
CV NEWS FEED // The new archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, is advocating for an increase in Catholic school options for parents, amid recent closures of Catholic schools across the state.
In Archbishop Christopher Coyne’s inaugural address to the faithful of the Archdiocese, he announced his intention to expand educational opportunities for parents, with particular attention to Hartford, which hasn’t had a new Catholic school in almost 10 years.
According to Eyewitness News, a planning group is already in place that aims to open a new Catholic elementary or high school in Hartford within the next two years.
Archbishop Coyne underscored the inclusive mission of Catholic education, echoing Pope Francis’s call to engage with marginalized and diverse communities. While 70% of students in the existing Catholic schools are Catholic, the Archbishop wants to ensure that parents know these schools are open to all children, regardless of their faith.
“We want to say that all are welcome,” he said.
Archbishop Coyne, who previously served in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, said over 90% of students in Catholic schools in that Archdiocese were non-Catholic, but the schools thrived because of their mission of providing educational options in distressed neighborhoods.
He expressed his desire to replicate this success in his new role in Hartford.
“We form the whole child not only in terms of their education, learning the ABCs and arithmetic and all that, but we form them to be good citizens. We form them to be kind and charitable people,” said the Archbishop. “I hope the same thing can be here.”
Eyewitness News reports that Archbishop Coyne aims to ensure these schools are accessible to all, regardless of financial constraints. He plans to address tuition challenges, which can exceed $20,000 annually for high school students. He especially wants to help some students attend school tuition-free.
