www.cny.org/archive/ld/ld8100908.htm -
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Published on: 10/9/2008
Last Visited: 10/10/2008
Bishop J. Terry Steib of the Diocese of Memphis, Tenn., also was honored.Appointed to head the Memphis Diocese in 1993, he is known for a program that led to the reopening of nine Catholic schools in needy areas of the diocese in a four—year period, including some that had been closed for more than 30 years.
He said in his remarks at the dinner that the schools were reclaimed largely through scholarship programs.
He began his campaign to reopen schools he said, because he was disturbed to find a situation where some schools were "financially feasible but not needed," while others were "needed but not financially feasible."
He said he told the people of the diocese, "That's not who we are as CatholicsÉ We're not there simply to maintain who we are, but to proclaim who we are."
"We're not there because they're Catholic," he said of the reopened schools."We're there because we're Catholic."
Bishop Steib said, "Catholic education is one of the best things we do as a Church."