My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our Catholic faith has always celebrated the pursuit of knowledge for the glory of God, and education is an integral part of this work. In the words of Pope Francis, “The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth, of what is good and beautiful.”

As summer comes to an end and the school year begins for children in South Carolina, Catholic educators across our diocese will resume providing their impactful learning experiences and faith formation in our parishes and schools. We are blessed to have 33 Catholic schools within our diocese that offer rigorous instruction rooted in Gospel values centered on the Eucharist.

During my time as your bishop, education has always been a priority. The exponential growth of the state has called for a revitalization of our schools and their accreditation. Even as Catholic schools around the country were consolidating and closing, the Diocese of Charleston saw the opening of Holy Trinity School (K-5) in Longs in my first year, followed by John Paul II (7-12) in Ridgeland and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (6-12) in Myrtle Beach.

In addition, St. Anne in Rock Hill (K-12) and Our Lady of the Rosary (K-12) in Greenville expanded to include high school grades. Other schools, like Cardinal Newman in Columbia and St. Anthony of Padua in Greenville, expanded their campuses. For our Hispanic/Latino community, we created Escuela de la Fe (“School of Faith”) for adult faith formation. And, we are still actively working to bring a work-study Cristo Rey School to South Carolina to serve low-income students and families.

I want to say a special thanks to you parents for the important role you play in your children’s education. You will forever be their first teachers. I would also like to thank our educators for their dedication to their vocations. Please join me in prayer for our faculties and students as they embark on the next chapter of their journey this fall.

In the Lord’s Peace,

Most. Rev. Robert E. Guglielmone, DD

Bishop of Charleston