[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 9 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

 Mr. VITTER. Mr. President today, I would like to recognize and 
honor the valuable contributions of Catholic schools in educating our 
young people throughout our great Nation. This year from January 29 to 
February 5, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week to recognize the 
exceptional work of Catholic education programs across the country.
  Our Nation's Catholic schools have received international praise for 
academic excellence and have provided students with lessons that extend 
far beyond the classroom. These schools have continued to impart 
comprehensive curriculums that emphasize moral, intellectual, and 
physical development in young people.
  In Louisiana, our Catholic schools maintain high academic standards, 
foster a healthy learning environment for students, and encourage 
family involvement in the ongoing education of children.
  Today, more than two million students attend Catholic schools in the 
United States, and Catholic schools nationally graduate 99 percent of 
students with more than 97 percent pursuing college degrees.
  The National Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, ``Education is 
one of the most important ways by which the Church fulfills its 
commitment to the dignity of the person and building of community. 
Community is central to education ministry, both as a necessary 
condition and an ardently desired goal. The educational efforts of the 
Church, therefore, must be directed to forming persons-in-community; 
for the education of the individual Christian is important not only to 
his solitary destiny, but also the destinies of the many communities in 
which he lives.''
  This statement not only stresses the importance of education as part 
of the mission of the Catholic Church, but also the importance of 
community and schools in shaping our young people as they go out in to 
the world to become valuable members of society and their community.
  This week, we recognize the students, their families, teachers, 
administrators, all of our parish leaders, and our communities for 
their efforts to support our Catholic schools and continued achievement 
towards the education of our young people.

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