Chapter II - Rationale
The Pharr Oratory of St. Philip Neri School System is a private Catholic institution of primary education based on the thinking and spirituality of both St. Philip Neri and his spiritual son, John Henry Cardinal Newman, who stressed the importance of lay initiative and participation in the Church's work.
The Pharr Oratory of St. Philip Neri School System seeks the following:
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To provide for those desiring the opportunity to be enriched fully in a bicultural Christian life-style.
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To take full advantage of the rich geographical setting of a region which brings together the cultures of two great countries, namely, the United States of America and the Republic of Mexico.
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To prepare its students with the necessary Christian social skills (a) which will enable them to interact with unfamiliar elements of another culture with appreciation and respect, (b) which will provide them with the opportunity to incorporate valuable new knowledge and, in the process, (c) which will contribute greatly to their intellectual, social and spiritual growth.
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To prepare its students bilingually and biculturally to compete in the international job market.
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To teach and preserve cultural ancestral roots and models of the people of the region, since one's identity is intimately connected with one's past.
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To teach its students that their cultural background is worthy of recognition and contributing element to the growth of the community, thus helping them to develop a healthy self-concept.
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To foster oral and written language proficiency in both English and Spanish because of the region's bilingual setting; and finally.
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To serve as a model school in demonstrating the use of two languages in bicultural setting with Catholic doctrine permeating both curriculum and educational setting.