Diocese of Greensburg Catholic schools receives largest recorded donation, offering $4.1 million in tuition assistance

Diocese of Greensburg Catholic schools could see an uptick of about 250 students in the coming year thanks to $4.1 million in tuition assistance now available.

The funds were made possible after the diocese received the single largest donation by a family, amounting to $2.4 million, along with smaller donations from 100 other donors totaling $1.7 million, school officials announced at news conferences Wednesday outside Greensburg Central Catholic High School in Hempfield and Mary Queen of Apostles School in New Kensington.

“Our Catholic schools receive financial support from every parish in the diocese, which enables our schools to set their tuition at about half the actual cost of educating a child,” Superintendent Maureen Marsteller said. “But even that leaves a Catholic education out of reach for some families. While the national poverty rate in the United States is 13%, in parts of the Diocese of Greensburg it is 19%. So, we are very excited about this opportunity and grateful to the people who are making this possible.”

The program, referred to as the Saint Pope John Paul II Tuition Opportunity Partnership — named for the pope who believed Catholic schools should be supported because of their critical role in forming and inspiring young people — makes funds available to students interested in attending any of the diocese’s 12 schools in Fayette, Indiana, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties.

Donors of the $2.4 million wished to remain anonymous, but diocese leaders said they are part of the local business community, and Greensburg Bishop Edward Malesic noted they made the donation because they “believe their Catholic faith, education and moral foundation gave them a great advantage in this life.”

The $1.7 million was accumulated through individuals and businesses participating in the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program.

“This is a major opportunity for a Catholic school that is being made possible by visionary, community-minded individuals who understand how the impact of a private Catholic education could benefit thousands of students,” Malesic said. “We are grateful for their commitment to our schools and families through this partnership.”

Funds are available to families who demonstrate a financial need and show a willingness to provide some financial contribution to their child’s education. They also must agree to support the child’s academic and spiritual progress.

Those interested in applying to the program can contact Amanda Iwinski at 724-552-2565 or visit the website catholicschoolsguide.org. From there, families will be connected with an outreach and admissions coordinator who will help them through the application process.

Families also must complete the FACTS Grant and Aid application, which conducts a financial analysis to determine a family’s financial need, so that alternative sources of funding might also be used for tuition assistance. Families do not have to qualify for low income assistance to be eligible for the tuition opportunity program.

“For the first time in a long time, a Catholic school education is about to become more affordable than you might think,” Greensburg Central Catholic High School Principal Benjamin Althof said.

For Mary Queen of Apostles School, at Mount St. Peter Parish in New Kensington, the donation is a “blessing and an opportunity we could not have foreseen,” said Principal Cathy Collett.

With an enrollment of 213 pupils in 2019-20, from pre-school to the eighth grade, Mary Queen of Apostles is anticipating 80 more students for the upcoming school year, Collett said.

The influx is fueled by students migrating from Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament School in Harrison, which announced its closing last month. Additionally, the increased tuition aid from the donations will attract new students, Collett said.

The tuition assistance has the potential to save students hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on each family’s financial situation, said Jennifer Miele, spokeswoman for the Diocese of Greensburg.

One Mary Queen of Apostles parent, Amy Faltot of Harrison, who has two children enrolled and one who has graduated, said the extra financial aid to parents will be a game changer.

“It’s the cost of Catholic education that holds people back,” she said.

The price break in tuition that will draw more students is good for Mary Queen of Apostles, said Felicia Junod of Allegheny Township, who has two children enrolled. “It’s exciting for the opportunity for more students to come here,” she said.