Bishop values schools, faces tests

Leila Navidi

Bishop Joseph Pepe of the Diocese of Las Vegas says “Catholic school is the optimum place for young people to learn about Jesus so they can have a personal experience with him in their life.” He would like to build more schools, but costs are a major obstacle.

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Education has been an important focus for Bishop Joseph Pepe.

After being ordained a priest in 1970, one of his early assignments was at Cardinal O’Hara High School in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He rose to chancellor in 1990.

In 1993, he joined the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, becoming chancellor five years later.

In May 2001, he was selected to lead the Diocese of Las Vegas and ordained a bishop.

As the diocese begins developing a master plan for Catholic education in Southern Nevada, Pepe sat down with the Las Vegas Sun at the diocese’s offices to discuss the role of parochial schools.

Why has the church built only one new K-8 school since 2000?

Our problem is we still need other parishes to meet the demand for places of worship. But what’s really curtailed our school construction is the cost of the buildings and the land.

Are any of the parish schools too expensive to operate? Are closures possible?

That’s one of our areas of evaluation, to look at those schools to see if there are opportunities. We have a huge population and the question is whether we are addressing their needs. We realize that some of those schools are underutilized.

Are there gaps in services or programs that could be filled without having to buy land or add facilities?

I was really surprised that at one of our smaller parish schools in Las Vegas, some of the families drive in from Henderson. They work in the area and it’s more convenient for them to drop off and pick up their children after work.

Perhaps we need a program that will allow parents to leave a child and come back later in the afternoon.

Do you mean something similar to the municipal Safe Key program, where students can arrive early in the morning and stay at their public school for several hours after classes end?

Exactly. I think we can do more to optimize the schools and facilities we have now, and better serve our working families.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis is seeing its first elementary enrollment growth at its city campuses in a decade, thanks to a new scholarship program that targets kindergartners. Any plans for something similar in Las Vegas?

Scholarships are certainly one of the things we’re looking at, and it would probably make a school more attractive.

Catholics are not just white-collar workers or professionals, but blue-collar workers and people from immigrant backgrounds. We have to open them up to the possibility of a Catholic education.

Catholic schools typically offer a more disciplined learning environment that can also be more academically challenging than public schools. What are the spiritual benefits?

Catholic school is the optimum place for young people to learn about Jesus so they can have a personal experience with him in their life. Through my own personal experience, the best way to do that is with 12 years of Catholic school.

Arizona gives tax credits for contributions that support private and parochial school scholarships. Is that something you can envision Nevada voters endorsing?

I don’t think we’re a strong enough lobby for the state to have enough of an interest.

The United States is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t allow for public support of private and parochial schools. It’s unfair and unjust. Even in Sri Lanka, the government subsidizes Catholic schools. They recognize that everyone who’s educated is a contributing citizen.

Bishop Gorman’s new campus cost about $105 million. Any regret that the diocese didn’t opt for a less expensive project, given the potential need for more schools?

Bishop Gorman set the standard.

When I first got here, there was already a committee working on a plan for a new Bishop Gorman, waiting and waiting for something to happen. They were so excited about the possibility of having a school that could be a legacy to their children. We wanted our young people to have the opportunity to experience everything — the very best that high school could offer — opportunities they wouldn’t have on a limited city campus.