Blue ribbon and a birthday at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn
BY SARAH ZAVALA Correspondent January 15, 2012 8:44PM
Cardinal Francis George enters the sanctuary at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn to lead the Mass Sunday, January 15, 2012. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 17, 2012 8:11AM
Chicago Cardinal Francis George attended Sunday Mass at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn to honor the grade school for achieving the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award, which has only been awarded to a handful of Southland schools for academic excellence since 2003.
The church also surprised George with a birthday celebration for his 75th birthday on Monday. George said he’s the oldest archbishop in Chicago’s history.
“We knew for a long time that you were a Blue Ribbon School, one of the A schools,” George said to the many students, staff and family members who came out to Sunday’s Mass to celebrate the award. “It is good to have someone else recognize you for it.”
The Blue Ribbon Award, an honor given from the U.S. Department of Education to schools for overall academic excellence, has been awarded to nine other Southland schools since 2003.
St. Linus, which opened in 1956 and has an enrollment of 363 students, is one of six schools in the Chicago Archdiocese to win the award this year.
Since 1982, when the Department of Education began the awards, the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools have received 61 Blue Ribbon Awards, more than any other school system in the country.
Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago, said “we are the most decorated school district in the nation.”
“It’s because I have such terrific administrators,” McCaughey said. “What motivates us to be excellent is our faith.”
Principal Michael Stritch said about four years ago the school chose to attempt the Blue Ribbon Award. During the next few years, school leaders formed committees and found ways to improve the school.
“Getting the right people in the right place is critical. It has taken us a long time to do that, but we have a wonderful staff,” Stritch said.
Schools can apply for the Blue Ribbon Award every six years Stritch said, adding that St. Linus is going to continue to look for ways to improve.
“We can’t become complacent,” he said. “We have to keep moving forward.”
Also, during the Mass, the Rev. Bill Corcoran had the entire crowd sing happy birthday for George and then surprised him with a birthday cake.
The Cardinal’s birthday on Monday will be a historic milestone for the Chicago Catholic Church.
“You are now looking at the oldest man to have ever been archbishop of Chicago,” George said. “The secret is pure stubbornness.”
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