October 3, 2024
Representatives from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., visited the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Oct. 3 to formally award Lumen Accreditation to its system of 90 Catholic schools.
Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, president of CUA, presented the Archdiocese’s Lumen Accreditation certificate to Archbishop Bernard Hebda during a ceremony at Ave Maria Academy in Maple Grove. He was joined by Dr. Jason Slattery, the Archdiocese’s director of Catholic education and superintendent of schools, and Dr. Emily Dahdah, director of educational quality and excellence.
With Dr. Thomas Smith, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Daryl Hagan, director of the Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education; Dr. Andrew Kremer, director of the program of accreditation; and Dr. Todd Sweda, associate director of the program of accreditation, Dr. Kilpatrick also presented certificates of achievement to Ave Maria Academy and Saint John Paul II Catholic School in Minneapolis.
In speaking to Ave Maria Academy students, faculty, staff and guests after reciting a decade of the rosary, Archbishop Hebda highlighted that the most important work of Catholic schools is passing on the faith to young people.
“Ave Maria is an excellent school; we’re trying to make sure that this school and all our Catholic schools are more excellent,” the archbishop said. “Not only do we pray about that and try to do our best, but we also seek the help of experts from around the country.”
Lumen Accreditation, the Archbishop noted, provides that expertise and the best resources in what makes an excellent Catholic school — how they’re forming young minds, “not only in coming to know Christ, but also to thrive in so many areas.”
In his remarks, Dr. Kilpatrick said the Lumen Accreditation process helps schools think more deeply about how to be even better, and he was proud to present the very first Lumen Accreditation certificates to Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
At Saint John Paul II, the Archbishop and Dr. Kilpatrick addressed students, faculty, staff and guests in the gymnasium before presenting the school’s certificate.
“As good as we might be, we can always be better,” Dr. Kilpatrick said. “It’s so important at this moment in our Church’s history in the United States that we all come together to learn from each other so that we can more closely identify with our Lord Jesus, with God, with our faith. And there’s so much to learn. So, let’s continue to work together and lift each other up as we pursue the very best in Catholic education.”
Thanking her school community, The Catholic University of America and the Archdiocese, Principal Tricia Menzhuber commended the collected effort to achieve Lumen Accreditation.
“This is a huge milestone for us,” she said. “I am confident that we are going to grow, we’re going to get better and better, and we’re going to live our Catholic faith more truly.”
At both schools, Archbishop Hebda and the CUA representatives visited with members of the school communities and toured the campuses.
Intensive onsite visit
The accreditation ceremonies come just weeks after a team from Lumen Accreditation and other Catholic educational institutions from across the United States completed an onsite visit in the Archdiocese to learn how its Office for the Mission of Catholic Education is advancing the Church’s vision of education and meeting the requirements for systems accreditation through its Catholic School Study, which each school participates in.
This team met with OMCE, conducted more than 100 interviews with a cross section of stakeholder groups — including Archbishop Hebda, pastors, heads of schools and Catholic school parents — and visited six Catholic schools to see how the Archdiocese is maintaining the highest standards for academic excellence, character development, spiritual growth, governance, financial sustainability and all aspects that make its Catholic schools exceptional.
“Lumen Accreditation is a hopeful undertaking for the good and future of Catholic schools — not only here in the Archdiocese, but also across the United States,” Dr. Slattery said. “We are grateful to our Catholic schools for their partnership in this important work to advance an integrated vision of educational quality and excellence across our system in a way that is consistent with our mission and tradition.”