Making God Known, Loved, and Served: The Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States

Abstract

In June 2005, shortly before Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, became president of the University of Notre Dame, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a pastoral statement, "Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium." This document, building upon the rich experience of two hundred years of Catholic elementary and secondary education in the United States, underscores the essential role played by Catholic schools for the life of the Church. This report articulates the University of Notre Dame's response to the bishops' call for Catholic higher education to help address the future of elementary and secondary Catholic schools. It represents the work of a national task force Jenkins convened upon his inauguration, in response to the invitation issued by the bishops in their pastoral statement, to study the problem in breadth and detail. This report is offered to the leaders of the Church in the United States. It provides an overview of how Notre Dame will deepen its commitment to serve Catholic elementary and secondary schools and offers to Church leadership five recommendations drawing on themes articulated in "Renewing Our Commitment." (Contains 40 endnotes.)