(Ed. Note: Following is a letter from Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan to teachers in the Archdiocese of Atlanta on the future of education.)

Our archdiocese, like every part of the Catholic American scene, is facing a series of tensions in regard to education. Not catastrophes, not crises. Our course is clear, but the tensions come because a series of hard facts are at present creating anxiety.

Among these hard facts are: a)the Catholic growth, especially at the school level; b) Atlanta’s shifting, mobile population; c)our insistence of top-quality education, programming, salaries, equipment and extracurricular opportunities; d)the rising costs of construction, labor materials and design; e)the properly-placed emphasis on the division of the “Catholic-dollar” pastoral, social, liturgical, inner-city, ecumenical, public schools and college level-up to now, the majority of the dollar has gone to our schools.

In the ongoing (and daily) study of these incontrovertible facts, the Archdiocese of Atlanta is pursuing two paths to one goal-good Christian education for all. First is the continued operation of every Catholic school until it is simply educationally and financially impossible. There will be no across-the-board phasing out.

Second is the continued exploration of every other facet religious education, especially the “Schools of Religion”. Every parish must have such a school with trained lay teachers, good content and proper methodology. Home education is to be intensified, Catechetics for high school students, and full Newman programs for our colleges and universities are being developed. At least ten trained priests and sisters will be directing this new phase of our archdiocesan educational movement.

We ask the understanding, service and prayers of every Catholic. Not only the future of Catholicism rests in these schools. The present itself may flourish or wither right in our time.

With every good wish,

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Paul J. Hallinan

Archbishop of Atlanta