Culture

Jack Connors Jr. (far left) and Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley (center) celebrate in 2008 with community leaders and students at a school groundbreaking in Dorchester as part of the rebuilding of Catholic education in Greater Boston. Pilot photo/Gregory L. Tracy

Campaign for Catholic Schools

The extraordinary ripple effect of Boston's Good Samaritan

Friday, August 2, 2024Culture

A boy born in Cuba arrives in America unable to speak English, yet graduates from his high school as valedictorian with a full scholarship to college.
A young girl struggling with chronic absenteeism in eighth grade flourishes as an honors student at her high school.
And a young man, motivated by the vibrant support of his school community, becomes the first in his family to graduate from college before working at a non-profit to help others realize that same dream.
What do these inner-city students, and thousands more like them, have in common? They all benefited from the life-changing opportunity to receive a Catholic education thanks to a Good Samaritan: Jack Connors Jr.
Jack, a native son of Boston who became one of her leading businessmen and philanthropists, was called home to God on July 23 at the age of 82. But the ripple effect of the lives he impacted through Catholic education will long remain his extraordinary legacy.
Inspired by Cardinal Seán O'Malley's vision for changing the scope of Catholic education, Jack set out to reverse the trends and defy the odds by creating an innovative model for rebuilding inner-city Catholic schools and ensuring the gift of a Catholic education remained in Greater Boston.

The relationship between Cardinal Seán and Jack in these efforts was built upon a solid foundation of trust, resulting in the founding of the Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS) in 2007. Fueled by new governance models and greater collaboration with laity, CCS quickly became a change agent for inner-city Catholic education. When recruiting new CCS supporters, Jack would say that the ongoing effort was "a pick-up game, and all are welcome." Jack being Jack, it came as no surprise that he assembled an all-star team of college presidents, clergy, religious, and experts in education, business, and construction, all rallying behind Jack's belief that "Parents, no matter how poor, no matter their country of origin, want the best for their children."
CCS's first school project was the founding of Trinity Catholic Academy (TCA) in Brockton in 2007, the coming together of the former Sacred Heart, St. Edward, and St. Casimir parish schools. Located on two fully renovated campuses, TCA provides students with enhanced academics and technology, and inspiring faith formation and retention programs for its dedicated teachers. In 2008, this regional model was replicated in Dorchester/Mattapan when seven former parish schools -- St. Ann, St. Gregory, St. Kevin, Blessed Mother Teresa (St. Margaret/St. William), St. Mark, St. Peter, and St. Angela -- merged to form St. John Paul II Catholic Academy (SJPIICA) to keep Catholic education alive in this community. SJPIICA is located on three fully renovated campuses and is the largest accredited Catholic elementary school in New England.
To those fortunate enough to have worked with Jack and witness how his big heart galvanized the communities he served, he will always remain a remarkable example of a Good Samaritan at work, one who never needed recognition from the children or families whose lives were forever changed by his tireless efforts.
Buoyed by Jack's 15 years of leadership, CCS academies continue to thrive today, with 1,500 inner-city students (more than 40 of whom have no permanent home) from 55 communities throughout Greater Boston educated annually. Thanks to Jack and the investment of supporters from around the archdiocese, students receive a strong, formative Catholic education where they are taught important values like respect, honesty, integrity, and responsibility, and, most importantly, how much God loves them.
Jack often said, "We are building a model that will make it possible for the children of immigrants -- not Irish, Polish, or Italian this time, but Cape Verdean, Haitian, Vietnamese, and Dominican -- to have what we had: faith formation, moral values, and great examples to learn and live by."
Thanks to Jack, we now have this. Eighty-seven percent of CCS academy families are of color. Partnering with families, our academies are open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with before/after-school care and meal programs offered). The academies run robust summer camps and offer teacher retention programs to reward dedicated teachers. A full 100 percent of eighth-grade students graduate to quality secondary schools, with 80 percent matriculating to prominent Catholic high schools and, later, prestigious colleges and universities. Because of Jack's vision, this model for Catholic school revitalization has been replicated across the archdiocese in Lowell, Lawrence, Quincy, and South Boston.
Jack always asked, "What will you build with your gifts?" It's a question that continues to inspire others.
A young CCS alum now works as a senior analyst at the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Another, who learned to love math as a young CCS student, is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in molecular biology.
And another has returned to teach at SJPIICA, recognizing the power of the education and school community that shaped his life and inspired his vocation.
Thousands of students have benefited from the extraordinary example set by Jack Connors, the Good Samaritan, whose vision and determination will continue to change lives and further the faith of thousands more for years to come.

Mary Myers is a co-founder and vice president of development and strategy for CCS. Jim Walsh serves as the president and executive director, campaignforcatholicschools.org.