More than 700 students, parents and staff joined the Catholic Church this year

Arlington, Va. – While Catholic schools traditionally are prized for their high academic standards and orderly behavior, occasionally the evangelizing mission of schools is taken for granted. After all, aren’t all students in Catholic schools Catholic?

They are not, according to statistics compiled annually by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), the professional membership organization for Catholic schools and parish religious education programs. According to figures released this spring, approximately 14.5 percent, or nearly 308,000 students, enrolled in Catholic schools are not Catholic. The percentages vary widely from region to region, from few non-Catholic students in rural areas to inner-city schools where Catholic students may be the minority.

The full effect of a school’s evangelizing mission is difficult to pinpoint precisely. However, based on an email survey conducted by NCEA this spring, Catholic schools around the country reported more than 700 youth, parents and staff members connected to Catholic schools chose to become Catholic this year. Responses represented 17 percent of the nation’s 178 Latin-rite dioceses or archdioceses, so actual nationwide numbers would be higher if statistics were available.

According to NCEA President Karen Ristau, “These numbers speak impressively to the effectiveness of U.S. Catholic schools in sharing and spreading the faith. It’s testimony that religion is an integral part of the educational program and of students’ daily life at school.”

Many schools reported that the numbers of those received into the church were in the ones and twos, but several dioceses reported significant numbers of new members during the 2010 Easter season. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia reported that 100 students in elementary and high schools joined the church this year. The Archdiocese of Baltimore reported that 74 students and seven adults connected to schools joined the church. The Archdiocese of Atlanta reported 10 students. The Diocese of Jackson, Miss., where about 50 percent of the diocese’s students are Catholic, reported that 30 students, 15 parents or guardians and two teachers were received into the Catholic Church during Holy Week. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, with 18 of 22 schools responding, reported 41 students, 60 parents and eight teachers joined the church. The Diocese of Little Rock said that 37 adults and 39 children were received into the church.

The Archdiocese of Miami reported 76 students among 35 schools joined the church. Christian Brother Richard DeMaria, executive director of Christian formation for the archdiocese, said, “This supports the impression that Catholic schools are the most important form of evangelization in a parish.”

While many of the new Catholics were among students in the early grades, larger numbers came from the upper elementary grades and high schools. In some cases, students made the step independently; others were accompanied by their parents and other family members. At least 54 of the new Catholics were faculty and staff, including several school secretaries.

The individual stories are inspiring. In Des Moines, Iowa, a family of five (parents and three children) began the process after the oldest child in Catholic school began to wonder why his family did not attend any church.

John Paul II School in Sacramento, Calif., reported eight students this year and noted that the school has experienced one or two baptisms since the school opened in 2005. “We celebrate the baptisms as a school community because it’s a powerful witness to all of our students,” wrote Principal Fran Wise.

At St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Winter Park, Fla., a teacher of math, science and social studies for the sixth grade joined the church during the Easter Vigil. “Many of the students were present for his baptism,” said school Principal Kathleen Walsh. “This experience has been such an incredible blessing for our school community and especially for the sixth-grade class.”

A number of schools also reported that students received their first Communion or confirmation after their families returned to the practice of their Catholic faith.

NCEA, founded in 1904, is a professional membership organization that provides leadership, direction and service to fulfill the evangelizing, catechizing and teaching mission of the church. NCEA members include elementary schools, high schools, parish religious education programs and seminaries.

-30-

Catholic Schools Remain Faithful to their Evangelizing Mission