Message Regarding New Diocesan Policy

We write to you today regarding a matter recently reported in the news.

In late June, Saint John’s received a letter from the Most Reverend Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester, regarding a new policy on gender identity entitled Catholic Education and the Human Person, requesting that the statement be included in our Student & Family Handbook.

The Xaverian Brothers, our Board of Trustees, and the administration feel confident that Saint John’s High School is already effectively responding to the matters raised in the Bishop’s letter in a manner that respects the dignity of all persons, aligns with the mission and charism of the Xaverian Brothers, and protects and affirms our identity as a Catholic school. 

The Xaverian Brothers have supported our Board’s recent determination to uphold the school’s established practices, guided by our Church and Religious Order principles, instead of electing to incorporate the Catholic Education and the Human Person statement into our handbook.

As a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School, we are committed to maintaining our Catholic identity and adhering to Catholic moral and social teaching. Our community will continue to be guided by the hallmarks of a Xaverian Brothers learning community, as we have for 125 years, fostering spiritual formation and academic excellence for all the boys and young men in our care.

Most importantly, the Saint John’s community will continue to ensure that all of our students know they are loved by God and feel safe and secure in our school each and every day.

Should you have any questions, please contact me at azequeira@stjohnshigh.org.