Catholic Education: An Act of Hope
At the beginning of his ministry, Bishop Earl K. Fernandes outlined four priorities for the Diocese of Columbus: Evangelization, Vocations, Catholic Education and Formation, and Social Outreach.
There is a growing need to address a strategic plan for Catholic Education and Formation in our diocese, and we are experiencing a dramatic increase in enrollment. Schools are reaching 90% capacity with many on waiting lists.
Acknowledging this need, Bishop Fernandes has prepared a pastoral letter titled: Catholic Education: An Act of Hope, emphasizing that our schools are a vital means by which evangelization and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ takes place.
Read Bishop Fernandes’ letter here:
This pastoral letter should be read in the context of and in conjunction with several other documents: Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Letter, “Drawing New Maps of Hope,” the Front Royal Statement, which Dr. Adam Dufault, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, and Bishop Fernandes signed, and finally, Unapologetically Catholic: A Strategic Vision of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Columbus, developed by the Office of Catholic Schools.
“Catholic schools exist to evangelize. If they do not contribute to this mission or if they undermine this mission, their reason for existence ceases.”
– Bishop Earl K. Fernandes