For the past three years, the Annual Bishop’s Celebration of Catholic Schools has honored the educators, administrators, and volunteers that shape the sixteen Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools. On Saturday, August 24, 2024, members from these communities, which stretch across twenty-three Iowa counties, gathered at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and School.
“The reason we started this event,” Bishop Joensen explained, “is to be able to publicly thank individuals that make Catholic education possible in the Diocese of Des Moines.” Masters of Ceremony Angelo Provenza and Matt Edwards add that those who make Catholic education possible do so by forming “disciples [that] have encountered a friendship and communion with God,” a nod to the theme of the ceremony: “Encounter, Friendship, Communion.”
This year’s honorees included Administrator of the Year Ann Anderson of Shelby County Catholic School, Teacher of the Year Jane Brown of St. Augustin Catholic School, Volunteer of the Year Megan Kluesner of Sacred Heart School, and Honorary Chairs Dennis and Connie Purdum as well as Frank Harty.
The night concluded with a keynote address from Frank, Mike, Kathy, and Ryan Schweizer, followed by a video address from Karissa Schweizer. Just a couple weeks after competing in her second Olympic Games, Schweizer spoke about the “village” that helped get her to the Olympic Village.
“I often like to say that it takes a village. I wouldn’t be out here talking about my experience at the Olympics without everyone that I had in my corner and the people that helped bring me to that level. When I look back at my time at St. Pius and at Dowling, I think of all the people who are still in my life today and how lucky I am to have gone somewhere that created such strong relationships.” Karissa ended her speech by reiterating, “Without all of you,” the administrators, teachers, volunteers, and community members that shape the Diocese of Des Moines, “this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Like Karissa, you can join-in on the celebration by thanking the Catholic Schools that have shaped you, living-out the values built from a Catholic education, or attending next year’s Bishop’s Celebration of Catholic Schools on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
