Dear Friends and Supporters of CEF:

Welcome to our website and to the family of supporters of Catholic schools in our nation and beyond.

As I pen this message, I still have fresh in my memory data from the most recent attitudinal and behavioral survey on the results of Catholic schooling (“Catholics in America”), which demonstrates clearly that attendance at our schools continues to have a major impact on future commitment to Catholic practice, especially in terms of identification with the Church, participation in Sunday Mass, and thinking with the Church on key aspects of doctrine and morality.

Since assuming this position, it has been my top priority to develop programs geared toward heightening the “Catholicity quotient” of our schools. At CEF, we have been providing workshops for Catholic school faculties (and indeed, for entire dioceses) on ways to increase the Catholic identity of our institutions; we have available a seminar for bishops, priests and seminarians to aid them in becoming the powerful and energizing presence and influence in our schools that they need to be; we have developed an instrument to assess Catholic identity, which likewise gives follow-up recommendations for improvement (for further information on this, click on “projects”). Our latest initiative is the establishment of the Priestly Society of Christ Priest and Teacher for priests engaged in the high school apostolate. Another service of ours is our quarterly on-line publication, The Catholic Educator, which receives rave reviews from as far away as India and Kenya!

I hope that you will be a frequent visitor to our website and that you will take advantage of the many opportunities given here. Feel free to give me your suggestions or comments by calling me at: (732) 903-5213 or by email at: fstravinskas@hotmail.com.

As I thank you for your commitment to the inestimable treasure of Catholic education, I ask for your prayers that the Lord would continue to bless CEF’s efforts to advance this cause of ours, which is nothing less than the advancement of His Kingdom in our midst.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D.
President