Catholic Schools Week Supplement
2007-08 facts about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
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Archdiocesan Administration
The Secretariat for Catholic Education and Faith Formation of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis includes the Office of Catholic Education (OCE), the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and St. Mary’s Child Center.
The Office of Catholic Education oversees and assists the Catholic schools, parish faith formation, evangelization and youth ministries for 151 parishes and missions in 11 deaneries throughout a
39-county area of central and southern Indiana comprising some 13,757 square miles and serving 230,086 Catholics.
Special programs operating under the auspices of OCE are “A Promise to Keep,” a peer-mentoring sexual abstinence program sponsored by St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, and SPRED, the Special Religious Education program serving developmentally disabled parishioners.
The Office of Catholic Education was founded in 1974 when the former school office and office of religious education were formed into one of the first offices of “Total Catholic Education” in the nation.
Under Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein and in consultation with the Archdiocesan Education Commission (AEC), the OCE utilizes a team management approach in support of the teaching mission of the local Church— “learning, teaching and sharing our faith.”
In 2002, youth ministry was added to the OCE mission. In 2003, evangelization ministries were added.
Support for site-based programs is provided through direct service, resources, consultation, training, community-building, and collaboration with constituents in the parishes and schools in conjunction with other archdiocesan agencies.
The OCE received a historic $10 million challenge grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. for school improvement in Marion County for 2002-06. The challenge was met with more than $5 million in matching gifts from generous corporate and individual donors and grants.
Project EXCEED has focused on a new set of the “three R’s” in our Catholic schools:
- Recruit, retain, reward and develop the best school teachers and administrators.
- Raise the level of students’ performance and report their progress.
- Reach out to special populations with advanced capabilities or special needs.
Results of the initiatives under this project have been impressive. It is hoped that many programs begun under Project EXCEED can be sustained and replicated through the Legacy for Our Mission capital campaign, grants and other sources.
Major constituencies of the Office of Catholic Education include pastors, principals, parish administrators of religious education, youth ministers, and members of school and faith formation commissions and high school boards.
Constituents are involved collaboratively in projects to design and develop curriculum, policies, provide inservice training, produce manuals and guidelines, carry out studies and participate in professional development. For more information, please visit the OCE Web site listed below. †
Office of Catholic Education
