12
cAtholic schools
May 26, 2015
The Valley Catholic
Diocese of San Jose formally names South County Catholic High School
Saint John XXIII College Preparatory
The Diocese of San Jose announced
today the first new Catholic high school
to be built in over 50 years will be named
Saint John XXIII College Preparatory.
“We are thrilled that our new college
preparatory high school will be named
after a strong , humble peacemaker and
inspiring leader of the Catholic Church.”
said Mary Beth Anderson, Co-Chair of
the fundraising cabinet.
For more than a decade, visionary
community leaders have dreamed of
building a Catholic college preparatory high school in south Santa Clara
County to meet the growing demand
for admission to the existing system of
Catholic high schools. With the support
of the Diocese of San Jose, the dream is
nearing reality.
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath was
pleased with the choice of Saint John
XXIII as the patron of the high school:
“Just as Pope John’s vision opened the
Church to the world in his call for the
Second Vatican Council, so this new
school will open a new world of education for the youth of South County. I
am indeed pleased that this project is
moving ahead and I pray that Saint John
XXIII will guide us in our work.”
“A college preparatory education,
rooted in Catholic tradition, will help
to prepare our youth to achieve their
spiritual, social and intellectual potential. With equal attention to academic
rigor, faith, compassion, commitment
and conscience, Saint John XXIII College Preparatory will also help build
stronger communities.” Said George
Chiala, one of the initial drivers of the
campaign.
South Santa Clara County is one of
the fastest growing regions in the Silicon
Valley, yet students from the southern
portion of Santa Clara County must
travel up to 90 miles round-trip to attend
a Catholic high school. In recognition of
this need and disparity, the Diocese of
San Jose has set aside 40 acres of land
located at Tennant and Murphy Avenues in Morgan Hill. Great progress
toward the goal has already been made,
but there is still much work to be done.
“The time is now to join the Diocese
of San Jose in supporting this epic vision
that will impact the lives of chil