<strong>June</strong> <strong>2012</strong>3Vals and SalsCongratulations, class <strong>of</strong> <strong>2012</strong>!One <strong>of</strong> the most pleasantrites <strong>of</strong> spring comes in <strong>June</strong>,as graduates don cap and gownand walk forward to receive theirdiplomas. Fairfield County Catholiccongratulates the class <strong>of</strong> <strong>2012</strong> <strong>of</strong>all Catholic, private and publicschools. Toss your caps into theair! The future is yours to take.In this issue we focus on thetop scholars <strong>of</strong> diocesan highschools and Catholic schools withgraduates from the <strong>Diocese</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Bridgeport</strong>.Kolbe-Cathedral, <strong>Bridgeport</strong>The 79 seniors <strong>of</strong> Kolbe-Cathedral High School graduatedon <strong>June</strong> 7 in St. AugustineCathedral. Ninety-eight percent<strong>of</strong> the Class <strong>of</strong> <strong>2012</strong> is pursuinghigher education; one graduatehas enlisted in the UnitedStates Marine Corp. The classhas received over $8.1 million inscholarships and grants. Kolbe hasan enrollment <strong>of</strong> 320 students.The valedictorian <strong>of</strong> Kolbe-Cathedral High School is JeremyTimperanza. A graduate <strong>of</strong> St.Andrew Elementary School andactive in St. Andrew Parish,Jeremy is a Squire in the Knights<strong>of</strong> Columbus. Jeremy wasKolbe’s Breakfast <strong>of</strong> ChampionsSt. Thomas Aquinas Medal recipient.He is a member <strong>of</strong> NationalHonor Society and SpanishHonor Society and is heavilyKOLBE-CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL, BRIDGEPORT – JeremyTimperanza, valedictorian; Sean Alicea, salutatorianinvolved in peer tutoring. Jeremyhas been a member <strong>of</strong> SAAD(Students Against DestructiveDecisions) and Build On, andhe served as editor <strong>of</strong> the schoolnewspaper, Cougar Prints. Jeremyserves as a volunteer at theKennedy Center and Park CityMagnet School, and with youngsterswith autism. He was on theschool’s MSG Challenge Team.He is a member <strong>of</strong> High SchoolApostles and a participant inConvivio. Jeremy, who plans tostudy law, will attend UCONNwith a full academic scholarship.Kolbe’s salutatorian is SeanAlicea. A graduate <strong>of</strong> St. Peter’sElementary School in <strong>Bridgeport</strong>,he is a parishioner at St. MaryParish in <strong>Bridgeport</strong> and teachesin the religious education programthere. Sean is a member <strong>of</strong>the National Honor Society andSpanish Honor Society and <strong>of</strong>fersassistance to others as a PeerTutor. He has been a member <strong>of</strong>the Cougar Prints newspaper staff.Sean will attend the University <strong>of</strong>New Haven, where he will studyforensic science.“Both Jeremy and Sean arefine young men who are shiningexamples <strong>of</strong> Catholic Educationin the <strong>Diocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bridgeport</strong>,K-12! Their families have madegreat sacrifices to support theirIMMACULATE HIGH SCHOOL, DANBURY – Joseph Collins, valedictorian;Connor McCann, salutatorianeducation and Jeremy and Seanbring a great sense <strong>of</strong> pride t<strong>of</strong>amily, school and community,”says Principal Jo-Anne Jakab.“It has been a pleasure to witnesstheir growth and development asyoung men <strong>of</strong> Christian values,integrity and promise.”Immaculate, DanburyThe graduation forImmaculate High School’s 82seniors was held on <strong>June</strong> 6 inSt. Mary Church in Bethel. Thisyear, Immaculate has 356 studentsenrolled.Joseph Collins is Immaculate’svaledictorian. A member <strong>of</strong> St.Joseph Parish in Brookfield, hefounded and directed Casserolesfor the Hungry, a communitybasedfood program supported bySt. Joseph’s, which has provided12,800 hot meals to the DorothyDay House <strong>of</strong> Danbury.A CAS-CIAC Scholar Athlete,Joseph received the diocesanSt. Thomas Aquinas Award forAcademics and Service. Vicepresident <strong>of</strong> the National HonorSociety and active in the KeyClub, he was also captain <strong>of</strong> thecross country and outdoor trackteams and was recognized witha Most Valuable Player award.Winner <strong>of</strong> the Excellence inMathematics and Science Awardfrom Fairfield University School➤ continued on page 13Ten years <strong>of</strong> keeping our promise to protect<strong>2012</strong> marks the 10-year anniversary<strong>of</strong> the Charter for theProtection <strong>of</strong> Children and YoungPeople. Much has been accomplishedin the Church in the area <strong>of</strong>child safety and abuse prevention.The Charter for the Protection<strong>of</strong> Children and Young People,was established by the U.S.Council <strong>of</strong> Catholic Bishops(USCCB) in <strong>June</strong> 2002 andrevised in <strong>June</strong>, 2011. It is a comprehensiveset <strong>of</strong> procedures foraddressing allegations <strong>of</strong> sexualabuse <strong>of</strong> minors by Catholic clergyand it includes guidelines for reconciliation,healing, accountabilityand the prevention <strong>of</strong> future acts<strong>of</strong> abuse. Ten years after passingthe Charter, nearly all U.S.dioceses are in full compliance.The <strong>Diocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bridgeport</strong> wasfound to be in full compliance ineach independent audit since thebeginning <strong>of</strong> this process in 2003.Archbishop Lori was instrumentalin the creation <strong>of</strong> this landmarkdocument.Safe Environment training andbackground checks are two veryimportant standards required bythe Charter and both are criticalcomponents to preventing childsexual abuse. During the past 10years, close to eight million adultsand children have been trainednationwide, making the CatholicChurch one <strong>of</strong> the largest childsexual abuse prevention programs<strong>of</strong> any institution, publicor private. More than 2.2 millionclergy, lay employees and volunteershave undergone backgroundscreening.Awareness TrainingThe <strong>Diocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bridgeport</strong> usesan awareness training programcalled “VIRTUS: Protecting God’sChildren” for adults and “ThinkFirst and Stay Safe” for childrenenrolled in Catholic Schools. Highschool students receive personalsafety training that includes informationon safe use <strong>of</strong> technology.We encourage all parents in ourdiocese to attend VIRTUS trainingsessions and preview ourschool programs. Parent guidesand brochures, together with livetraining programs, reached morethan 100,000 adults and childrensince 2003. Thanks to our 90 dedicatedvolunteer VIRTUS facilitators,more than 2,000 adult trainingsessions have been conductedin English, Spanish, FrenchCreole, Polish, Portuguese andVietnamese and in sign-language.Background Checksand Zero ToleranceThe <strong>Diocese</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Bridgeport</strong>has a zero tolerance policy forchild sexual abuse. Backgroundchecks are necessary and effectivein deterring predators andscreening out individuals whohave been convicted <strong>of</strong> sex crimesand crimes against children. Allmembers <strong>of</strong> the clergy, seminarians,religious sisters and brothers,lay employees, volunteersand independent contractors mustfirst clear a criminal backgroundcheck before working or volunteering.The background checkprocess is overseen by our director<strong>of</strong> human resources, LouiseStewart-Spagnuolo, who receiveseach result after backgroundchecks are processed by the parish<strong>of</strong>fices, and she assists eachparish with maintaining an activebackground check account.Parishes have a rolePastors, directors <strong>of</strong> religiouseducation, VIRTUSfacilitators and local parish SafeEnvironment coordinators play a➤ continued on page 12