provides tuition assistance to Catholic school families who may not otherwise be able to afford tuition. The fund provides scholarships to any families with three or more students in diocesan schools, or those whose income falls within 225% of the Federal Poverty Level. Twenty-five percent of students in diocesan schools receive Good Shepherd scholarships.
What is The Good Shepherd Scholarship Fund?
The Good Shepherd Scholarship exists to provide tuition assistance to Catholic school families so that the Diocese of Lincoln may continue its long standing commitment to ensuring Catholic education is available to any student who wants to attend, regardless of their ability to pay. Families with more than three students enrolled or those whose income falls within 225% of the Federal Poverty Level receive scholarships. Generous benefactors, foundations and businesses partner to fund $2.5-$3 million in scholarships each school year.
Any supporters of Catholic education from across the diocese are invited to attend. Special invitations will be sent to teachers celebrating years-of-service milestones so that they can be honored publicly.
Awards will be presented to educators, as well: the St. Thomas Aquinas Award for Administrator of the Year, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award for Elementary Educator of the Year, the St. John Cantius Award for Secondary Educator of the Year, the St. Catherine of Alexandria Award for Special Education/Underserved Communities Educator of the Year, and the St. John Bosco Award for Support Staff Member of the Year.
The names of the winners will be announced Sept. 15.
Ostgren said a quote from the late Bishop Glennon Flavin, who served the Diocese of Lincoln from 1967 to 1992, will be featured in the program: “We want to educate you, ladies and gentlemen, to have a useful and happy life. We want you to be able to contribute to the world around you and we are training you for that. But more important, we want you to know God, to love God and spend eternity with Him. I expect you to be saints, scholars, and apostles.”
That quote inspired the “Saints and Scholars” dinner.
“I love it because I think it sums up nicely what our mission has been and continues to be in Catholic education,” Ostgren said.
“We are devoted to forming students in virtue and in the Catholic Tradition, inviting them to know Christ Jesus so they may go out as the apostles did, prepared to bring others and our culture to a personal encounter with Him.”
Ostgren added that supporting Catholic education on every level – locally, regionally, and diocesan-wide – is “a key piece of the puzzle in ensuring our wonderful schools are around for generations to come.”
The longevity of the diocesan schools is of great importance across the diocese. Last fall Hastings Catholic Schools launched the first phase of a five-year campaign to raise $10 million. The project will put $8 million toward a renovation of the St. Cecilia High School campus. Work on the renovation began this summer.
Announcing the campaign last October, Father Thomas Brouillette, chief administrative officer and a graduate of Hastings Catholic Schools himself, said improving the school “communicates to everyone that education in Christian virtues and values has a strong future” in Hastings.
“This work is important now more than ever so that our students, cared for by their parents, our church and our school community, can navigate this world and lead others on the path to eternal life,” he said.
As schools across the diocese continue their day-to-day work and local projects, the Good Shepherd Scholarship Fund aims to be available to help all of the schools share their mission with their communities.
The Good Shepherd Scholarship “plays a crucial role in ensuring that the wonderful Catholic education we offer is available to all,” Ostgren said. “We know that having faithful, affordable, and excellent Catholic schools in communities across the diocese, where clergy and religious are present to students and sacraments are readily available, is not a blessing that we should take for granted, as many parts of the world cannot say they have the same.
“We can see the fruit of the years of dedication of our administrators, teachers, and staff members to this mission who—in partnership with families—continue to plant the seeds of faith in tomorrow’s leaders of our Church. It’s up to all of us to support and celebrate the good work of these educators, especially as we seek to ensure that our schools are financially able to welcome every family for years to come.”
Those interested in attending the Oct. 9 event may purchase tickets online at www.goodshepherdscholarship.com.
