Touching History

Yesterday Edwin O'Brien was elevated from Archbishop of Baltimore to Cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican. His tenure in Baltimore was short but the impact was forceful especially in the world of Catholic Schools. His stay touched us personally at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School and so, much to our surprise, did his leaving!
We received a call last Thursday from Sean Cain, the Archdiocesan Media Director, who was in Rome for the ceremonies. He wanted to know if our students would be interested in skyping with the then Archbishop to chat about how events were going and how he was feeling at such a momentous time in his ministry. Of course, we agreed and began to select students from across the grades from kindergarten to grade twelve to represent the school. We also began to cross check equipment to be sure that we could "connect." For me, that is always the worry! I have learned over the years that you can count on students. If they know what is expected of them, they will always pull through when the pressure hits! Technology seems to be the opposite--If something can go wrong, it generally does and at the most inconvenient times!
Luck or the Lord must have been with us on Friday because our chat was as perfect as could be! Our students were great and asked some good questions, the Archbishop was in perfect form and spoke quite eloquently about his time in Baltimore and the work he tried to do, and all technology was on target. This was a great experience for our students and I know that this event will be remembered in a much more personal way because of that conversation between Rome and Middle River!
As I think of Cardinal O'Brien, though, my thoughts go not to his elevation to Cardinal but to the challenges he faced with our schools a few years ago. He arrived in Baltimore in the midst of recession with a military, "take charge and get the mission accomplished" attitude. He discovered minimal concrete plans to deal with issues and an escalating debt. He did what any military man of action would do--He took charge. He created a Schools Planning Office which did intensive information gathering and conducted countless listening sessions. He met with donors and advocates and began to carve out a plan that he beleived would allow not only survival of our schools but a renaissance for them. And then, he went to battle!
Everyone in Catholic Schools in Baltimore can still feel the sting of the decisions that flowed from the plan. Schools were closed/merged/restructured. Emotions ran high and, like it or not, change happened. Now we are a few years into the plan, still struggling with some of the phases of implementation. To be honest, I think that the jury is still out regarding the overall success of all that happened. The grand hope, of course, is that the intention comes to fruition--that the schools will thrive and continue to provide academic excellence, growth in faith, and opportunity for our students to impact their own lives and their communities in wonderful ways.
Though the final analysis will be left for those in years to come to articulate, I think it is not only fair but just to say that Cardinal O'Brien took the dilemma by the horns, fought the good fight, and forced the rest of us along for battle! In a time when inertia would have spelled our doom, he was forceful and, I think, brave. Each of us can only do what we believe we are called to do to complete the mission. Despite doubt and criticism, Cardinal O'Brien responded to the mission as he saw it and plunged forward. As he leaves Baltimore to do the work of the universal Church, we wish him well, thank him for his courage, and pray that his work yields the bounty he imagined for our children, our schools, and our Church. It seems that the work that remains is in our hands now!
God-speed Cardinal O'Brien and thank you for allowing us to touch history along with you!