September 10, 2014 – Excerpted from Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

Recently in an address at the Vatican to students and teachers, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, shared that “schools are a precious means for making a contribution to the progress of the Church and of society as a whole.”

Within the Diocese of Brooklyn, we are blessed with 84 Catholic elementary schools/academies, three religious congregational or private Catholic institutions and 18 Catholic high schools. This week, I welcome all of you to a new academic year and wish to share, in particular, an update on elementary education here in Brooklyn and Queens.

Christ is at the heart of Catholic education, and the Holy Spirit always gives life to the heart. And, the heart of Catholic education within Brooklyn and Queens can be seen as the Preserving the Vision strategic planning process for Catholic education within the Diocese. Preserving the Vision sets forth priorities for Catholic education including strengthened Catholic identity and academic excellence, increased enrollment, enhanced instruction, stabilized infrastructure of school buildings and strengthened leadership and collaboration.

Additionally, Preserving the Vision highlights the commitment of academies and schools to the New Evangelization “in order to meet the challenges which today’s society and changing cultures are posing to the faith.”

Read the full text of the bishop’s column on The Tablet website.