Del Arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda
As the Diocese of Charleston today announces that Dr. Jason Slattery has accepted a position as its Superintendent of Schools, effective in the summer of 2026, I hasten to offer Dr. Slattery not only my heart-felt congratulations but also my profound gratitude for the selfless leadership that he has provided these past 10 years as Director of Catholic Education and Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The Diocese of Charleston will be blessed to have him at the helm of their 32 Catholic schools.
Dr. Slattery has been a trusted colleague and I will miss his Christ-centered insights and his witness to our faith as a husband, father and educator. His service to the Archdiocese coincided with the 2015 reset of the Archdiocesan approach to Catholic education and his work has consistently demonstrated that Catholic schools are a priority of this local Church. During his tenure, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis was awarded with Lumen Accreditation by the Catholic University of America for all of its 90 Catholic schools, the first Archdiocese to receive such distinction in the nation.
We were particularly blessed that Dr. Slattery provided such excellent leadership to the Catholic schools in our Archdiocese throughout the Covid crisis. I will always be grateful, moreover, for all that he did to stabilize school enrollment and to develop and advance our Roadmap for Excellence in Catholic Education. Under his direction, the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education has assembled a seasoned, mission-aligned team that I believe is well positioned to carry out its important work now and into the future.
Dr. Slattery will continue directing the work of the OMCE until the end of the current school year. Communication of this decision today allows the Archdiocese to initiate an orderly plan of succession and helps provide for continuity in our approach. Work is already underway on establishing a search process for Dr. Slattery’s successor.
Dr. Slattery has indicated that he is committed, especially in light of the tragedy suffered at Annunciation in South Minneapolis, to helping ensure stable support for the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese and finishing the school year strong.
Please join me in offering prayers for Dr. Slattery and his family as they prepare for their move to South Carolina next summer, as well as for all who are involved throughout our Archdiocese in the mission of Catholic education.
