Misplaced Pages

Holy Spirit Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic K-12 school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.

Background

The school was dedicated in 1963; predecessor schools date back to 1863. The high school division was added in 1995 and the first class graduated in 1999.

Sexual Misconduct Allegations

2009 Criminal Investigation

In November 2009, Tuscaloosa police arrested Holy Spirit's assistant football coach, Chip Ervin, for sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old student of the school and for the distribution of drugs to a minor. The investigation, led by Sgt. Michael Caisson of the juvenile division, focused on crimes that Ervin committed during the fall semester of 2008.

Ervin pleaded guilty to the charges.

Sr. Elaine Sebera, a member of the Sisters of Mercy and school principal at the time of the investigation, directed reporters' questions to diocesan officials who also declined to comment.

2018 Diocesan Review

Bishop Robert Baker, about a year before his canonically required retirement, published a list of all priests the church deemed credibly accused of sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Birmingham.

Accused Priests

Source:

• Charles Cross
• John "Jack Ventura
  • Formerly served in the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey. See priest shuffling and incardination.
• Charles Bordenca
• Kevin Cooke
• Roger Lott
• Jonathan "John" Franklin

The Holy Spirit website does not provide a list of former priests who have served the school. However, there are no known claims against priests of that parish.

Athletics

Holy Spirit offers volleyball,football, cross country, basketball, softball, baseball, track, cheerleading, bowling, soccer, golf, and tennis.

Football Cancellation

Holy Spirit suspended its varsity football program in 2019 citing low student interest and a lack of funding. According to AHSAA rules, the athletic program will not be allowed to have a varsity team until the 2022 school year.

Football Reinstatement

As of 2022 Holy Spirit has reinstated their varsity football team.

References

1. NCEA. "NCEA School Locator". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
2. AdvancED. "AdvancED-Find Accredited Institutions". Archived from the original on 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
3. "Holy Spirit Catholic School - Tuscaloosa, AL". www.holyspirit-al.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
4. ^ Writer, Jason MortonStaff. "Former Holy Spirit coach faces sex, drug charges". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
5. Writer, Stephanie TaylorStaff. "Sex charges against former football coach, wife dropped". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
6. "Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool and Elementary School". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
7. "Bishop sent retirement letter to Pope, plans BJCC event". al. 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
8. ^ Digital, WVTM 13 (2018-12-15). "Catholic Diocese of Birmingham releases names of 6 priests accused of child sex abuse". WVTM. Retrieved 2020-12-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
9. "HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH". HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
10. Teachers give a lot of extra credit
11. "Athletics - Holy Spirit Catholic High School". www.holyspirit-al.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
12. Editor, Edwin StantonExecutive Sports. "Holy Spirit drops football program". Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved 2020-12-29. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
13. "How Holy Spirit football coach Bobby Snyder has revived the Saints football program".

External links

• School Website

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Gregory Vath Raymond James Boland David Edward Foley Robert Joseph Baker Steven John Raica
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Paul, Birmingham Parishes St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church, Huntsville Shrine Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Hanceville
Education	High schools Pope John Paul II Catholic High School, Huntsville Holy Family Cristo Rey High School, Birmingham Holy Spirit Catholic School, Tuscaloosa John Carroll Catholic High School, Birmingham Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School, McClellan Independent school St. Bernard Preparatory School, Cullman
Catholicism portal

• High schools in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Private K–12 schools in Alabama
• Catholic elementary schools in the United States
• Catholic secondary schools in Alabama
• Educational institutions established in 1963
• 1963 establishments in Alabama
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama