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Augustinians commit to a new Catholic high school
By Michelle Samartino of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 17, 2005
MACOMB TWP. — To provide her four children with a Catholic education, Caroline Viviano must drive them to three different schools in two different counties.
"We don't have a Catholic high school in Macomb County where our girls can attend," she said, "so I live in my car."
Elizabeth Viviano, 12 (at left), and her sisters Rebecca, 10, and Cecilia, 7, students at St. Mary Elementary School in Mount Clemens, said they like the idea of attending a Catholic high school that would be close to their home. | That could change.
A press conference was held June 13 at St. Isidore in Macomb Township to announce the Augustinians' commitment to teaching at a new co-ed Catholic high school in northern Macomb County.
Campaign efforts are in the works to raise the $30 million needed for the new high school, to be called Austin Catholic Academy, on 23 Mile Road between North Avenue and Card Road in Macomb Township.
About 10 percent of the money needed has already been raised, said Leonard Brillati, president of the Macomb County Regional Catholic High School Board, who is also one of many parents leading the way to bring the school to the area.
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Christine Sprock (at podium), a member of St. John Vianney Parish, Shelby Township, speaks to the crowd of her desire for a new Catholic high school in Macomb County. | He said he hopes Austin Catholic Academy will open "as soon as the Archdiocese of Detroit requirements are met; that is, as soon as the money is raised. Hopefully we'll have it raised in the next few years." For now, however, "we are now ready to move forward in achieving our ultimate goal of increasing Catholic secondary educational opportunities for young men and women," Brillati said. "With the Augustinian commitment, we can celebrate the completion of one milestone of Austin Catholic Academy.
"Now, we're ready to begin the next step of raising funds to begin building the new school. We stand ready to make this dream a reality."
Fr. David Brecht, OSA, prior provincial of the Augustinian Fathers, said, "I have waited a long time for this."
As a graduate of Austin Catholic Preparatory School in Detroit, which closed in the 1970s, Fr. Brecht said he's happy to consider re-establishing the Augustinians' apostolate of secondary education in the Archdiocese of Detroit. (The Augustinians also founded, and still staff, St. Clare of Montefalco Parish in Grosse Pointe Park.)
Approximately four years ago, the Augustinian Fathers were one of several religious orders invited to consider the idea of staffing a new Catholic high school in Macomb County.
"The Augustinians made a deal with the archdiocese four years ago," said Fr. Brecht, who currently serves in Chicago. "We said that we would wait for a period of five years and during that period of five years, if at anytime it came to be that the archdiocese was ready to move ahead, then we would be with them in commitment to the new school."
He said the Augustinians also promised that during that five-year period, "we would not negotiate with any other diocese regarding (staffing) a new school, and we kept that promise … much to the chagrin of a number of bishops.
"In fact, one called me just recently and he said, 'I hope that deal with Detroit has fallen through,'" Fr. Brecht said and laughed. "I said, 'Quite contrary, it has come to fruition.'
"And so I'm very happy about that," he said.
Auxiliary Bishop Earl Boyea said he was "utterly impressed" by the commitment of the laity and clergy. "There has been a move and desire on the part of so many laity in northern Macomb County to have their children prepare to become our future Catholic leaders.
"We're not ready to put the shovel in the ground yet," he stressed. "This is a project to raise funds for a Catholic high school."
Down the road, there is a possibility of eventually raising funds for a Catholic grade school in the area as well, he added. "We want to promote Catholic education in this area for children and grandchildren."
He noted that the laity involved have children who are either already in high school or have already graduated. "They will not personally benefit from this," Bishop Boyea said. "They have deep hearts and a desire to go forward. I'm honored by the work they've done thus far, and I'm grateful to the priests who have worked so well to inspire them."
Fr. Mike Hrydziuszko, pastor of St. Isidore Parish, called the effort "a labor of love."
"It has been energizing for me to see the laity so supportive and at the heart of this particular project," he said. "It's energizing to the clergy to see people wanting to rally together and make these kinds of things happen.
"There are hurdles to overcome; the capital campaign has to be accomplished and achieved before we start building, but with the help and support of so many people involved in this project, we can make this dream a reality."
The Archdiocese of Detroit gave nearly 190 acres of land to the effort, of which a little more than 60 acres will be used for both the school and fields, said Brillati. The new school will be able to accommodate 800 students.
Cecilia Viviano, who was there with her sisters, Elizabeth and Rebecca, all of whom go to St. Mary Elementary School, Mount Clemens, said the idea of a new Catholic high school where she might be able to one day attend is a good idea.
Because by continuing her Catholic education, said Cecilia, 7, "we get to learn about God."
Related Information:
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Sponsoring parishes of Austin Catholic Academy
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