GREAT FALLS — Recently, students from Great Falls Catholic schools came together for a fun walk - symbolic of the path of unity they’ll take starting next year when the schools become known as St. Patrick’s Academy.
TIM MCGONIGAL REPORTS - WATCH:
“When Bishop Jeff (Fleming) became our bishop a couple of years ago, one of his main focuses was helping us in that process of unifying into one system so that we can provide a viable Catholic education for the Great Falls community for longer than any of us are here,” said Kody Diekhans, principal at Our Lady of Lourdes K-8 school.
Diekhans has also been designated as the agent of unity in the rebranding process. He says it's something that has been talked about for close to 30 years.
Megan Hudson and her husband Jeremy both went to Holy Spirit Catholic School and graduated from Central Catholic.
“There's just a there's a lot of history there that feels like it's going to be lost.,” said Megan, a 2013 Great Falls Central Catholic graduate.
“The main thing that that concerns me with this merge is this affects a large community of people who, a lot of whom feel like they weren't really involved in the process,” said Jeremy, a 2010 Central graduate.
Megan feels the schools can still work together without changing their identity.
“All three have their own identities that are unique,” said Megan Hudson. “And we still come together during, like, Catholic schools week and everything, and we're still one that way. But at the same time, it feels like, you know, they're unique in their own ways, too.”
Dieakhans noted, “As hard as it is for that change to happen, I think it's very important that we do our best to look into the long term future of what is our ultimate goal here, in offering Catholic education to Great Falls."
The goals of the initiative include building a K-12 campus. With considerable money to be raised, a location has yet to be determined. The property around Central Catholic could be considered.
In the meantime, students at all three schools will remain on their respective campuses. Our lady of Lourdes will be known as St. Patrick’s Academy West, Holy Spirit will be St. Patrick’s Academy East, and Central will be St. Patrick’s Academy High School.
As for the name, Diekhans says St. Patrick had a strong connection with evangelization, which coincides with Bishop Jeff Flemings motto of ‘Go make disciples.’
“It was felt that he was a very good patron saint for our schools of our end goal in education is truly making disciples,” said Diekhans.
School colors will be green to honor St. Patrick’s Irish heritage, and blue, paying homage to the Virgin Mary.
And school teams will be known as the Wolfhounds, replacing the current Mustangs theme.
“There are many stories of Saint Patrick using the wolfhounds to convert pagans in his time,” said Diekhans. “And the wolf hounds were also known to protect the sheep from the wolves.”
Megan and Jeremy Hudson are disappointed with the change but say it won’t affect their faith.
While not everyone may be on board yet with the rebrand, Diekhans says a major aspect of Catholic education won’t change.
“Our ultimate goal is creating students who go out into the world, who are not just doing good themselves, but going out into the world and saving souls for everyone that they come in contact with,” said Diekhans.
People can learn more about what to expect from St. Patrick’s Academy during a launch party on Wednesday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Rendezvous at 410 Central Avenue.
The family-friendly evening will feature dessert, a school architecture rendering, logo reveal, uniform fashion show, and more.
An online petition opposing the plan has garnered scores of signatures - click here to read it.
