Dear Friends,
I write to share exciting news of a development that promises to be truly formative and impactful for the national renewal of Catholic education.
The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) was honored to send a dedicated leadership delegation—including myself, Jake Tawney, and Abriana Chilelli—to participate in the inaugural Front Royal Education Summit at Christendom College. Together with Catholic bishops, higher education leaders, scholars, superintendents, and leaders of other apostolates, we drafted and signed a landmark document: The Front Royal Statement: Seven Cardinal Principles of Catholic Elementary and Secondary Education.
The release date of this statement was intentionally chosen for today’s Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the U.S. Bishops’ consecration of our nation yesterday. It is to His Pierced Heart — the infinite ocean of mercy and the wellspring of the Church’s life — that we entrust the future of our schools. This seminal document lays out a unifying vision that will accelerate the renewal of Catholic education. It offers a concrete framework to reclaim the Church’s deeply human understanding of teaching and learning. ICLE has long embraced these principles and practices, and we have seen the fruits in the schools we serve. They will remain the strategic guide for our work.
A Call for Unifying Prayer
As we move forward in close unity with bishops, clergy, religious, superintendents, school leaders, apostolates, universities, teachers, and Catholic Church leaders, please join us in a shared prayer for this movement. Let us pray together that Christ the Teacher will set the hearts of our educators on fire with love, grant clarity to our leaders, and pour out His grace upon our students so they may joyfully pursue faith, wisdom, and virtue.
We invite you to explore the document and the collaborative spirit of the Summit.
In the Sacred Heart of Christ the Teacher,
Elisabeth Sullivan
Vice President of Mission Advancement