OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
THE DIOCESE OF TOLEDO
1933 SPIELBUSCH AVENUE
TOLEDO, OHIO 43604-5360

February 7, 2011

To the Catholic People in the Metro-Toledo area
Dear Friends in Christ,

Around this time last year I prepared a video message for the whole diocese in which I spoke of the success as well as some of the serious challenges faced today by our Catholic schools. Catholic education is more important than ever for handing on the faith and for preparing future generations to contribute to the spiritual and material well-being of our country. Not just parents, but all the Catholic people and all parishes, are called upon to support Catholic schools. As a diocese we need to be pro-active in planning for the future, and in considering the possibility of new approaches. It is clear that if nothing is done we will continue to see a piecemeal erosion of the success story we have inherited from the past.

Having just celebrated the annual "Catholic Schools Week," I would like to update you on the steps that have been taken since last year to ensure the quality and sustainability of Catholic education.

After last year's video presentation I instituted a task force, under the direction of our Diocesan Schools' Superintendent, to review the current situation of Catholic schools in Metro-Toledo and to make recommendations that address today's challenges in the area of enrollment, finances, educational quality and Catholic identity. After almost a year's work, the preliminary recommendations of the task force include but are not limited to the following:

• The success and impact of our Catholic educational ministry should be made better known, appreciated and supported by all our Catholic people.
• An educational ministry of this size and influence is best served by management and oversight that incorporates both local and centralized leadership.
• This ministry needs to take advantage of opportunities to run our schools more effectively by working together as one community.
• There needs to be a fundamental shift in how our Catholic educational ministry is funded, so as to ensure its sustainability and availability to all Catholics, not just the wealthiest among us.
• The design and implementation process for any changes will need to take place over the next several years.

On the basis of these preliminary recommendations, over the next few months the task force will be seeking your input as Metro-Toledo Catholics. There will be various meetings and "town hall" sessions. A major survey will be taken, both written and on-line. I invite all of you, for the future good of our Catholic schools and the young people they serve, to contribute to this consultation process in a positive way. We are at an important crossroads, both locally and nationally, when it comes to Catholic schools. The future will be shaped by the interest and commitment of Catholics like yourselves, so thank you in advance for your participation.

As our diocesan Centenary observance draws to a close, let us keep before our eyes all the clergy, religious women and men, and devoted laity who made Catholic education what it is in our diocese. And let us pray for an equally great vision of what Catholic education can be for the future with God's blessing and our renewed commitment.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair
Bishop of Toledo