ROCKFORD—The Executive Pastoral Leadership for All Saints Catholic Academy, here, was announced this week to parents and parishes supporting the new consolidated school.

 

Father Stephen St. Jules, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter, will serve as executive pastor and Father Kenneth Stachrya pastor of St. Bernadette Parish has been named vice-executive pastor for the newly-named, multi-parish school that will open for the 2019-2020 school year. 

 

Father St. Jules has been rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter for four years. Prior to serving at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Father St. Jules served for 11 years as pastor at SS. Peter and Paul in Cary. 

 

In his role as executive pastor, he will be the chief administrative officer for the school and oversee the Pastors Council, which consists of priests from all eight supporting Rockford-area parishes. They are St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bernadette, St. Edward, St. James, St. Patrick, SS. Peter and Paul, St. Stanislaus and the Cathedral of St. Peter.  

 

Father St. Jules’ immediate priority will be to serve as part of the team responsible for hiring the Academy’s administration. 

 

Father Kenneth Stachrya has served as the pastor at St. Bernadette for 11 years, which had a school until 2018. 

 

As vice-executive pastor, he will oversee the Advisory Council, a group of lay persons that provide direction and insight on building and grounds, curriculum, marketing, finance, Catholic identity and more. 

 

Father Stachrya will also work closely with Father St. Jules to manage executive-level leadership of the academy.

 

“This type of multi-parish collaboration is groundbreaking for our region,” said Ed Geeser, chair of the Joint Schools Committee. “We are in a position to create an unmatched educational experience and be recognized as the Catholic school of choice in our community.”

 

Other recent firsts for the new Catholic academy are the publication of its first newsletter and sponsorship of its first golf outing fundraiser. 

 

New school colors will be maroon and gold. Students will soon be selecting the mascot for All Saints, according to the newsletter.

 

All Saints Catholic Academy will open in the St. James location at 409 N. First St. The school will focus on a STREAM — science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics — curriculum with foreign language offerings and other classes.