House System

Overview

The primary purpose of the House System is to further the mission of Bishop Canevin by providing Cura Personalis (Greater pastoral care to all students) while strengthening our sense of community. The system will also enable us to proactively develop each student’s leadership skills.

At Bishop Canevin, teachers, staff, and administrators serve as more than academic guides. Involved in the lives of the students, they each take a personal interest in the intellectual, the moral, and the spiritual development of every student. It is their mission to help each student develop a sense of self-worth and become a responsible individual giving back to the greater community.

It is in such direct contact that a young individual’s personal growth and interpersonal relationships are enhanced. In these and other ways, the adult members of the educational community guide students as they develop values leading to life decisions that reach beyond “self-interest” and include a concern for the needs of others.

There are four Houses in the Bishop Canevin House System – each comprised of approximately 60 students from freshman to senior. Students remain in the same House during their entire time at BC. Through all the interaction and House activities during the year, they develop a special identity with that House and the students within it.

Each House will be supervised by a collection of teacher mentors who will be responsible for the overall formation of the House. The House mentors will report to the House Directors as to the health of the House and work to create a strong community within each House.

Friendly competition between the Houses over the year culminates with the winning House being awarded “The Crusader Cup.” Houses will be awarded points in four categories: academics, conduct, service, and competition.

The Pillars

Our Pillars work to ensure Cura Personalis (Care of the Whole Person) for all members of our School Community.

Faith

At Bishop Canevin we are committed to enriching our students with the fullness of our Catholic traditions through intellectual growth, personal and community prayer, the celebration of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, yearly retreats and service.

Community

At Bishop Canevin we emphasize being an active part of our school community. We work to allow our students the opportunity to learn about our Jesuits to build a foundation on which to build upon. Students are encouraged to cheer each other on, meet as houses, work collaboratively to complete various tasks, or challenges as houses, and most importantly develop relationships that foster lifelong friendships..

Lifelong Learning

We prepare our students for the future by teaching them to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and technologically literate individuals. We strive to encore various learning opportunities about various cultures, learning about various challenges our area is facing and how we can help (Homelessness, Hunger, addiction, etc),as well as learning about what our community excels in, learning about future career opportunities, etc.

Pursuit of our Passions

Our students are encouraged to pursue their passions as they are here at Bishop Canevin. Numerous members of our student body participate in at least one extracurricular activity through clubs, athletics, and service. In our environment, students discover the shared values that bind them together. This same concept is a key part to our house day away events where we strive to make a positive difference in the world around us, as well as share our passions with one another.

Person for others:

The Gospel commands us to love our neighbor and at Bishop Canevin, our students put their beliefs into action, serving the lonely, hungry, homeless, sick, and mentally ill. Each House conducts a year-long service project designed to have a true, measurable impact on improving the lives of others. In addition to the House Service initiatives each student is required to complete 25 service hours (15 regular, 10 Magis)

House Mentors:

Mr. Joe Fearer, Mrs. Marguerite Miller, Dr. Robert Hein, Mrs. Christine Westrick, Ms. Amy Smith, and Mr. Mark Petrovich.

House Jesuit Namesake:

Sr. Thea Bowman

Thea Bowman was born on December 29, 1937 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. She was raised Protestant until she was nine years old when she asked her parents to let her become a Catholic.
Thea loved sharing God’s love with others and did so through a teaching career. She taught at all levels of education, and after 16 years got an offer to become a consultant with the Bishop of Jackson, Mississippi.
As a consultant, Thea used her lively personality that utilized her gifts of singing, gospel preaching, and storytelling to break down barriers and encourage communication between different cultures.
In 1984, Thea was diagnosed with cancer and she prayed to God “to live until I die.” Despite her diagnosis, She continued to host her gatherings and lead them in song, Thea even got a room full of bishops to sing gospel hymns.
Thea lived a life where she fought prejudice and hatred until her death in 1990.

Sr. Thea Bowman Video

servant-of-god-sister-thea-bowman-sings-during-mass

House Mentors:

Mrs. Karen Kennedy, Mrs. Charlotte Smith, Ms. Caren Glowa, Mr. Timothy Wanamaker, Mrs. Denise Streeter, Mrs. Linda McLemore, and Mr. Chris Milojevich.

House Jesuit Namesake:

Fr. Walter Ciszek

Walter Ciszek grew up in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania and entered the seminary after being involved with gangs as a teen. He was ordained in 1937 after studying theology and was sent to Poland in 1938.
When the Soviet Union overtook Eastern Poland at the beginning of WWII, Walter snuck into Russia under an alias to service the Catholics in the Ural Mountains. In 1941, though, Walter was arrested for being falsely accused of being a Nazi and was sent to Lubyanka prison for five years.
In 1942, he signed a confession to espionage while being severely tortured and was sentenced to 15 years in the GULAG. While Walter was there and working in the coal mines, he served as a priest.
Back in the US, Walter’s family believed him to be dead and he was even included by the Jesuits among the deceased Jesuits for whom they prayed in 1947.
In 1955, Walter was released from the GULAG and contacted his sisters, but was he still closely monitored by the KGB. He worked for years as an auto mechanic while also continuing to minister as a priest.
Finally, in 1963, the Soviet Union agreed to release Walter in exchange for the release of two Soviet nationals accused of the same crime of espionage in the United States.
Walter found re-entry into American culture very difficult. He was not overjoyed by everything he saw of the United States upon his return. He found American society shockingly wasteful, noting that “In America, I’ve watched mothers in the kitchen after a meal throw away more food, and better food, than I might eat in Russia in half a week.”
Walter was also dismayed to see how casual many Americans were about faith: “At first glance religion here seems almost a formality, an obligation that can be dispensed with if you have been out late the night before.”

Fr. Ciszek Video

House Mentors:

Mr. Dave Casavale, Mr. Jon Schultz, Mrs. Maggie Jackson, Mr. Peter Coelho-Kostolny, Mr. Chris Bucar, Mr. George Schlicht, and Mr. Dale Checketts.

House Jesuit Namesake:

Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM

Mychal Judge was born Robert Emmett Judge on May 11, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of immigrants from Ireland. As a young child he watched his father suffer a painful illness which took his life when he was a young boy.
To earn income following his father‘s death, Judge shined shoes at the New York Penn Station and would visit Saint Francis of Assisi Church, located across the street. Seeing the Franciscan friars there, he later said, “I realized that I didn’t care for material things…I knew then that I wanted to be a fryer.” He entered the Franciscans and was ordained a priest.
In 1992, Judge was appointed a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. Judge was well known in the city for ministering to the homeless, the hungry, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, the sick, the injured, the grieving, gays and lesbians, and those alienated by society. He was considered to be a living saint for his works of charity and deep spirituality.
On September 11, 2001, upon learning that the World Trade Center had been hit by the first of two jetliners, Judge rushed to the site.
Judge prayed over bodies lying on the streets, then entered the lobby of the World Trade Center North Tower, where an emergency command post had been organized. There he continued offering aid and prayers for the rescuers, the injured, and the dead.
When the neighboring South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m., debris went flying through the North Tower lobby, killing many inside. Judge died at this moment, too.
A cause for his sainthood has been initiated and is in the early stages of discernment.