
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Greetings in the Lord!
Each year, the annual observance of Catholic Schools Week affords us an opportunity to reflect on the Good News in Catholic education. During this Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025 called by His Holiness Pope Francis on the rich theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” let us recall how Catholic education is an integral part of the mission and life of the whole Church.
Dr. Mary Beth Bowling, our archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools, and I invite the Christian faithful to seize this Year of Jubilee as a moment of focus on our collective mission to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ by forming our communities and stakeholders to be of genuine service to the world around us.
The work of Catholic education serves not only to ensure our youth provided a solid education in traditional academic subjects but also to ensure that the educational endeavor is steeped in curricular standards rooted in the Gospel, in the spiritual formation of students, faculty, and staff – all considering the diverse populations to which we are called to witness faith.
As pilgrims on this journey, Pope Francis invites us to experience the boundless love of God and to be signs of hope for those around us. Our Catholic schools provide communities of hope, grounded in faith, that form the whole child – body, soul, and spirit. Our objective, goal, and aim is to help others to experience and express the love of God with the hope of building up the Kingdom with each another.
I join Pope Francis in expressing that hope in the future is being enthusiastic about life and sharing that joy. May we all embark on this pilgrim journey as signs of hope as we make our faith more apparent through prayer and service. Let us strengthen and grow our common friendship with Christ in whom there is no east or west, in whom there is no south or north.
Please consider taking advantage of the opportunity to obtain the graces of an indulgence during the Year of Jubilee by visiting the pilgrimage churches I have established in the Archdiocese of Louisville: Cathedral of the Assumption (Louisville); Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral (Bardstown); Shrine of St. Martin of Tours (Louisville); Church of St. Augustine (Lebanon); Church of St. Helen (Glasgow); and Church of the Holy Cross (Loretto).
Happy Catholic Schools Week! Please know of my prayers for all who participate in this vital ministry of Catholic school education. Know that I remain,
Sincerely in the Lord,

Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre
Archbishop of Louisville