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LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Through the “I Give Catholic Campaign,” Lexington Catholic kicked off a way to celebrate the contributions of Father Norman Fischer.
Tributes outside the school and throughout hallways honor their longtime chaplain.
“The bishop at his funeral, he said, God, thank you for Norman, and who he was,” Lexington Catholic President Rob Rumpke said.
The school established the Father Norman Fischer Scholarship Fund commemorating his lasting impact. It’s a neverending initiative providing opportunities for underserved students so they can experience the education offered at the school.
“It’s a wonderful legacy, it’s just beginning and, we’ve at this point already raised over $40,000,” Rumpke added.
That’s the money raised just in the last two weeks as tuition assistance, donations and grants for deserving students.
This scholarship fund embraces the school’s core values…in mind, spirit and body, and Father Norm’s ability to touch so many lives fostering diversity and inclusion.
“It was all about loving and caring for each individual person, the dignity of each individual, and who they were,” Rumpke said.
Father Norm was a mentor for Jacob Smith.
“I actually knew Father Norman for less than a year. It was ten, 11 months, and I always tell people I’ll never know another person in my life who made such an impact in less than a year,” Smith said.
A University of Kentucky Student Manager and former student body chaplain at Lexington Christian Academy, Smith said Father Norm helped him strengthen the relationship between Lexington Christian Academy and Lexington Catholic.
“That was Father Norm, from St. Peter Claver, throughout Lexington, the region and beyond. It was his energy, a unique gift…bringing people together,” Smith said.
“Whether it was the fist bumping and exploding fists or ‘Yo bro how’s it going today’ or he was shouldering, or he was always smiling… you never saw him without a smile. When there was a difficult issue, he was a master at really maneuvering that situation and making everybody feel good in that meeting. He made everyone feel welcome, and he reached out to everyone. That’s what made him so special,” Rumpke said.
To donate to the Father Norman Fischer Scholarship Fund, you can go online to www.LexingtonCatholic.com or mail checks payable to
Lexington Catholic High School including “Honoring Father Norman” in the memo line:
Mailing Address:
Attention: Business Office
Lexington Catholic High School
2250 Clays Mill Road
Lexington, KY 40503