Last month, local Catholic school officials announced they were closing one Sacramento school and folding it into another. Parents and students at St. Peter and All Hallows Elementary schools were not happy.
Officials assured them that it would be a new school – with a completely new name. But what?
The name of the school was picked by students. It will be called John Paul II Elementary School, becoming the first school in the state named after the former pontiff, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.
"It’s a tremendous tribute to the pope," says Dom Puglisi, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Sacramento. "Although it came from the kids, everybody else thought it was perfect."
At first, school and church officials were leaning toward calling the new school Blessed Sacrament. But a group of students – moved by coverage of John Paul II as he lay ill – came up with a name on their own. They told their parents and school administrators, who loved it.
Bishop William Weigand quickly signed off on it. [Source]
4 comments
The school some of my pupils go to is to be named after JP II as well. It certainyl won’t be the first!
But how could you give up a school name like “All Hallows”? The sports team names could be so very nifty….
a witness to how much John Paul the great touched the youth.
My son goes there and he loves it! I was one of those parent who was angered at the change. I pulled my son out and took him to public school for a year. My sister had told me of the change in the coming year and urged me to send him back. I wasn’t to keen on sending him back to the school because of all the uncertainty that was going on with the last administration. But I was convinced and reassured that the school was trying to put back the old school methods and that things were changing. It started out slowly and struggles happened. I had faith that the Lord would provide for the school. Miracle do happen! I feel much better now and feel secure knowing that the school has finally put back the “Old School” feel. I missed that. There is a rise in enrollment and the church is filling up more and more each Sunday. My son is now in 5th grade, struggling, but persevering w/the help of his teacher. I’m so happy and proud to be a part of John Paul II. GO CARDNALS!!!