Holy Spirit Catholic High School is a private,

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K-12 school in

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population o ...

. 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 The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute of Catholic women founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. As of 2019, the institute had about 6200 sisters worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations. They a ...

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

* 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, 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

External links

School Website
{{authority control 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