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1789- Georgetown University is Founded, becoming the first Catholic university in the US

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1789- Georgetown University is Founded, becoming the first Catholic university in the US

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Georgetown University is the first Catholic institution of higher learning established by Bishop John Carroll, the first head of the American Catholic Church (appointed in 1784). Georgetown officially opened in 1792, with more than 40 male students from the US and around the world. The school accepted its first female students in 1881 but became much more diverse in the 1960s when it became fully coed and began accepting African American students.

At its conception the school was a leader in Catholic education because it was the first of its kind on American soil. At the time, the university’s mission was to fuse Catholic teachings with the republican culture of the then six-year-old United States of America. In the centuries following, it set a precedence of academic excellence for other Catholic universities across the country. Georgetown’s current impact on society, though still deeply rooted in the Catholic faith, has broadened to “deepen inter-religious dialogue and understanding.”

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1812- Elizabeth Ann Seton creates the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph

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1812- Elizabeth Ann Seton creates the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph

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Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton created Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph, which promoted Catholic women’s education. She established the first free Catholic school for girls in the US, which greatly increased the accessibility of Catholic education. The school’s mission and model of education valued teaching the Faith and duties of Christian life, as well as serving the poor and providing inclusion and community for all students.
The school was a leader and pioneer in the development and mission of Catholic education because of its community-minded structure. It utilized team teaching and recognized that “abilities are not alike in all children”.  Administration was a team effort and professional preparation/development for teachers was deemed a necessity. There was an open line of communication between staff and the students’ families. Most importantly, faith was a cornerstone of the school, and songs/hymns were often used to help teach the faith.

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1884 - Third Plenary Council in Baltimore 

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1884 - Third Plenary Council in Baltimore 

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The Council created the Baltimore Catechism and ordered parishes to open schools.  This was the first big push for Catholic schools that spread throughout the country.  Waves of students including from families in poverty and of immigration came to the schools.  Tuition was low due to parish and diocesan support.  Priests and nuns were plentiful at the time to help keep the labor expenses to a minimum.

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This is the largest private, professional education association in the world.  It works with Catholic educators to support faith formation and the teaching mission of the Catholic Church.  It's focus is to develop current and future leaders, provide resources and professional development opportunities for those committed to Catholic education and to serve as a national voice for Catholic schools.

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GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS -This Declaration of Christian Education views education as extremely important to mankind and should be fostered by the church. Education comes first from the parents as they are the primary and principal educators of children.  Through the sacrament of marriage, children should be taught from their early years to know God through the faith they receive at baptism.  Catholic education should not only prepare children to do good works on earth, but to prepare them to serve in the Kingdom of God.  This should be reflected from all levels of education from elementary to universities.

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2022- Congregation for Catholic Education: The Identity of the Catholic School

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2022- Congregation for Catholic Education: The Identity of the Catholic School

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Pope Francis invites Catholic schools to examine the strength of their own Catholic Identity in our current world. The intention of this document is to provide a clear framework for Catholic schools to use when examining their own Catholic identity, especially considering the many social changes that have taken place globally in recent years. It reminds us that the mission of Catholic Education is to evangelize, inspire a deeper sense of faith, and provide the “fundamental principles” that will develop Christ-like individuals who are deserving of admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven. The document reminds us (teachers) that faith shall be embedded into every aspect of Catholic school learning, and that our goal is to teach in a way that makes Christ tangible for our students.