| Holy Spirit Catholic School | |
| Streetaddress: | 601 James I. Harrison Jr. Pkwy East |
| Coordinates: | 33.1739°N -87.5275°W |
| District: | Diocese of Birmingham |
| Affiliation: | National Catholic Educational Association[1] |
| Principal: | Jonathan Loper |
| Staff: | 59 |
| Faculty: | 27 |
| Act: | 25 |
| Athletics: | Alabama High School Athletic Association (Class 1A) |
| Song: | Sanctuary |
| Motto: | "Accept the Mission, Share the Spirit" |
| Accreditation: | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[2] |
| Team Name: | Holy Spirit Saints |
| Rivals: | American Christian Academy, Tuscaloosa Academy |
| Yearbook: | Spiritus |
| Founded: | 1963 |
| Students: | 232 |
Holy Spirit Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic K-12 school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.[3]
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.
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.[4] 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.[5]
Sr. Elaine Sebera, a member of the Sisters of Mercy[6] and school principal at the time of the investigation, directed reporters' questions to diocesan officials who also declined to comment.
Bishop Robert Baker, about a year before his canonically required retirement,[7] published a list of all priests the church deemed credibly accused of sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Birmingham.[8]
Source:
The Holy Spirit website does not provide a list of former priests who have served the school.[9] However, there are no known claims against priests of that parish.
Holy Spirit offers volleyball,football, cross country, basketball, softball, baseball, track, cheerleading, bowling, golf, and tennis.[11]
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.[12]
As of 2022 Holy Spirit has reinstated their varsity football team. [13]