Bishop Solis' Message for Catholic Schools Week

Courtesy photo

+ Enlarge

The Diocese of Salt Lake City and Catholic schools throughout the nation will celebrate Catholic Schools Week this year beginning on Sunday, Jan. 29. This is a special time during the year when we pause to reflect on and celebrate the contributions that Catholic schools have made and continue to make in our community in Utah for over 100 years. Our 16 Utah Catholic schools offer a curriculum for the holistic development of the mind, body, heart and soul of students in a safe environment.

Since the easing of many of the COVID-19 restrictions, I have once again been able to resume my visits to the schools and to celebrate the Holy Mass for our Catholic school communities. I have enjoyed visiting classrooms and meeting with our students and teachers, and I am encouraged by the positive energy and excitement that our students have for their faith and for learning.

I am proud to report that on the National Assessment of Educational Process that is administered by the federal government to students across the country our students, along with other Catholic school students across the nation, showed little learning loss due to the COVID-19 crisis. I attribute this positive result to our dedicated teachers and administrators and our incredibly supportive parents. Indeed, on the same test, Catholic school students outscored students in other school systems on all four of the NAEP tests. It has been said that if Catholic schools were a state, they would be the highest performing state in the nation.

Pope Francis recognizes the importance of Catholic schools and included the educators in his prayer intention for the month of January. He said, “Educators are witnesses who not only impart their mental knowledge but also their convictions, their commitment to life.”

I am grateful to all the teachers, staff, administrators, parents, pastors and other friends for their generous support of our Catholic schools and the mission of the Church through Catholic education. I appreciate the collaborative partnership that our parents have with the Church in its mission to evangelize our children. I am profoundly grateful to our generous benefactors who have supported our schools now and in the past.

Together, let us thank God for the many blessings that our Catholic schools have brought to the Diocese of Salt Lake City and to our great state. I ask for your continued prayers and support for our schools as they continue to form the hearts and minds of our children.

May God bless us all!