Be the CAUSE

Dear Members of the Central Catholic Family,

Thank you for taking the time to read our Declaration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I am grateful to a great many of our faculty and staff who have worked diligently to prepare this important statement. I am also proud of the contribution of students and alumni who have shared their experiences and whose passion is reflected in our Declaration.

Central Catholic High School is and should be a learning community, and, as such, we should continually grow in our knowledge of what is true and good. We recognize that, as a human institution, we do not always live up to the ideals that we set for ourselves, but we are committed to building a community where the dignity of every person is respected. Central is a microcosm of our society, and while we always strive to live out our mission, we apologize for those times when members of our community have not felt that their whole selves were welcome.

In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus talks of the shepherd who leaves the 99 to find and bring back the one who was lost. To all members of our Central Catholic Family, if you have been one of the 99, we celebrate with you on the pride and joy you take in your Central experience. If you are the one, we are sorry. Our Declaration is our commitment to always look out for all… especially the one who may get lost.

This commitment to diversity and inclusion arises from our aspirations about the community we want Central Catholic to be, the experience we hope to provide our students, and the moral character they will develop during their time with us. It goes to the heart of our mission, to who we are and to what we want to be.

Peace,

Christopher F. Sullivan '81

President, Central Catholic High School

Central Catholic High School celebrates the identities, gifts, and dignity of all of its members as each enhances the excellence and enriches the traditions of our school.

We seek to uphold anti-racist practices and promote empathetic attitudes to reflect a just and inclusive community.

We condemn thoughts, words, and actions that harm one’s humanity.

We honor the experiences of all individuals and groups, including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, ability (physical and learning differences), gender, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic background.

As a Marist school rooted in God’s love and dedicated to emulating Jesus’ radical ways, we strive to be in solidarity with each other. We share St. Marcellin Champagnat’s belief that “to bring up children properly, we must love them and love them all equally.” Through a commitment to consistent reflection and honest dialogues, we will further educate ourselves as agents of justice and change to ensure a welcoming environment for all who study, work, and visit this institution. 

As one Central family of students, alumni, caretakers, faculty, staff, administrators, and Marist Brothers, we recognize that:
• Jesus lives in every person,
• growth comes with vulnerability,
• everyone holds implicit prejudice and has room to grow,
• humility, patience, and accountability are at the core of challenging one’s self and each other,
• the commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity is an ongoing collective and individual effort.