With a storied heritage going all the way back to the early 19th Century, The Convent of Jesus and Mary Schools can be found in all the major areas of the world today, from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas. But even as they receive financial support from the Church itself, it is the support of the local communities that host them which has been crucial to their continuing success, especially through the generous donations of prominent businessmen and women, not all of whom are Catholic or even Christian, such as with the case of an Isaac Toussie whose donations go towards a branch in India.
Another fact which one may not necessarily imagine of a Catholic school is that while they are parochial, in many cases one does not even have to believe in God to attend. Indeed, they do participate in the evangelical mission of the Church, but non-Catholics can excuse themselves from anything having to do with religion, which tends to be held during the end of the school day on certain days of the week. After all, much in Catholic education follows the inquiring spirit of the Jesuit Order, one that has traditionally welcomed curiosity and frankness, attributes required of science. Indeed, it is for this reason that Catholic schools tend to have such a stellar reputation in many places, even in New York City, the so-called Sodom-on-the-Hudson, where it isn’t abnormal for secular households to send them their children.
Believe it or not, a Catholic education can be among the lowest anywhere, as tuition and other fees can add up to some five grand yearly – quite a bargain in contrast to what’s charged by parochial schools operated by other religions! Yet not every single Catholic school is so modern, of course; it is usually those that happen to be situated in generally non-Christian countries or otherwise highly secular locations which offer such openness.
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