Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 16, 2025 / 07:00 am
Here’s a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States:
Notre Dame drops ‘acceptance and support for Catholic mission’ from staff values
The University of Notre Dame has dropped acceptance and support for its Catholic mission from the list of staff values it has held for the past 20 years.
The university’s leadership announced new updates to its staff values at its Fall 2025 Staff Town Halls on Oct. 29 and 30, according to a press release. Human Resources President Heather Christophersen said the new values were “an expression of how we seek to advance Notre Dame’s mission as a global, Catholic research university.”
Prior to the change, Notre Dame’s staff values were as follows:
— Accountability: Takes responsibility and ownership for decisions, actions, and results. Accountable for both how and what is accomplished
— Teamwork: Works cooperatively as a member of a team and is committed to the overall team objectives rather than own interests
— Integrity: Demonstrates honest and ethical behavior that displays a high moral standard. Widely trusted, respectful, and honorable
— Leadership in Excellence: Demonstrates energy and commitment to improving results, takes initiatives often involving calculated risks while considering the common good
— Leadership in Mission: Understands, accepts, and supports the Catholic mission of the university and fosters values consistent with that mission
The new and pared down values and their descriptions are:
— Community: Treat every person with dignity and respect.
— Collaboration: Work together with honesty, kindness, and humility.
— Excellence: Pursue the highest standards with a commitment to truth and service.
— Innovation: Embrace opportunities with creativity and dedication.
According to the Notre Dame Observer, Christophersen said in an email to staff that the former Notre Dame values “had only one value that pointed into mission” and that the decision to remove the “Leadership in Mission” value was motivated by a desire to reframe the school’s Catholic mission as all-encompassing. She said the old values had caused confusion in staff evaluation processes during annual performance reviews and that the school does not monitor religious affiliation for staff in the same way as faculty and students.
Notre Dame did not return multiple requests for comment.
University of St. Francis and Belleville Diocese announce student admission partnership
The University of St. Francis (USF) and the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, have announced a new partnership guaranteeing admission for diocesan high school graduates.
Students from Althoff Catholic High School, Mater Dei Catholic High School, and Gibault Catholic High School will have guaranteed admission at the university as well as the opportunity to earn scholarships of up to $3,000.
“We are so pleased with this partnership and look forward to welcoming students from the Catholic high schools within the Belleville Diocese,” University of St. Francis President Ryan C. Hendrickson said in a press release announcing the partnership.
“In addition to the guaranteed admission, USF plans to host workshops and information sessions for diocese-based school counselors, teachers, parents, and prospective students. USF will also offer campus visitation days, facilitating exploration and engagement with the diocese schools,” the release stated.
Archdiocese of Hartford to open 2 new Catholic schools amid Mass attendance boom
The Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, will open two new Catholic schools next year as Mass attendance and renewed interest in the faith continues to rise.
“A lot of the decisions that are being made in the public-school systems are not decisions that a lot of people find easy to hold, and they’re looking for places where they could just find a little bit less politics,” Archbishop Christopher Coyne said, emphasizing the important role of Catholic schools in this environment, according to a local report. Coyne said elsewhere that the new school openings come amid “a great reversal of the downward trends we experienced before and during COVID.”
One of the schools, Chesterton Academy of St. Francis of Assisi, will accept ninth and 10th grade students in fall 2026. The other school, the Catholic Academy of Hartford, will accept pre-K through second graders starting in the fall, adding a grade each year until it reaches the eighth grade. The school will operate on an income-based tuition model.
St. Anselm College announces reception of $40 million gift
St. Anselm College, a Benedictine liberal arts school in New Hampshire, announced a $40 million gift, the largest donation in the school’s 136-year history.
The gift was from Robert and Beverly Grappone, whose son, Greg, graduated from the college in 2004 and passed away from cancer at the age of 35. “While many colleges and universities are struggling in a challenging higher education environment, St. Anselm is fortunate to have a different story,” the college said in a press release announcing the historic gift. “The college has seen enrollment growth over the last four years, increasing each year since the post-COVID class. This year’s incoming freshmen class set a record with 647 students. The college has a retention rate of 90%.”
The gift includes $11 million designated for the school of business, which will be named the Robert J. Grappone School of Business and Innovation, a $5 million endowment to the Grappone Humanities Institute, and “multimillion dollar renovations” to the school’s residence halls, support for the athletic complex, an endowment for the school’s nursing program, scholarships, and further campus improvements.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
A mere formality.
Next up.
The new Prayers.
“Our government, who art in Washington…”
Precisely. The administration, faculty and board of Notre Dame are great respecters of men, with the exception of Jesus, who is nothing more than a guilded statue.
ND wants to be more inclusive and not offend LGBT trans etc staff with Catholic values that offend LGB trans etc. ND is now full throttle DIE.
Notre Dame is dying on DIE, so sad for a once great Catholic university. Touchdown Jesus is being betrayed again by the shinning 30 pieces of lgbt and an angry woke mob in the garden of South Bend. May touchdown Jesus have mercy on the souls of losers.
Remember that, post-Dobbs, UND had a faculty member in sociology facilitating access to abortion when Indiana restricted it. When the student paper revealed her actions (note the students did it) she sued them, only to get slapped down by a federal court that ordered her to pay their legal fees. Oh, but she publishes–and nothing gets the University of Theodore Hesburgh a bigger thrill than being considered Catholic Ivy — certainly not being considered “Catholic” (except at alumni donation time).
My affinity for Notre Dame ended when, during the Obama administration they asked him to speak at one of I believe, was a commencement. I recall that many Cathlic Bishops were outraged and asked he be disinvited. The school allowed him to speak after all, stating they were honoring the office of the president not his personal and religious beliefs.
‘Gilded’?
“Guilded” would be that they inducted him into their “guild” or “dubbed” /knighted him into their “dub” or club.
“we now dub you Guilded.”
Once your train goes off the rails there’s no end to it until the full crash completes. Here and there Notre Dame tries to resurge Catholic but there’s a futility to that if that is all the are wont to allow.
https://www.grammarly.com/commonly-confused-words/gild-vs-guild
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/dub
…”Hallowed be thy subsidies…”
Notre Dame does many things well, but humility ain’t one of them. For a University which proclaims itself as ‘catholic’ (small c) – that ain’t good.
Is anyone really surprised?
No. Don’t the bishops have sway in higher Catholic education?
You would think the CSC Bishop would demonstrate more leadership in accordance with the Dictates of Rome, Curia and the rest of the congregation of Cardinals and Bishops rather than Woke heretical ideology!
Wow. As a graduate with a Masters in Administration, I’m puzzled where you are coming from. It served as my guide as I worked in Catholic Hospitals, serving as a support for staff, patients and physicians. We were fortunate to offer Mass everyday for patients, staff and community. Again, hopeful that your journey provides you with what you are looking for. Respectfully, SJP
“She said the old values had caused confusion…” I hope she’s not too upset. Values and mission that are Catholic causes confusion among our episcopate as well.
Articulates the truth that has been long in place. Hopefully they’ll go full throttle and modify the name to Notre Shame. The Curia might acknowledge the same reality sooner … na, maybe not. Then that gig would be really up.
It’s high time to stop the lying about Notre Dame being a “Catholic” institution of higher learning. It is not now, nor has it been in quite some time. It is a secular university with a chapel and crosses affixed to its building. As for it name – Notre Dame- it probably now refers to the entertainer Madonna. BTW, when will they be putting on the show they’ve become famous for again – “THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES”?
Is Notre better known for its football program or for proclaiming Jesus Christ? Therein lies the answer to its identity.
Exactly. A world renowned Catholic university that doesn’t want to offend or “confuse” people with OUR Catholic values/mission. The Roman Catholic Church has become SPINELESS, SECULAR and SOCIALIZED.
Agree
Amen.
Now come on, be fair, everybody knows about “Touchdown Jesus”.
Heather Christophersen should express support for Notre Dame’s vestigial Catholic identity by thanking Our Lady she has an employer unlikely to reverse her, much less fire her. Compare that to Alissa Heinerscheid, put on leave for rebranding Bud Lite as the beverage of trans or Julie Fells Masino, Cracker Barrel CEO whose “rebrand” was unbranded. Nothing like that EVER happens in nominally Catholic universities.
Why Notre Dame is still deemed the epitome of a “Catholic” university is mindboggling.
May our Lady, Co-Redemptrix, intervene to aid the conversion of the neo-pagans who pollute Her American university.
Notre Dame has turned against the communion of the universal Catholic faith and values it claims to uphold.
Also, Mary isn’t the Co-Redemptrix, Mr Williams. The Vatican has already clarified that, and it’s no longer a valid title for our Lady. Don’t turn against the communion of the universal Church yourself by subtly rejecting Rome’s decision. (Mary wouldn’t want that)
I have thought for many years that a good number of students and parents have no idea that the University is named for the Blessed Mother.
If Notre Dame were seriously interested in truth it would honestly consider scholarship investigating the veracity of catholic/christian beliefs like that in the March 31, 2025 article in the New Yorker magazine entitled: Do You Know Jesus, subtitled: “Why the gospel stories won’t stay dead and buried.”