Our University Mission
As the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States, founded and sponsored by the bishops of the country with the approval of the Holy See, The Catholic University of America is committed to being a comprehensive Catholic and American institution of higher learning, faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ as handed on by the Church.
Dedicated to advancing the dialogue between faith and reason, The Catholic University of America seeks to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research, all in service to the Church, the nation, and the world.
Our History
Established as a papally chartered graduate and research center by Pope Leo XIII and founded by the bishops of the United States in 1887, The Catholic University of America is the nation’s oldest Catholic research university. We take seriously our sacred responsibility to uphold the traditions of the Church, drawing on our rich heritage of academic excellence and faith-based education, as we shape future generations of devout scholars and leaders.
For more than 130 years, we have lived out our mission to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research, all in service to the Church, the nation, and the world. Catholic University scientists, engineers, nurses, philosophers, theologians, historians, architects, social workers, musicians, artists, and scholars in all fields embrace both reason and faith as we apply the inexhaustible resources of the Catholic intellectual tradition to help solve the problems of contemporary life and enrich the culture around us.
