Thursday, November 19, 2009

ARCHDIOCESE — Marianist Brother Joe Kamis, superintendent of schools and director of the Department of Educational Services for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati since 2002, is leaving the job in 2010 to become assistant provincial of the United States Province of his community, the Society of Mary.

Marianist Superior General Father Manuel Cortés appointed Brother Joe to an initial term of five years beginning July 1, 2010.

Brother Joe Kamis (Courtesy photo)

“Brother Joe Kamis has served the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and its schools generously and well for the past seven years,” said Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. “The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has always been conspicuously strong in its schools, and Brother Joe has helped to maintain that level of excellence. I am sorry to see him go, but I want him and the rest of the church of Cincinnati to know I am grateful for his ministry here.”

A search committee will be formed to identify a successor.

“The opportunity to serve the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for seven years in this position as superintendent was a blessed one for me,” said Brother Joe. “The assistant superintendents and the administrative staffs have been wonderful to work with and no one could have asked for greater collaboration and support. The ministry of Catholic education is a gift to the church and I have been so delighted to work with our principals and other leaders in this city for the good of the children. The administrators and teachers are very committed and dedicated to this ministry.  I will miss them all, but at the same time, I am excited about the ministry of service to the Society of Mary, Province of the United States.”

A native of Cleveland, Brother Joe, 62, made his first vows as a Marianist brother in 1966. He holds a bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in educational administration/supervision from John Carroll University in Cleveland. He served as principal of Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati (1986-1991) before joining the administration of the Society of Mary’s Cincinnati Province. He was assistant provincial and director of education from 1991 to 1997, and Dayton-based provincial until being appointed superintendent of schools and director of the Department of Educational Services in June 2002. At that time the Cincinnati province was merged into a new St. Louis-based United States Province combining what had been four provinces.

While assistant provincial, he led the Marianist Education Consortium, a group of 17 high schools run in the Marianist tradition. From 1992 to 1996 he was also president of the Marianist Conference, a leadership group of the four U.S. provinces of the Society of Mary.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 26th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with almost 500,000 Catholics, and has the eighth largest network of Catholic schools in terms of enrollment.