Larsen’s class during a joint school visit in March of 2024. (Contributed photo)
FORT ATKINSON — When Msgr. Donn Heiar visits the two Catholic schools in St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate, his interactions with students showcase what is hoped to be accomplished through Into the Deep.
The students are carrying forward the mission to “go make disciples”.
“I can go into both schools and ask them who they are, and they’ll say, ‘Well, Monsignor, we are adopted sons and daughters of the Father, redeemed by the Blood of Christ and anointed in the Holy Spirit,’” Monsignor Heiar said.
“Both schools can answer that. Any kid, any time can answer that.”
Monsignor Heiar, who has served as parochial administrator for St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate since Into the Deep was implemented in July of 2023, said the schools and the youth in general are the “tip of the spear” for the pastorate’s merger process.
The merger will bring together two schools and seven churches across southern Jefferson County and portions of Dane and Rock counties: St. Pius X Church in Cambridge, St. Joseph Church and School in Fort Atkinson, St. John the Baptist Church and School and St. Lawrence Church in Jefferson, St. Mary Church in Milton, St. Mary Church in Palmyra, and St. Mary Help of Christians Church in Sullivan.
“Our main effort is to look to the youth, look to our schools and to our religious ed programming, and really get the kids on board,” he said.
“They cross a lot of different boundaries as it is now, whether it’s through extracurriculars at school or sports. They either play against each other or with each other at a lot of different levels. So, they seem to be far more open and receptive to doing things together.”
Schools embody collaboration
The pastorate’s two elementary and middle schools — St. John the Baptist School in Jefferson and St. Joseph School in Fort Atkinson — are in neighboring communities separated by only a handful of miles, but they have a longstanding, collaborative relationship that predates Into the Deep.
“We’ve always considered St. John the Baptist our sister school, and so I think [Into the Deep] didn’t really change that perspective,” said Kari Homb, principal at St. Joseph School.
“It only changed the intensity of what we’re trying to accomplish, because we don’t want the students to just get to see each other on the athletic field or the basketball court.
“We want them to be interactive, because we’re all striving for them to be saints,” she added. “And so, if that’s our goal, then let’s do it together.”
For instance, Homb noted the schools have a longstanding tradition of hosting “living Stations of the Cross” each year during Lent, which is performed and narrated by students.
The schools take turns hosting every other year, gathering for Mass, classroom activities, recess, and additional unstructured situations to let students interact with each other.
“And then we would have the living Stations of the Cross . . . for our students to pray together in a more intensive way,” Homb said.
Since Into the Deep began, school staff have looked for other ways to grow the connection between the schools.
For the upcoming school year, St. Joseph School and St. John the Baptist School will visit each other four times — two times in Fort Atkinson, two times in Jefferson — for Mass and additional classroom and social time together.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how things continue to roll through, because our relationship is very collaborative, and our goal is to make sure that we try to get the teachers together as often as possible and students together as often as possible,” Homb said.
“And I think we’re going to reap some really great benefits from that as well.”
Growing from within
The schools have also teamed up to recruit new students from communities throughout the pastorate. Principal Homb and Bill Bare — the principal at St. John the Baptist School — spoke after Mass at churches throughout the pastorate last year to present a unified picture of local Catholic education.
Homb said the efforts were successful, drawing several new students and their families from neighboring communities like Cambridge and Milton.
“That was really powerful,” Homb said. “We’ll definitely want to continue that and have that conversation, so that (other parishioners) know we have a school, and they know that this is a great resource and a great place for them to send their kiddos, and it’s not far.
“Monsignor (Heiar) is extremely supportive of both schools and talks us up all of the time to make sure that people know that this is the place to be,” Homb added.
Connecting with the priests
The pastorate structure has also given students more exposure to a variety of priests from different backgrounds, Monsignor Heiar said.
Classroom visits by the pastorate’s five priests are a regular occurrence at both schools, as well as during the pastorate’s combined youth group activities.
Being St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate, the students have been excited to talk with and learn more from Fr. Jay Kalivela, who comes from India.
“They’re excited when he comes in and talks about Mother Teresa,” Monsignor Heiar said. “They’re like, ‘Wow, have you touched her? Have you seen her?’”
Monsignor Heiar said Fr. Jorge Miramontes’s presence also helps build up the pastorate’s Hispanic ministry efforts.
“Everybody’s a part of it, and everybody’s teaching at some level,” Monsignor Heiar said, “and the kids get that kind of cross section of who we are.”
Monsignor Heiar sees the schools and joint youth group activities as the catalyst for bringing the communities in the pastorate together.
“I oftentimes tell committees and commissions, ‘You know, we’re going to learn this through our children, because their minds are open,’” he said.
“When they come here for youth group, they don’t come here . . . wearing a badge that says, ‘I’m from Cambridge,’ or ‘I’m from Sullivan,’” he continued.
“They’re saying, ‘I’m from St. Teresa of Calcutta.’ They buy into the identity, or they take ownership of the identity of St. Teresa of Calcutta very quickly.”