Catholic leaders have outlined a vision for renewing Catholic education through the formation of the whole child — mind, body, and soul — amid concerns about secular influences on modern education, according to a June 12 article published by Christendom College.
The effort seeks to provide a shared foundation for Catholic school renewal by reaffirming what organizers described as the supernatural purpose of education and the Church's understanding of the human person.
The vision was articulated in the Front Royal Statement, a document developed following the inaugural Front Royal Education Summit held May 27-28 at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.
The statement outlines seven principles of Catholic elementary and secondary education, addressing topics such as the dignity of the human person, parental rights, teacher formation, curriculum, and Catholic culture, and argues that authentic education is ultimately ordered toward God and concerned with the supernatural formation of young people.
Shawn Peterson, president of Catholic Education Partners, said the statement is intended to provide direction and clarity for educators and institutions committed to renewing Catholic education "in service to the human person."
Participants in the summit included four U.S. bishops, diocesan superintendents and administrators, higher education leaders, scholars, and representatives of Catholic educational organizations from across the country.
Elisabeth Sullivan, vice president of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, said authentic Christian education is often overlooked in favor of practical, outcomes-driven approaches.
She said the statement reaffirms that education is ultimately directed toward God.
"True Christian education, as the statement affirms,”she said, according to Christendom, “is ordered to God and concerned with the supernatural formation of the whole child.”
Organizers said they hope the statement will unify efforts to strengthen Catholic schools by providing a common vision rooted in the Church’s educational tradition.