Nashville, Tenn., Jul 7, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A recent report showed signs that despite national trends to the contrary and an overwhelming protestant population, attendance at Catholic schools in places like Tennessee are on the rise.
The Diocese of Nashville, for example, which runs 22 Catholic schools within its 38-county borders, has seen an influx of some 750 new students in the past seven years.
Although the growth is slow, studies show that it is also steady. Says Rick Musacchio, spokesman for the diocese: "The growth we've seen here is tremendous."
The Nashville Diocese includes some 71,000 registered families who make up about 3.4% of the overall population in Middle Tennessee.