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University of Dayton gives first statewide award for Ohio Catholic teachers

University of Dayton gives first statewide award for Ohio Catholic teachers

The University of Dayton recognized "the light of faith" in Catholic school teachers with the Lumen Fidei award for outstanding Catholic teaching in Ohio. It's believed to be the first such statewide award honoring Catholic teachers.

The 2023 winner is Linda Dintaman, a theology teacher of 39 years at Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering.

"I'm so honored," Dintaman said to an audience of faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the UD School of Education and Health Sciences during the award ceremony on campus March 24. "There are so many amazing and deserving teachers. This is such an affirmation. You never really know, but you always hope you're making a difference. It's Mother Teresa's saying, do small things with great love. And I hope I do everything with great love.

"Being a Catholic teacher is also an opportunity to invite the students, faculty, anybody into a closer relationship with God, and getting to do that every day is such a blessing. I wake up every day excited to do this. The kids are great, they so want to be known and be loved, and we get to do both as teachers. It's a great job."

UD's School of Education and Health Sciences and Center for Catholic Education named the award Lumen Fidei after Pope Francis' first encyclical, which translates to "the light of faith" and calls on devotion to God and social action.

"We're really proud and excited about this inaugural award," said Ali Carr-Chellman, dean of UD's School of Education and Health Sciences. "We looked across the field in the state of Ohio and there was no recognition for Catholic teachers at the state level. It felt like a perfect opportunity for the University of Dayton to step in and do something that would celebrate the impact of Catholic schools and teachers across the state."

According to Carr-Chellman, more than 130,000 students are served in about 400 private Catholic schools in Ohio, and two thirds of the students are not Catholic, bringing the Catholic faith to a large group of people who haven't been exposed to the religion before.


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