As Catholic educators, we believe that every child is a gift from God from the moment of conception. We believe that the children enrolled in our schools, parish religious education programs and other youth programs must be treated with dignity, respect and care.

We believe that parents are the first and primary educators of their children. When parents send them to us to learn, we accept them as a sacred shared trust. We promise to ensure the safety of their children whom we regard as our children as well.

Our schools have been built on a strong foundation that includes a safe and supportive environment, strong academic standards and a faith-based curriculum. We work to instill Christian values and strong moral standards. We believe that every child has a right to learn and we expect the best from them, regardless of their background.

At this difficult time, it is important to note that our foundation is not shaken. Catholic education is built on the shoulders of thousands of men and women who went before us and devoted their lives and talents to teaching. It is brought to life by the 165,000 Catholic educators who serve in over 8,000 Catholic elementary and secondary schools today and by the thousands who teach in 18,000 parish religious education programs.

As educators, we extend our deepest sympathy to the victims who have suffered a loss of their childhood and their innocence. This is a gift that can never be returned to them.

While many of the cases under review at this time may have happened some years ago, our pledge to the victims, to their families and to all those we serve is that we will do all in our power to assure that what happened will not happen again.

All states have strong legal requirements for schools to report allegations of child abuse, and Catholic schools comply fully with these requirements. In addition, almost every U.S. diocese has a strict policy designed to protect all children enrolled in Catholic schools and parish religious education programs. Virtually all Catholic schools have policies and procedures in place as well to screen staff and to ensure the safety of our children. These are our legal and moral responsibilities and we honor them. Beyond this, we are committed to examining every aspect of our work to make sure that we always respond with integrity and wisdom not only to the requirements of the law but also to the call of the Gospel.

It is the safety and well being of our children that matters the most to all Catholic educators. It is a sacred trust that we will continue to uphold and defend.