Collection aids education

Founded by the U.S. bishops in 1887, CUA has been providing a faith-centered education to priests and other religious, as well as lay students from all over the country, for more than a century. Its 70,000 graduates include more than 9,000 priests, and 230 bishops, archbishops and cardinals.

Those Church leaders, along with the many religious and laity who have studied there, minister to Catholics in every diocese in the nation.

Seeking help

"The Catholic University of America is a large part of the educated voice of Catholicism in our nation and its capital," he wrote. "The University's research, used by the Bishops' Conference, has helped the bishops to represent Catholic values and teachings to the U.S. Congress."

This year, some of the money collected will aid other Catholic higher educational needs, including seminaries and local colleges.

"The University also supports Catholic diocesan education through its national research on elementary and secondary schools and its parochial leadership training program," said the letter.

Range of education

The University's Life Cycle Institute, and its Center for the Study of Religion and Culture have compiled the largest data base of U.S. Catholics by diocese, in the world. The System for Catholic Research Information and Planning (SCRIP) is a service to all dioceses, with information from all national censuses since 1940, Catholic Charities USA, the national Catholic Education Association and the Catholic Hospital Association.

The Bishop's letter stressed that the success of the university depends upon all Catholics. "With deep gratitude for your generous participation in the past," he said, "I ask you to join me in supporting the Church's national university."

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