Atheist Wilson Gives $22.5 Million for Catholic Fund

[DigitaLVampirE]

Cardinal Egan emphasized that all children are welcome to apply but that there will be no change in the Catholic school curriculum. "Currently, 37% of our students are non-Catholic, and all the students take the Regents tests. We do not cherry pick students to take them, unlike in the public schools where only certain students take the Regents," he said. "The success of our schools is due to the fact that we have the best principals, teachers and parents."

He reminded me that the scholarships are not full scholarships but rather will cover what poor families are unable to pay towards the fees.

Cardinal Egan then expressed disappointment in Albany's failure to pass a tuition tax-deduction for parochial school parents, but he understood the pressure that the Democrat legislators were under. He also said he thinks that the governor did the best he could. The cardinal said he hopes that the legislators continue working towards this and realize that it's in everybody's best interests.

We also talked about the church closings, which have also drawn criticism from some parishioners. The most controversial closing involves St. Brigid's in the East Village. When the cardinal first came to New York, the church's pastor invited the cardinal to visit the church and showed him a caliper in place that showed how the wall was separating from the building. The pastor warned him how dangerous this was and urged him to close. Two years later, the pastor was telling the cardinal not to close. His is not an easy job.

I've known Cardinal Egan personally for around five years, since we connected after he read one of my columns praising the Catholic school education I received and for which I will be eternally grateful. I remember him telling me at the time to imagine what he could do with the $12 billion that the Department of Education gets for the public school system. Consider the results that the parochial school system gets with a fraction of those funds: The percentage of high school seniors who graduate is 96%; the percentage of graduates who pursue post-secondary education is 97%. Students attending Catholic inner city elementary schools in the Archdiocese have outperformed New York City public school students in the 4th and 8th grade math and English standardized tests in the past five years. This profile is of the inner city schools where more than 50% of the students come from single-parent homes and 50% are near or below the federal poverty level.

The results were enough to impress Mr. Wilson, who appearing with Cardinal Egan at the press conference, identified himself as an atheist who nonetheless appreciates the job parochial schools do in the inner-city.

As for the cardinal, he could not have spoken more enthusiastically when he told me, "In my opinion this is not only a tremendous gift to the Catholic school system but to the entire city of New York."

By ALICIA COLON
May 24, 2007

[Polwarth]

Originally Posted by DigitaLVampirE

Polwarth, being educated in a Catholic school, does not make you a bona-fide Catholic. Especially if you were born a cradle-Catholic but had no interest in the religion since young. But i think you know that already.

Where did I SAY I was a bona-fide Catholic? I said I'd educated myself out of the mumbo-jumbo by age 16.

Let me guess.... you're a convert?

[DigitaLVampirE]

"You" is not directed at you (Polwarth). It was merely a general statement.
You (Polwarth), need to chill down.

Yes, i'm a convert to Catholicism. I think i have mentioned that several times in this Board. Nonetheless, i try to be fair when it comes to moderating the Board. If you have noticed, i did not even spare other Catholics in the past (one name comes to mind but will not mention it ) if they stepped out of line. I enjoy debates, but i enjoy reading them more. There is so much you can understand about a person's character simply by the way they post. Some are brash, some sneaky, others plain hypocrites. Again, this is not directed at you OR anyone else for that matter. I'll leave it up to enquiring minds to make that decision for themselves.

[Polwarth]

I KNOW you can't be talking about me.... I'm none of the above.

I can't remember reading much from you in the past - certainly have no memory of you saying you were a convert. I just 'knew' from this thread

BTW, one usually says 'chill out' not 'chill down'. Purely in the spirit of sharing, you understand?

Now I'm done debating re the rich athiest and his ability to pass through the eye of a needle....

[DigitaLVampirE]

Heh, thanks for the kind correction. I'm not familiar with American slang (at least not always ).

Oh Polwarth, where were you when the former Admin was here? (I mean before Mark Bloomfield ). Anyway, have a grand day. See you around!