"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations...
Teaching them to carry out everything I have commanded you."
Matthew 27:19-20

These words of Christ addressed to the apostles at the Ascension bestowed on the Church the office of teacher. Obedient to this divine challenge, the Church provides education permeated with the spirit of Christ and dedicated to promoting the full development of the human person. Catholic education in the United States of America has long been a priority of clergy and faithful
alike. The American bishops, in their pastoral letter on education in 1972, stated that Catholic schools are the most effective means available to the Church for the education of children and young people.2 The two-fold goal of Catholic schools is to provide an environment which will foster rich religious training as well as a solid academic education in a Christian value-oriented environment. As such, the Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Arlington share the following mission statement:

The Schools of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington provide an education rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ where Catholic values and academic excellence prepare each student for a life of faith, purpose, and integrity.

In 2006, Bishop Paul S. Loverde reaffirmed his belief in Catholic Schools in his Pastoral Letter Growing in Wisdom, Age, and Grace. “Catholic schools are apt instruments of evangelization – they are part and parcel of each parish and the larger community. With you I share the hope that our Catholic schools will bring the good news of Jesus Christ to students, teachers, volunteers, and parents, thereby promoting an authentic outreach to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.”