Catholic education was never meant to be exclusive.
From the earliest days of the Church, formation in the faith was offered freely, passed from apostles to communities, from parents to children, from teachers to students. It was understood not as a product to be purchased, but as a responsibility to be shared.
And yet, for many Catholic families today, education in the faith has quietly become a luxury item.
Tuition costs rise faster than wages. Parish subsidies shrink. Families are asked to make impossible choices… between rent and religion, groceries and tuition, basic stability and faithful formation.
No one says this is the intention. But intentions do not change outcomes.
When access to Catholic education depends on financial capacity, the Church’s universal mission is compromised. The Gospel is for the poor, the marginalized, the geographically isolated, not only for those who can afford enrollment.
The Catechism is clear: parents are the first educators of their children in the faith, but the Church exists to support them, not burden them. Formation should be strengthened by community, not restricted by cost.
And yet, cost has become one of the most powerful filters determining who receives Catholic formation—and who does not.
This has consequences far beyond individual families.
When fewer children receive consistent catechesis, parishes weaken. When converts lack access to instruction, RCIA programs struggle. When adults cannot deepen their understanding of the faith, Catholic identity thins into sentiment rather than conviction.
None of this is caused by a lack of desire. It is caused by barriers.
A Church that teaches the dignity of every human person must take seriously the dignity of access to formation. Education in the faith cannot be treated as optional, or worse, transactional.
If the faith is truly universal, then Catholic education must be accessible, faithful, and uncompromised, regardless of income or geography.
When that is no longer the case, something is wrong.
And acknowledging that truth is not criticism—it is fidelity.
See what Catholic education looks like when access is treated as a moral responsibility.
Discover a model rooted in fidelity, clarity, and openness to all.
