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As a Latin Rite traditional Catholic I've been sending my kids for several years to the local Maronite Rite parish school. As of this coming school year, they're out of there.

Is there a nearby SSPX school? They "have it all", or do they?

The school that 'pascendi' is referring to is the first Maronite Catholic School in the US.

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ST. EPHREM MARONITE CATHOLIC ACADEMY, the parish school for grades K-10 of St. Ephrem Maronite Catholic Church, opened on September 5 in El Cajon. The church, which is located at 750 Medford Street, is under the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles and pastored by Father Nabil Mouannes. The academy, in its first year of operation, has 20 students from 10 families. It is staffed by two full-time teachers, one part-time science teacher, and volunteer part-time aides.

According to principal Michael Horvath, "Each school day begins with Holy Mass. The Academy is loyal to the Holy Father and the traditions of the Church. The curriculum is as Catholic as possible, utilizing solidly Catholic texts from the past and present.

"The philosophy of the school is the salvation of souls through excellence in education. St. Ephrem Academy is an extension of the Gospel witness in the home, whereby parents are the primary educators of their children.

"St. Ephrem Academy is grateful to the El Cajon planning commission for granting it the proper conditional use permit for a school, the neighbors for their support, the Eparchy for their approval, and the benefactors who have come forward with their financial help. It is most especially grateful to Father Nabil Mouannes for his vision in the founding of the first Maronite Catholic School in the United States."

St. Ephrem Academy has room for more students this year. To inquire about enrollment, please call the school at (619) 462-2487.

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How many catholic parents wish they had such a school in their community!

* Daily Mass
* Loyal to the Holy Father
* Solidly Catholic texts from the past and present.

I had no intention of bringing particular people's names into the conversation on the net, but now that you did, I'm going to explain in general terms and be done with it. Except in regards to the principle, who the world should no is a fine Catholic person who I hold in very high regard. He's not there anymore.

But the school was falling from 49 students last year down to I think 16 last I heard, and that's before we threw in the towel. Why? Bickering or something, who the hell knows. I still don't know.

I went to their board meeting, sat and listened about suggestions, what to do, how to refocus, blah blah etc. When it was nearly through, I stepped in with my 2 cents. I said the reason they were having problems is that since they were trying to do something good, which they were, that the Old Man would try to cause plenty of friction to frustrate their efforts. I told them they needed as a parish to instute adoration of the Blessed Sacrament specifically for the wellbeing of the school, maybe once a week for a couple hours. They liked the idea, but it seemed novel to them. Yeah, let's do it, I would help it get up and running, etc.

I told them that if they didn't do this, the school would not make it. Believing strongly enough in that solution, I pushed the envelope said that our return this fall was conditional upon that, and that I would do it all until people started coming to help out. They said they'd get back to me.

No answer, so I called; no return call. When I saw them, they said they call to arrange it. Last I heard through a 3rd party, they weren't going to do it for fear that they wouldn't be able to provide the manpower. Three hours a week, and an offer to fill them all myself. So I don't know what they could be thinking. I don't even know who the "they" was that made the decision.

I didn't wait for confirmation from what I heard from the third party. I just said forget it. So I did my job; I stayed and offered what I could; I have no regrets. But when people are not going to enthusiastically implement the only possible solution, there's nothing more I can do.

Let that be a lesson on the guts of Novus-ordoization. Novus ordoization manifests itself in lots of pretty talk, but when it comes to the prayer and the sacrifices that are the integral life and health of the Universal Church, they're out of there.

I walked in on an ecumenical shindig there once. That was interesting. And then they had the rapping priest show up once, too, you know that guy?

Look, there's a lot of good people there. But we need to get a grip on the Novus-ordoization of our Catholic Church, which is really at the root nothing more than an ungodly blending of the things of this world with the things of God. There's a barrier between the two, you know.