Faith & Spirituality

Padua Franciscan High School, founded in 1961, is an independent, co-educational secondary school rooted in the Catholic and Franciscan traditions. As a college preparatory school, Padua offers programs to prepare students for a successful transition to post-secondary education.

As a Franciscan school, the religious tradition is based upon the following central themes as modeled through the life of Francis of Assisi: God is the center of life and the goal of our striving, the humanity of Jesus emphasizes the importance of our humanity, our God is good and loving, God’s creation reflects goodness and wholeness, and each person, as a creation of God, has dignity and deserves respect. From this religious tradition, the Padua educational community believes each person has unique, God-given abilities and potential. Therefore, each person is offered opportunities to develop this potential in ways that will provide a foundation for further learning, and for a productive life.

The Franciscan intellectual tradition is characterized as critical, scientific, progressive and practical. From this intellectual tradition, the administration, Board of Trustees, faculty and staff at Padua Franciscan High School strive to develop and implement contemporary educational programs that stimulate intellectual curiosity by encouraging students to be creative and develop problem-solving skills.

Based upon these spiritual and intellectual traditions, Padua Franciscan High School strives to provide a diverse curricular and extra-curricular program designed to foster the spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, cultural, emotional and aesthetical development of the whole person.

Padua Aims:

• To foster the formation of a Christian educational community that can model healthy human interaction to the students, faculty and staff, as well as to the larger Northeast Ohio community.
• To teach religious studies emphasizing spiritual, intellectual and experiential components of each person’s relationship with God.
• To provide opportunities for students, faculty and staff to worship together as a Christian community.
• To encourage the personal, spiritual and ethical development of each member of the educational community through a focused campus ministry program.
• To foster the intellectual development of each member of the educational community through challenging and contemporary curricular programs.
• To prepare students for careers and education beyond the secondary level.
• To support the continuing personal and professional development of faculty and staff.
• To implement programs that demonstrate a commitment to social justice.
• To sponsor social programs and events that allow students, faculty and staff opportunities to interact and develop sound human relationships.
• To promote the importance of Catholic and Franciscan education within the larger community of Northeast Ohio, especially through the alumni.

“The spirit of St. Francis pervades all that we do at Padua. It shapes more than theology classes and retreats. Franciscan values animate our teachers as they challenge students to work harder and achieve their potential; they live in our alumni, as they return to support events and shape our future as volunteer leaders; and they show on the faces and in the hearts of our students every day as they share the joy of four years serving, striving and growing In Holiness and Learning.”

–Fr. Allan DaCorte, ofm, President Emeritus