Springfield diocese explores opening classical Catholic high school

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – The Diocese in Springfield said it is exploring the possibility of opening a classical Catholic high school in downtown Springfield following public interest.

The high school would be housed at the former Cathedral School building. The diocese said the classical Catholic school would offer a Catholic liberal arts education rooted in the intellectual tradition of the church.

“Over the past six years, families have asked Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, diocesan staff or members of the Department for Catholic Education if Springfield might ever have a Catholic classical academy for high school students,” said Dr. Mark Newcomb, director of the Diocese’s Department for Catholic Education. “We have decided that it is time to explore these conversations in earnest to see if there are enough families to commit to the work it would take to make such an academy a reality.”

The four-year curriculum would “[focus] on the cultivation of virtue in students, and the pursuit of wisdom in their studies,” Newcomb said.

Newcomb said the school would focus on subjects including literature, philosophy, art and music. It also would emphasize the development of critical thinking through grammar, logic and rhetoric, as well as an appreciation of wisdom passed down through generations of Western civilization. The goal is to help students engage with the world thoughtfully and live meaningful lives.

“If there are 20 or more students interested and eligible, Fulton Sheen Academy would launch in the fall of 2027 as a micro-school,” Newcomb said.

The school, the Fulton Sheen Academy, would be named after an influential Catholic figure, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

For more information and updates on the project, visit the Diocese of Springfield website.