Catholic schools and catechetical programs...are not finally about teaching young people to work hard, contribute to society, and be honest and kind to others. Clearly those virtues are important. But they aren’t ends in themselves. They flow from the larger mission of our schools and programs. The goal of all Catholic education is to form young people in a strong Catholic faith, a faith rooted in the truth about God and humanity, a faith that can guide them to a fruitful life in this world, and home to the joy of eternal life with their Creator.

Catholic education starts with a simple principle: Facts and achievements are empty, or worse, unless they’re embedded in a pattern of meaning. The deepest hunger of the human heart isn’t for knowledge but for purpose. This is why Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John (8:32) have always had such power: “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Truth organises reality. It gives meaning and direction to life, and in doing so, it sustains hope...This enduring passion for truth is the fire at the heart of all Catholic education... – Archbishop Emeritus Charles Chaput of Philadelphia