St. Joseph Calasanz opened the first free school for boys at St. Dorothy’s Church in Rome in 1597. The concept grew quickly, and eventually his co-workers founded a religious order called the Piarists.
All men and women in the Catholic Church’s religious orders and congregations profess vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Following the mind of St. Joseph Calasanz, the Piarists take a fourth vow: “to educate the young, particularly the poor.” Today, about 1,300 Piarists minister in more than 40 countries worldwide.
In their Province of the United States and Puerto Rico, the Piarists work in the archdioceses of Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Havana (Cuba), Quetzaltenango (Guatemala) and San Juan (Puerto Rico) and in the dioceses of Lexington (Kentucky), Ponce (Puerto Rico) and Tabasco (Mexico).
There are 16 provinces in the Piarist Order, and each is encouraged to sponsor at least one mission. The Province of the United States and Puerto Rico sponsors missions in five locations: Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Kentucky. Each mission site is in an impoverished area.
In 1971, Father Mario Vizcaino spoke to his fellow religious and reminded them that the Piarists profess a special vow to educate, particularly the poor. Since then, Father Mario, other Piarist priests and seminarians and numerous lay volunteers have visited Macuspana in the Diocese of Tabasco for two to three weeks during summer.
They have helped to construct parish churches and chapels and prepared the people in this impoverished area to live the Gospel.
In 1985, Father Thomas Carroll followed up on the goals of Father Mario, persuading his fellow Piarists to open a school in the Diocese of Lexington in eastern Appalachia. The area is extremely poor, but since the Piarist School opened, every student has received a tuition-free Catholic education.
The year 2021 saw expansion for the Piarists’ missions. In January, the Piarists assumed responsibility for a parish and three schools in the Guatemalan cities of Cabrican and Huitan. In addition, they are also responsible for ministry in 31 nearby chapels.
Through the generosity of their benefactors, the children in the schools receive two free meals each day and have full access to the internet in newly renovated computer facilities. No child is turned away from the schools because of financial difficulties.
From 1857 until the Communist takeover in Cuba, the Piarists had operated schools throughout the country. Unfortunately, the Cuban government closed all Catholic schools there and expelled all non-native-born priests.
In July 2021, the Piarists of the Province of the United States and Puerto Rico assumed responsibility for a parish church, a chapel and socio-economic centers in Havana and in Guanabacoa, Cuba. Life in these entities is vibrant. The Piarists already have three native-born seminarians.
Through the generosity of their benefactors, they are rebuilding the church and chapel and providing informal educational programs in the socio-economic centers. They also recently purchased a walk-in refrigerator. Now the children in the socio-economic center in Guanabacoa can enjoy fresh and nutritious meals.
Finally, in August 2021, the Piarists assumed responsibility for a parish, eight chapels and a school in Adjuntas in the Diocese of Ponce in Puerto Rico. The people in the area are generally low to middle class, but no child is turned away from the school because of financial difficulties.
The Piarists distribute any funds received through their Mission Office to their five missions. The needs in each mission vary, but in general, they include evangelization, food, education of youth, occupational skills training, construction projects (schools, churches and latrines), professional preparation of teachers, basic needs (toiletries, medicine), youth ministry (Calasanz Movement), scholarship and tuition assistance, vocations promotion and sacramental ministry in remote regions.
For additional information about the Piarists’ ministry, visit https://piaristchallenge.com and https://piarist.info.