FALL RIVER — Catholic schools in the Fall River Diocese will celebrate National Catholic Schools Week January 26 through February 1 with open houses, Masses and a variety of special programs and activities.

The week is observed annually across the country beginning on the last Sunday in January to highlight the value of a Catholic education and the contributions of Catholic schools to not only young people but to the Church and society as well.

Catholic Schools Week is also the time when most schools open registration for the following academic year. Parents who are interested in enrolling a child in a Catholic school in the diocese or learning more about one should contact the school of interest for information on open houses and registration.

The national theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week is “Catholic Schools – Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.”

Fall River Diocesan Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael S. Griffin said that the theme “embodies the integration of academics, faith and values that occurs each day in our schools.”

Throughout the week, the 23 Catholic schools in the diocese will celebrate the spiritual, academic and social dimensions of their schools.

One event will bring together Catholic school students and faculty from the Attleboro and Taunton areas for a Catholic Schools Week Mass with Bishop George W. Coleman at 10 a.m., Tuesday, January 28, in St. Mary’s Church in Mansfield.

Upper-grade level students from Catholic elementary schools in the Greater New Bedford area will travel to Bishop Stang High School, North Dartmouth, on Thursday, January 30, to participate in a regional academic challenge.

Within individual schools, the Catholic Schools Week schedule will feature liturgies, artistic and academic showcases, career days, service projects, athletic games, student, teacher and volunteer appreciation events, guest speakers and socials.

Dr. Griffin explained that along with highlighting all that a Catholic education offers to students, Catholic Schools Week is also an opportunity to consider the contributions Catholic schools have made and continue to make to the Church, local communities, and society.

“Graduates of our schools have been challenged to think and act with integrity, grounded in Catholic faith, values and the intellectual traditions that have long characterized Catholic schools,” he said.

“Studies have shown that faith nurtured in Catholic schools is passed on to the next generation, is carried into the workplace, inspires participation as adults in parish life, and guides roles of responsible citizenship in pursuit of meaningful and ethical responses to the challenges of today’s world.”

Established in 1974, Catholic Schools Week is this year marking its 40th anniversary. It is a joint project of the National Catholic Education Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Diocese of Fall River
Diocese of Fall River
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