Catholic Schools Network’s name to honor John Paul II

FARGO — What’s long been known as the Fargo Catholic Schools Network is now transitioning to a new name and logo.

Fargo-area schools under the umbrella of the diocese have quietly been Blessed John Paul II Catholic Schools Network since early May, but with the creation of a logo, the change will be fully implemented now, said Tanya Watterud, director of communications for the Diocese of Fargo.

The name change came with plans announced in May to expand the local Catholic school system beyond Fargo into West Fargo and Horace, Bishop Samuel J. Aquila said in a news release Tuesday.

The Blessed John Paul II Catholic Schools Network logo includes an image of John Paul II, who was pope from 1978 until his death in 2005, and retains the historic red and black colors of the network. The logo also uses the approved shortened version of the network’s name: JPII Catholic Schools.

“Knowing Blessed John Paul II’s love for youth and Catholic education, we place our Catholic schools, youth, faculty and administration under his patronage and intercession,” Aquila had said in a May 3 pastoral letter.

Schools in the network are Shanley High School, Sullivan Middle School, and Nativity and Holy Spirit elementary schools, all in Fargo.

A new elementary school is planned at a site in West Fargo on which the new Holy Cross Catholic Church will be built.

Room for a second new elementary school will be part of the site planning for the new home of St. Benedict’s in Horace.

The rest of the Catholic schools in the diocese in the eastern half of the state are not included under the new name and are tied to their parishes, Watterud said.

Sports teams for Shanley High School will still use the mascot name of Deacons, said Deacon David Haney, superintendent for the JPII Catholic Schools.

Helmut Schmidt is a reporter at the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.

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