Father Michael Whyte is the new vicar for education, evangelization and catechesis for the Archdiocese of Hartford, overseeing its Catholic schools. Photo by Aaron Joseph
By Shelley Wolf
BLOOMFIELD – Father Michael Whyte has stepped in as the new head of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Hartford in the middle of a pandemic, but he is not discouraged by the challenge.
Appointed to the role on June 15 as the new vicar for education, evangelization and catechesis, Father Whyte is happy to be of service wherever he is needed. He’ll be overseeing Catholic schools within the archdiocese’s Office of Education, Evangelization and Catechesis. When asked how he was selected for the assignment, he jests, “When they asked for volunteers, everybody stood back.”
Though Father Whyte is full of good humor, he’s serious when it comes to promoting the value of a Catholic education. He says he has a long history of supporting Catholic schools that goes back to his childhood.
“I went to Catholic school as a little kid,” he says, “and had a great experience with the Sisters of Mercy.” More recently, he has served on the Archdiocesan School Board and supports his neighboring school, St. Mary School in Simsbury. He also spent years working in public relations before his ordination as a priest.
“I’ve been on the Archdiocesan School Board and I’ve been a big promoter of St. Mary’s School. I don’t have a Catholic school in my parish,” he says, referring to his ongoing assignment as pastor of St. Catherine of Siena in West Simsbury, where he has been since 2008.
In the coming year, he’ll be splitting his time between the parish and the administration of Catholic schools. “I’m usually here on Mondays and Wednesdays and whatever other days are needed. We’re all becoming really good at Zoom and FaceTime,” he adds, “so I can go to all of the meetings. Luckily, I’m only about 12 miles away. It’s a real short commute.”
The priest will temporarily replace Sister Mary Grace Walsh, the former provost of education, evangelization and catechesis, who has assumed her next role as president of Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis, Missouri for her religious order, the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Father Whyte is happy to take the lead for the archdiocese as a champion for Catholic education. “I just believe Catholic school is very important,” he says. “I know that some people struggle to go, so we have to make it as available as we can to as many people as possible. This is not to denigrate public education, but Catholic education looks at the whole person. And when we are building and forming people to make moral decisions for the building up of the common good, it’s a vital part of our role in the world today.
“The world is in such disarray,” he adds, “that if we have people well formed – and that’s important – making moral decision-making, then it would become natural to make that which is just as a decision. I think a little bit of our society, perhaps, is focused too much on me.”
His role as vicar of OEEC will involve vision and mission, governance and policies and in-person communications. But he says he intends to rely heavily on the existing team at OEEC.
Just two of the people he’ll be turning to are Val Mara, former assistant to the provost who was recently named adjunct to the vicar for education, research and policy. Mara is recognized for her expertise in curriculum. He’ll also look to Laura McCaffrey, another former assistant to the provost who was named advisor to the vicar for finance and technology. Over the years, McCaffrey has managed technology for archdiocesan Catholic schools.
“My role here is oversight and working with the staff,” Father Whyte says. “They’ve all been here a while and they are experts in their fields, so my goal is to work with them and empower them to do their jobs. This is my philosophy whether it’s in the parish, here, or any other job I might have. You hire good people and you let them do their job. I’m not a micromanager. It’s not my role. It’s to look and see and to help people solve whatever problems they might be having. I’m not here to tell them what they already know.”
Father Whyte credits his father for his management philosophy. “My dad actually told me that. When I first went to work he said if you’re ever in the position to hire, hire good people and get out of their way. He also told me if you can take three weeks off at a time, they don’t need you,” he adds with a smile.
Father Whyte said he is looking forward to visiting schools, as health metrics and safety protocols permit, to meet the hardworking principals, teachers and staff who make Catholic education possible.
“It’s going to be kind of different because I won’t be able to just go in and walk around, perhaps,” he acknowledges. “But I would like to visit the elementary and the high schools. I would like to be seen and to see them. I would like to go in and let the educators know how much they are valued in the Catholic educational system. They are the core of what we’re doing.”
He also recognizes teaching as an endeavor that requires tremendous dedication and commitment. It’s a mission-oriented vocation that those outside the field of education don’t always understand.
“It really is a vocation,” he says. “We talk a lot about our priests’ vocation, but we really need to talk about the vocation of teaching. It’s an exceptional one and teachers are not making millions of dollars. They’re doing difficult work, and they’re dealing with lots of individuals. So they’re doing it because they have a love for education and for children. They need to know that we understand that and appreciate it.”