ST. JOSEPH’S EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
COMMITTED TO CONTINUING CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another. –Romans 14:19
(Lakeland, FL) St. Joseph Catholic Church and the St. Joseph Educational Foundation, Inc. are mutually committed to accompany, guide, and support Catholic school students and their families both now and in the years to come so they are financially able to continue to receive a Catholic education through the foundation’s scholarship program. From its inception, members of the board of the St. Joseph Education Foundation, leaders of the Diocese of Orlando, and the Pastors of St. Joseph Catholic Church, dating back to 1979, under the leadership of Reverend Patrick Sheedy and followed by the significant fundraising efforts of Reverend Monsignor John Caulfield, have worked together to provide continued assistance to students and families of St. Joseph in need of financial assistance.
The Very Reverend Tim LaBo, Pastor of St. Joseph and a member of the St. Joseph Education Foundation Board of Directors, said, “It is important to serve the students in Lakeland, so that Catholic Education is always an option. That is the broad intent of the St. Joseph Educational Foundation and we will move forward in this spirit of unity.”
Daniel F. Pilka, former President and current member of the St. Joseph’s Educational Foundation Board said, “I am glad that this dispute with the Diocese has now been resolved so that the Foundation can once again focus its efforts on not only providing scholarship support for St. Joseph’s parishioners, but also strive to expand the scope of the Foundation to provide even greater scholarship opportunities for all St. Joseph Parish students attending Lakeland Catholic schools”.
Despite the recent closure of St. Joseph’s Academy and its merger with nearby Lakeland Catholic schools, the Foundation remains committed to honoring the intent of its donors by ensuring that scholarships are provided for all children of St. Joseph Parish who attend any Lakeland Catholic school, including Santa Fe Catholic High School, Resurrection Catholic School and St. Anthony Catholic School. This academic year, 90% of St. Joseph Parish students are registered in one of these schools and have received over $288,000.00 in scholarships from the St. Joseph’s Educational Foundation.
The foundation’s newly constituted board of directors, which includes long-standing members of the foundation’s Board, held their first board meeting this week. A prior lawsuit involving the foundation and the Diocese of Orlando has been amicably resolved, and all parties involved in the lawsuit look forward to continuing the foundation’s good works.
