Sustaining the dream of Catholic education for the future
The Diocese of Nashville in partnership with the Nashville Catholic Business Women’s League (NCBWL) presents the 10th annual ACE Dinner. This event will feature the Pearls of Wisdom Live and Silent Auction. We are proud to host the ACE Dinner on Thursday, November 6, 2025, 6:00PM Cocktails, 7:00PM Dinner and Program.
What is ACE? The Advancement of Catholic Education (ACE) is an endowment fund of the Diocese of Nashville that works to support our Catholic schools. The funds are used to support each school’s unique needs along with providing financial aid to families that desire a Catholic education for their children but cannot afford the full cost.
Each of the schools in the Diocese of Nashville has an individual ACE account that assists their unique school needs. Supporters are able to specify which school in the diocese they would like their donation to benefit. Each year the schools use some of the funds from their endowment for special projects and/or tuition assistance. Endowments offer a dependable, perpetual source of funding. By donating to ACE, you are bolstering the financial viability and future of our diocesan schools.
ACE began in 1992 with a commitment to make Catholic education accessible, and this commitment has not wavered over the past two decades. Our dream is to build this fund to a place where our Catholic schools and families have all they need to make the dream of Catholic education a reality to all.
What is NCBWL? The Nashville Catholic Business Women’s League (NCBWL) is a nonprofit organization open to all Catholic women in the Diocese of Nashville. In addition to offering spiritual support to one another, the League serves the broader Catholic community by providing scholarships to young women attending the three Catholic high schools in Nashville.
Their scholarship, the Aurelia Varallo Mariani Scholarship, is named in honor of Aurelia Varallo Mariani, a 1951 graduate of St. Cecilia Academy. This scholarship provides essential tuition assistance to Catholic girls enrolled at Father Ryan High School, Pope John Paul II Preparatory School, and St. Cecilia Academy.
For many years, funds for the scholarship were raised through the League’s signature event, Pearls of Wisdom. Now, through an exciting new partnership with the Diocese of Nashville, the Pearls of Wisdom Auction (featuring both live and silent components) will be held in conjunction with the ACE Dinner on November 6, 2025.
Our Sponsors
★ Sandfort Family Foundation ★
• Sally and Ed Stack •
Named Scholarship Opportunities
Leave a Legacy of Faith and Learning
A Named Scholarship through ACE is a powerful and lasting way to support Catholic education in the Diocese of Nashville. With an initial gift, you can create a permanent endowment that will grow over time and provide tuition assistance for generations to come.
Whether you wish to honor a loved one, support a particular school, or assist students with specific needs or backgrounds, ACE offers the flexibility to align your scholarship with your family’s values and vision.
To learn more, contact Ashley Linville at ashley.linville@dioceseofnashville.com or via phone at 615.945.9768.
How it Works:
- You make an initial gift to establish your named scholarship fund.
- The fund is invested as part of ACE’s endowment, generating annual distributions to support Catholic school students.
- Your gift lives on—supporting students in perpetuity—while the principal amount remains intact and continues to grow.
Your scholarship can be tailored to:
- Benefit students at a specific Catholic school in the Diocese of Nashville
- Support students with financial need
To learn more, contact Ashley Linville at ashley.linville@dioceseofnashville.com or via phone at 615.945.9768.
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“Catholic education is the largest ministry in our Church… We are striving to get souls to heaven, and to cultivate saints and scholars.”
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Jessica Gravagna
