Eau Claire Catholic academy gets neutral position from Bp. Callahan

Eau Claire's newest Catholic school, John Paul II Academy, plans to open this fall, though it won't be part of the local Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse.

The school grew from a push by area home-schoolers to set up their own Catholic school in the Chippewa Valley. The academy will cover grades six through 12 and charge $5,000 annual tuition. The school will hold classes inside Chapel Heights United Methodist Church, 300 E. Hamilton Ave.

School officials wanted the La Crosse diocese to offer its official recognition of the school, but John Ruplinger, the academy's headmaster, said the bishop, William Callahan, has taken a neutral position - neither approving nor disapproving the academy.

"He's not very keen on our enterprise," Ruplinger said. "He doesn't condemn this."

The academy's website says the school will have a strong Catholic identity - full-time teachers must pledge obedience to the Roman Catholic Church, and students must be willing to participate in religious coursework and church attendance.

"I hope they come around and approve us," Ruplinger said of the diocese, noting he believes the fact his school is new - and will have a somewhat unconventional curriculum - may be reasons the diocese has been hesitant to embrace it.

But Stan Gould, the diocese's acting communications director, said the diocese's stance isn't one of disapproval.

"It's not ours to approve or disapprove," Gould said of the school. "A private group created it."

The diocese's schools director, Diana Roberts, declined comment, telling the Leader-Telegram in an email she doesn't know anything about the academy[hmmm].

The academy's status will mean it won't receive funding from the diocese, Gould said. The diocese also won't review its curriculum to make sure it is in line with Catholic teaching, he added. And the school won't be able to offer Catholic services such as Mass.

"They could be very Catholic, but we don't know. It's not one of our entities," Gould said.

Ruplinger said students will travel to Catholic churches for Mass several times a week.

The rest at Leader Telegram.  Good article!