The IMS network has long been dedicated to integrating academic excellence with a strong Catholic foundation. To strengthen this mission, IMS introduced the role of Catholic Identity Coordinators (CICs) in each school, enhancing support for school principals as spiritual leaders and deepening the Catholic identity within the community.
CICs play a vital role in advancing Catholic evangelization efforts, providing support for all Catholic initiatives including planning professional development and faith formation opportunities for teachers. They coordinate liturgical celebrations, sacraments, and sacramental preparation in collaboration with local parishes and track the number of students who receive sacraments throughout the year, ensuring meaningful connections to the faith are cultivated. CICs also document and celebrate these milestones, highlighting the collective spiritual growth of the community. Last school year, 113 students across our network received the Sacrament of Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation for the first time. This achievement underscores our commitment as a network to fostering deep, personal connections to the Catholic faith through intentional sacramental preparation and collaboration.
CICs work with local priests, as well, to foster evangelization and to invite new families to the Catholic faith. This effort has borne fruit of late, as seen in the inspiring journey of the Thompson family, who became fully initiated into the Catholic Church through the support of the communities of St. Cyprian Church and St. Frances Cabrini School.
The Thompsons, with three children attending St. Frances Cabrini School—Mark in third grade, Makayla in first grade, and Mason in Pre-K—experienced a transformative faith journey. Encouraged by their school’s Catholic environment, Shaneika Thompson, the children’s mother, began attending Mass regularly and enrolled her children in St. Cyprian Parish’s religious education program.
Through weekly classes and faith discussions with Mark Gonzalez, the CIC at St. Frances Cabrini, the family embraced Catholic teachings and values. Shaneika shared how her children’s exposure to the faith at school inspired her to explore Catholicism deeply, ultimately leading her to recognize it as her spiritual home.
Their journey culminated in their baptism and full reception into the Church, with their children’s teachers serving as godparents. The family remains actively engaged in both their parish and school communities. Mark is preparing for his First Holy Communion this spring, while Mr. Thompson, inspired by his wife and children, is now enrolled in classes to be fully initiated into the Church.
The Thompson family’s story highlights the transformative impact of Catholic evangelization within IMS schools. Through the dedication of CICs, IMS continues to nurture faith-filled communities, bringing students and families closer to God and the Church.