The Dioceses of Samoa Pago Pago invites the community to be part of the National Catholic Schools Week in American Samoa starting Sunday with the Mass at Fatuoaiga. The annual celebration is marked by Catholic education systems across the U.S. and runs all week, Jan. 25 - 31.

This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service” according to information from the local Catholic Education office, adding that schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members.

Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to church, communities and nation. Catholic Schools Week, which began in 1974, always begins the last Sunday in January.

This year’s theme encompasses several concepts that are at the heart of a Catholic education. First, schools are communities—small families in their own right, but also members of the larger community of home, church, city and nation. Faith, knowledge and service are three measures by which any Catholic school can and should be judged.

Sunday, Jan. 25, there will be a church service at Fatuoaiga Holy Family Cathedral starting at 4:30p.m. to kick off Catholic Education Week in American Samoa and will be led by the Most Reverend Bishop Petelo Brown assisted by the Diocese Priests.

All 5 schools in the territory - Mary the Mother Montessori, Fatuoaiga Montessori, Marist St. Francis Elementary, St. Theresa Elementary, Fa'asao Marist High School - will be present at the Mass for the opening of the week-long celebration.