Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

Students from St. Francis Xavier show their support for the Catholic Tuition Organization of the Diocese of Phoenix Feb. 3 during the annual Catholic Schools Week rally at the Arizona state capitol.

Tuition organization donors help students attend Catholic schools

The Catholic Tuition Organization for the Diocese of Phoenix hosted a thank-you luncheon Feb. 9 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center for Catholic school principals and development directors.

The CTODP provides tuition assistance for Catholic students grades K-12 through individual and corporate tax credit contributions, and the attendees of the luncheon are often the organization’s most effective promoters.

“Without you at the ground level, we wouldn’t be able to support your kids,” said Chris Tawney, director of development for the CTODP.

And that support is paramount to the Church’s mission, said Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. He described the educators’ commitment to Catholic education as a commitment to “the future of our faith.”

“We do this with great hope, because with this we are carrying the mission given to the Church: Go and teach all nations,” he said.

During the luncheon, Tawney highlighted some statistics for this past year’s campaign. Since Jan. 1, 2009, the CTODP has raised $9.1 million in tuition assistance from more than 13,000 contributors.

He also encouraged attendees to continue spreading the word about the CTODP. The organization has switched to a fiscal year ending June 30 and contributions made between now and then will apply to students for the fall semester.

Tawney also introduced a number of new initiatives that should make giving easier, including a diocesan employee payroll program, a small employer payroll plan, scheduled payments and an e-newsletter.

The easier to give, the better, especially since the program is so vital to Catholic education, said MaryBeth Mueller, superintendent for Catholic schools.

She said that without the CTODP, some local Catholic schools would be forced to close their doors.

“We wouldn’t be able to help these parents send their kids to Catholic schools,” she said. “It helps keep education available and affordable.”

And that’s more and more important during these days of economic insecurity, the bishop said.

“You work with [the students] so closely, and you offer them assistance for their mission,” he said. “It’s a very important assistance these days.”