"Let Christ's peace be arbiter in your hearts; to this peace you were called as members of a single body. And be filled with gratitude. Let the message of Christ dwell among you in all its richness. Instruct and admonish each other with the utmost wisdom. Sing thankfully in your hearts to God, with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Whatever you are doing, whether you speak or act, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." 2 Col. 3:16-17

At the present time, the Diocese of Lake Charles operates 9 elementary schools and one secondary school serving approximately 3,000 students.

Each one of the 36 parishes of the Diocese is also maintaining religious education programs for the school-age children of the Diocese serving approximately 12,000 students.

In addition there are religious and spiritual education programs to serve the adult population.

In its commitment to education and spiritual formation it is important that the Diocese as a whole spell out as carefully as possible what this commitment will entail.

To fulfill this Goal, we have set the following objectives and suggested actions:

Objective 1: Develop and communicate a Diocesan vision for life-long learning and spiritual formation.

Suggested Action:

• Commission a task force to draft and publish a pastoral letter concerning this topic. [Bishop] 

Objective 2: Assist parishes to become centers of life-long learning and spiritual formation.

Suggested Actions: 

• Develop a Diocesan/Parish "Plan" for religious education and spiritual formation. [ORE; CCCS] 
• Invest in trained personnel to establish and improve adult education and spirituality programs in each parish. [Pastors] 
• Establish Parish Adult Education Libraries. [Pastors] 
• Address attention to U.S. Bishops' Pastorals on War and Peace; the U.S. economy. [Pastors; CCCS; ORE; Catholic Schools] 

Objective 3: Develop joint parish educational opportunities.

Suggested Action:

• Cluster talented teachers of a given area, and enable them to teach mini-courses for a given area. [Deanery Vicars; CCCS; ORE] 

Objective 4: Foster the importance of the Retreat House as a real center for spiritual renewal and refreshment.

Objective 5: Provide qualified religious educators (catechists) for public and Catholic school children.

Suggested Actions:

• Certify catechists by the Office of Religious Education.[ORE; Catholic School Office] 
• Continue the Loyola Extension Ministries Program. [CCCS] 

Objective 6: Preserve and improve our Catholic School System.

Suggested Action:

• Develop a projection plan for the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Lake Charles. [Catholic Schools; Diocesan School Bd]