Vision: Mother Theodore Catholic Academies (MTCA) students will flourish spiritually and academically.
Mission: MTCA lives the mission of the Catholic Church by teaching, serving, and forming students in the heart of Indianapolis.
January 2024
Joy of the Christmas season
Students at Central Catholic during the Las Posadas celebration on the last day
of school before Christmas break.
(Las Posadas commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.)
Oh, December! It was a time for preparing our hearts for Jesus. A time for lighting Advent candles, prayer, and reflection. A time for wrapping presents, exchanging cookies, and quiet moments with a cup of coffee spent by the light of the Christmas tree. Above all, it was a time for peace, hope, joy, and love. But have you ever encountered December in an elementary school?
Joy was not the first word that came to mind on school days in the month of December. As soon as the calendar flipped over to December, the students knew that Christmas was near. That realization induced much excitement, which undoubtedly led to extra wiggliness, impulsive behaviors, and meltdowns from overstimulated Kindergartners. Teachers resorted to scanning Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers for ideas on how to keep students focused and engaged during this crazy time of year. For most of the month, we worked hard to balance the excitement for the season with the seriousness of instruction. There were still stories to read, math concepts to learn, and assessments to complete. And of course, Christmas Program routines to practice!
But as the days wound down, and Christmas Break was so close you can almost touch it, a miracle happened. Suddenly, everything came together. Assessments got completed and we were able to celebrate growth. The Christmas Program ran smoothly with smiles all around, a few laughs, and a few tears. Middle school students went out of their way to be especially helpful, and examples of love and peace among the students abounded. Joy had returned, and we were able to end the semester with renewed hope for the new semester.
As we head into this new year, know that we pray for peace, hope, joy and love for each of you. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue our mission of serving students in the heart of Indianapolis.
Kelly England
Principal
St. Philip Neri
School Happenings
Central Catholic
Students make the most of their recess when weather recently forced it to be indoors.
Holy Angels
Holy Angels' students have begun preparing and planting seeds to grow in their tower gardens.
St. Philip Neri
Mr. Keppol's 6th grade class recently visited the Central branch of the
Indianapolis Public Library.
Save the date for the 2024 Legacy Gala
Join us on February 9 for the fourth-annual Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala benefitting Catholic Charities, Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary. The evening includes dinner and open bar, awards, auction and music from The Bishops! To sponsor or purchase ticket visit www.archindy.org/LegacyGala.
Interested in making a charitable gift
that also pays you income for life?
A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) provides you or a loved one with fixed income payments for life, and remaining funds provide a legacy gift to your favorite parish, school or Archdiocesan ministry upon your passing. There’s no better time to invest in a CGA as the payout rates are at their highest level in more than a decade! As the donor, you receive an immediate income tax deduction and possible capital gains benefits. You must be 60 years old to create a CGA, however, if you are 70 ½ or older, you may be able to establish a CGA with assets from your IRA through a qualified charitable distribution.
To learn more about how you can receive fixed income for life, and help your favorite Catholic charity, please contact ccf@archindy.org or call 317-236-1482.
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Central Catholic
Holy Angels
St. Philip Neri
For more information
- To inquire about donating to MTCA, please contact Valerie Bendel at vbendel@archindy.org or call 317-236-1426.
- To inquire about the strategic direction of our schools, please contact Executive Director, Ronda Swartz at rswartz@archindy.org or call 317 236-7322.
