Pope's Catholic school address starts buzz

WASHINGTON, March 14 (UPI) -- Catholic leaders are awaiting a stern lecture directed at Catholic colleges from Pope Benedict XVI during his April visit to Washington, a report said Friday.

The pope's address on Catholic education will be the first in more than two decades and comes after years of criticism from the Vatican of what it believes is the decline of many Catholic colleges, The Washington Post said.

The address is scheduled to be delivered to more than 200 leading Catholic education officials from around the United States. Increasing diversity on Catholic school campuses has prompted the schools' missions to change in a way some Catholic traditionalists feel goes against church ideals, the Post reported.

"One thing the pope will emphasize is the importance for all schools to realize that they aren't independent contractors, they are part of the church," Catholic University's President Rev. David M. O'Connell said.