To the Editor:

It is striking to read how negative, unbalanced and misinformed your story of Dec. 6 is regarding the recent announcement to create a new regional Catholic school entity in Dorchester/Mattapan, called the Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy. This plan, developed with the good work and contributions of parents, teachers, principals, clergy and members of the 2010 Strategic Planning Committee, offers a wonderful opportunity for students and families to have a vastly improved Catholic education with a more vibrant curriculum and renovated state of the art school buildings within two years. The people who are about to do the bulk of the work &emdash; the construction, fundraising, curriculum overhaul, among others &endash; are people who simply share our commitment and that of the cardinal to enhance and foster Catholic education for future generations in Dorchester/Mattapan.

This initiative will have the investment of more than $50 million in our local community, not only for our Catholic schools and families but for the entire Dorchester/ Mattapan community. We do not act based out of fear, but out of a position of strength of commitment and a shared vision for where we are heading. Sometimes fear and misinformation can lead to questions already answered or already being addressed.

For those concerned about how the new regional school directly impacts you and your children, we have publicly stated and wish to reaffirm our commitment that every student currently enrolled is assured a seat in the new regional school. Transportation and tuition are being addressed and accommodations will be made to assist families to minimize any inconvenience. The Catholic Schools Foundation has announced it is committed to insuring that all students in Dorchester/Mattapan who currently receive scholarships through the Inner City Scholarship Fund will continue to receive those funds once the new regional school has been established.

The Teen Center at St. Peter's, where so much good work is being conducted each day, will receive some $4 million from the 2010 Initiative to help hire additional staff, upgrade facilities and improve meals and transportation. But the real impact will be felt because it is staying right where it is currently located at Saint Peter's to assist immigrant families adjust to life in America and to also give teens a chance to reject violence, drugs, and gangs. This is all about serving families and saving Catholic education in Dorchester/Mattapan. Please visit the 2010 web site at rcab.org to learn more about the plan.

Furthermore, the unfair and inaccurate comments regarding the cardinal's commitment to the poor is shocking. There should be no doubt about the commitment of the cardinal and the Archdiocese of Boston to the people of Dorchester and Mattapan with particular concern for those who suffer from poverty in any form. This is evident each day in the work of our parishes, facilities like the Teen Center, and our schools, which are all directed to fulfilling this commitment. Cardinal Seán is a priest first, someone who has spent the majority of his life committed to caring for those who lack shelter, food, clothing, and any semblance of family support. He spent some two decades ministering to the most vulnerable among us in the poorest neighborhoods of Washington, DC &endash; our nation's capital where great power and wealth co-exist &endash; caring for people who neither had the resources nor the skills to care for themselves including immigrants unfamiliar with our society. And he has carried that commitment to the Catholic community here in Boston by his actions and his many acts of mercy that that go unnoticed in the public eye during the course of his everyday ministry as archbishop. We regret that anyone would attempt to make any statement to the contrary and for it to be reported so negatively in the Dorchester Reporter.

Pope John II Catholic Academy [sic] was named because of the example set by the late Holy Father. He likely met more people, particularly the young, than any human in recorded time. His outreach to the poor symbolize for us the challenge placed before us by Christ Himself in calling all of us to love one another as He has loved us. Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy allows us to actually have more resources to care for those less fortunate - particularly the poor - by bringing together all of the resources at our disposal through a new regional school. Instead of simply closing schools, we are building something that future generations can benefit from in receiving a strong Catholic education right here in Dorchester/Mattapan. While we may have fewer school campuses, we will be serving more students from poor families with a better, more robust Catholic education. The reality is that we serve many families suffering from poverty in Dorchester and Mattapan.

We wish to thank all of those who have contributed to our work, especially parents, teachers, and principals at each of our Catholic schools. We also want to thank our local elected officials for their input and ongoing commitment to assist us in this endeavor. Their continued support of all is essential to our success as there is much work before us in the coming months.

As the pastors of the Dorchester and Mattapan Catholic parishes, it is our hope and prayer that we can continue to work collaboratively as a faith community committed to building something that will benefit future generations of students and families. To do any less would be an abdication of our moral and professional responsibilities. Our students and families deserve our best. The fact is, we are committed to doing our best for them.

- Fr. Thomas Foley, pastor of St. Ann ; Fr. Richard Conway, administrator of St. Ambrose ; Fr. George Carrigg, pastor of St. Christopher ; Fr. Paul Soper, pastor of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta; Fr. Michael McLellan, administrator of Holy Family ; Fr. Daniel Finn, pastor of St. Mark and pastor of St. Peter ; Fr. William Joy, pastor of St. Matthew and pastor of St. Angela ; Msgr. Paul Ryan, pastor of St. Gregory ; Fr. James Fratus, pastor of St. Brendan

Catholic school families should enroll in public schools

By Mayor Thomas M. Menino

The Archdiocese of Boston announced recently that the two Dorchester K-8 schools, St. Peter's and St. Kevin's, will close at the end of this school year. The closing of any school is always difficult for families and the community. We want parents to know that the Boston Public Schools are prepared to welcome them with excellent educational options for their children.

I urge those parents to register for Boston Public Schools now, no matter what their plans are - there is no obligation to enroll. Once registered, your child is assured a seat and you can breathe a sigh of relief.  

The families of the 300 students currently enrolled in St. Peter's and St. Kevin's have been sent a letter from School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger, Superintendent Carol R. Johnson and me, inviting them to consider the BPS for their children's education. Nearly 400 students who were in a Catholic school last year now attend the Boston Public Schools.

We have worked hard to improve our school district and over the past decade it earned national acclaim for improvements in teaching and learning. Five of my grandchildren attend BPS and love it, with the youngest soon on his way.

Among the options available to Boston families:

• Next year, 21 schools will span kindergarten through grade 8, up from only three K-8 programs in 1995. Four of the programs are located in Dorchester.

• With the addition of seven new Kindergarten 1 classrooms next year, 61 schools will offer programs for 4-year-olds, including 15 schools in Dorchester.

• Boston is now home to 20 pilot schools, including four in Dorchester. These "in-district" charter schools are free from many district and union regulations.

In Dorchester alone, the district offers families choice among an early learning center, 15 elementary schools, four K-8 programs, three middle schools, and five high schools. For additional information, families in Dorchester may visit or call the East Zone Family Resource Center at 1216 Dorchester Ave., 617-635-8015.

I also encourage parents to visit the BPS schools in their neighborhood. There's no better way to find out if a school may be a good fit for your child than to walk through its halls and classrooms and talk to the people who know it best. Between now and Jan. 18 is school preview time &emdash; every school in the district will host open houses, tours and other events to welcome prospective families. Schedules are available at all public libraries and community centers, and online at bostonpublicschools.org/register.