Archdiocesan schools are honored for saluting the contributions of veterans, military members and their families

Frank Otte, Sr., a U.S. Army veteran and helicopter pilot, shares a family moment with granddaughters Helen Otte, left, Emma Clare Becker and Charlotte Becker during a Veterans Day celebration and Mass at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. (Submitted photo)

By John Shaughnessy

Four Catholic schools in the archdiocese are among the nearly 100 Indiana schools that were recently recognized this year for “their significant display of commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.”

In announcing the list of Indiana Purple Star Schools for 2025 in advance of Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun noted, “As Veteran’s Day approaches, our communities will join together to honor the brave men and women who have and continue to serve our great nation. Indiana’s Purple Star Schools honor this sacrifice and show their appreciation throughout the year—both in words and actions.”

The four archdiocesan schools honored in 2025 are St. Charles Borromeo School in Bloomington and Bishop Chatard High School, Roncalli High School and St. Mark the Evangelist School, all in Indianapolis.

In 2024, Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis and SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi School in Greenwood received the honor, a designation that lasts for three years.

Brian Disney, the archdiocese’s superintendent of Catholic schools, praised the schools, noting, “Congratulations on being honored as Indiana Purple Star Schools. This is a great honor.”

To qualify for the Purple Star designation, schools must meet a number of criteria, including having an annual program honoring the military and having a webpage that provides recognition and resources for service members, veterans, and students and families.

This year’s Purple Star Schools were chosen by the Indiana Department of Education in collaboration with the Indiana National Guard.

Indiana’s secretary of education Katie Jenner saluted the schools for their efforts “to make life a little easier for those who give so much.”

“In doing so, our educators are helping students to understand the meaning of service, the importance of giving back, and now—through civic pride and responsibility—they too can make our communities, our state and our nation a better place.” †