More than 15,000 delegates and exhibitors are expected to attend the 101st Annual Convention and Exposition of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Boston, April 13-16. The theme of the convention is “Heritage and Hope: Faithful Past, Faith-Filled Future.” The Boston convention will mark the end of NCEA’s centennial observance that began with the association’s annual convention in St. Louis, Mo., last April.

The convention will feature general sessions and liturgies, departmental meetings, development sessions, technology sessions, presentations and workshops dealing with special interests for school board members, directors of religious education, parents, pastors, principals and teachers.

Keynote addresses will be given by Archbishop Seán P. O’Malley; Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, author, sociologist and Harvard University professor; and Father J. Bryan Hehir, president of Catholic Charities of Boston and cabinet secretary of social services for the Archdiocese of Boston.

“This will be a great celebration of Catholic education at all levels,” said Michael J. Guerra, NCEA president. “Boston has always been a favorite destination for our members. We look forward to marking our centennial — and celebrating ‘100 years of Catholic education’ there.”

NCEA last met in Boston in 1991. The Archdiocese of Boston ranks eighth among U.S. dioceses in enrollment of Catholic school students, with 161 schools serving 55,169 students. The New England region of the NCEA (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) enrolls 161,914 students in 539 elementary and secondary schools.

The 13th annual National Association of Parish Coordinators and Directors of Religious Education (NPCD) convocation will meet in Boston concurrent with the NCEA convention. Parish catechetical leaders and coordinators of religious education will gather for workshops, prayer and fellowship with hundreds of colleagues from across the United States.

NCEA is the largest private, professional education association in the world. Association membership represents more than 200,000 educators serving 7.6 million students in Catholic education at all levels.