Syracuse official is new Phila. Catholic schools leader

The superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Syracuse, N.Y., has been tapped to become the secretary for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The archdiocese and Faith in the Future announced Thursday that Christopher Mominey, 42, was selected to succeed Richard McCarron, the longtime secretary, who retired earlier this spring. Mominey will start July 1.

He also will hold the position of chief operating officer at Faith in the Future - a foundation that manages the archdiocese's 17 Catholic high schools and three special-education schools.

"It is a privilege to be appointed. . .," Mominey said in a statement released by the archdiocese. "Growth, leadership, and innovation are the key requirements of this assignment. Although the challenges here are real, my career has prepared me well to make even stronger the great schools of this archdiocese. Our guiding academic, strategic and operational principle in the years to come will always be simple: 'Do what is best for our students.' "

Over the last 17 years, Mominey has held a variety of positions in the Diocese of Syracuse. He began his career as the director of campus ministry at Christian Brothers Academy and later became principal of the Rome Catholic School.