Cardinal Justin Rigali announced the kick-off of a Capital Campaign entitled Catholic High Schools ~ Our Legacy of Faith at a dinner October 5, 2004 at the Wyndham Plaza Hotel in Philadelphia for approximately 500 supporters of Catholic secondary education, including alumni/alumnae, parents and friends.
During the next year, this capital campaign will raise funds for high schools to upgrade their facilities and programs and to provide students with additional tuition assistance. Each of the twenty-one schools has its own specific capital needs and is conducting its own donor solicitation. To date, the campaign has raised a total of $ 16.1 million and has an overall goal of $30 million.

Cardinal Rigali, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, stated the need for financial support for the proud tradition of Catholic education. "As we strive continually for academic excellence in our schools, we fervently uphold the tradition of education in the faith that is the center of a Catholic education,"Cardinal Rigali said. "A proud testament to our educational legacy is evidenced in the generations of Philadelphians who have contributed immeasurably to their communities and their families. They demonstrate their faith daily through their work and their lives. By focusing on some critical needs, this campaign brings renewed strength to this great legacy."

The twenty-one Archdiocesan high schools are located throughout Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties and serve approximately 22,000 students. This effort will be conducted locally across the system, allowing each school to plan, study and implement a campaign to fund their local needs. Because the campaign is rooted in each individual school, timing and progress are not parallel. Some schools have been campaigning for nearly a year while others are just getting underway or have not begun fund raising yet. All of the campaigns will conclude by the end of 2005.

Mr. Gerald J. Parsons, Chair of the Board of Education and President/CEO of Communications Test Design, Inc. (CDTI), headquartered in West Chester, PA, is serving as the Campaign Chair. Mr. Parsons said,"This campaign celebrates the gift of Catholic Education and will impact a generation of young people. The early success of Catholic High Schools ~ Our Legacy of Faith tells us that we have tremendous support in the community."

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Donna Farrell
Broadcast and Media Specialist
215-587-3747