From Zenit, Catholic Schools Key in the Midst of Educational Crisis:
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 21, 2008 (Zenit.org).- In the midst of what Benedict XVI calls an “educational crisis,” it is important for Catholic schools to maintain their identity.
The Pope affirmed this today when he received in audience participants in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
The ecclesiastical disciplines,” the Holy Father said, “especially theology, are today subjected to new interrogations in a world tempted, on the one hand, by a rationalism which follows a false idea of freedom unfettered by any religious references and, on the other, by various forms of fundamentalism which, with their incitement to violence and fanaticism, falsify the true essence of religion.”
Faced with the educational crisis, Benedict XVI continued, “schools must ask themselves about the mission they are called to undertake in the modern social environment.”
Catholic schools, he said, “though open to everyone and respecting the identity of each, cannot but present their own educational, human and Christian perspective….
[Regarding seminaries,] the Pope concluded by highlighting the need for “adequate formation in the spiritual life so as to make Christian communities, particularly in parishes, ever more aware of their vocation, and capable of providing adequate responses to questions of spirituality, especially as posed by the young. For this to happen, the Church must not lack qualified and responsible apostles and evangelizers.” More
I think the pope is right on. Catholic schools, from parochial schools all the way up to graduate schools and seminaries, must focus on Catholic identity. What is the purpose behind Catholic schools? What is our mission? If a Catholic high school is no more Catholic than the public high school down the road, then what is the point of its existence?
As many of you know, I teach at a Catholic high school, and therefore do not feel that Catholic schools are beyond hope of redemption (as some on the conservative corners of the Catholic blogosphere seem to believe). While I recognize that Catholic schools have been hit hard by recent educational and theological fads in the “spirit of Vatican II,” I do not believe the solution is simply abandoning Catholic schools. I do believe that as we get knee-deep in the postmodern era, Catholic schools, like Catholic parishes and families, must “step it up” quite a bit in order to rise to the challenges in our midst, like relativism, the breakdown of the family, etc. I believe that Pope Benedict is specifically calling Catholic schools at all levels to “step it up,” and I am willing to heed his call.
The late Pope John Paul II tackled higher education significantly in Ex Corde Ecclesiae. He , like the current pope, reminds us that Catholic education must lead people to something deeper than science and technology, which while good, cannot provide ultimate meaning:
In the world today, characterized by such rapid developments in science and technology, the tasks of a Catholic University assume an ever greater importance and urgency. Scientific and technological discoveries create an enormous economic and industrial growth, but they also inescapably require the correspondingly necessary search for meaning in order to guarantee that the new discoveries be used for the authentic good of individuals and of human society as a whole. If it is the responsibility of every University to search for such meaning, a Catholic University is called in a particular way to respond to this need: its Christian inspiration enables it to include the moral, spiritual and religious dimension in its research, and to evaluate the attainments of science and technology in the perspective of the totality of the human person.
This is not to say Catholics are to fear science and technology, or any learning for that matter (as some Christians seem to), but we must remember to keep these in their proper perspectives.
As Catholic educators (whether at home, in classrooms, or even in blogosphere), we must never forget that amidst all the education, all the wealth, all the best-selling self-help books on bookshelves, postmodern people are desperately looking for some deeper meaning amidst the relativity, busyness, and general distance of postmodern society. Our faith provides an answer to this hunger for meaning, and we cannot lose this message, and must not let our message and identity be drowned out by a mechanistic rationalism, academic trendiness, or even fundamentalism. Or, to put it more simply, Catholic schools at all levels should be Catholic (gasp!).
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YAY! I pray for good listening educators and administration that this will be become more of a reality. I went to Jesuit high school and Jesuit colleges, andI found it very difficult to maintain my Catholic identity there.
(Yes, I know Jesuits are somewhat special when compared to other orders and schools and this will certainly not have been the experience for everyone.)
One thging Catholic schools could do to distinguish themselves from public schools is actually teach children! I was an educator and administrator for ten years, and I can tell you that I got sick of rallies, recess, conferences and dressing up for Chinese New Year and Thanksgiving. Kids shoould be in school to learn, not fart around in a lot of “activities” that do nothing to improve the mind.
There, I vented. Thank you.
No way! Catholic schools with a Catholic identity! How can that be? That’s like a MacDonalds that sells Big Macs!
I absolutely agree with everything. Catholic Schools MUST keep their identity….now where to start?
The Pope presents a very balanced position. He speaks to Catholic schools about THEIR responsibility to maintain a Catholic identity. In his recent address to he also affirmed the importance of universities maintaining their autonomy. Universities can be both independent AND Catholic. This is not a conflict, but a preferred status, according to the Pope.
I guess Sister Katherine, the devil is the details on that one. I am inclined, of course to agree with this assement, but the question then begged is “How is that done?”
If autonomy is understood to mean a green light for another “Hoyas For Choice” debacle, I get a little nervous…
devils & details!
Katherine,
I am glad that schools and universities have autonomy, and agree with the pope on this, since I don’t think it would be feasible or beneficial for the Vatican to control every educational institution. However, despite autonomy, Catholic schools are expected to be Catholic. There is really a lot you can be and do within the limits of genuine Catholicism, but when a school is practically indistinguishable from the public/secular institution down the road, then we have problems. Or perhaps another litmus test is when the education and practices at a Catholic school are indistinguishable from a liberal Episcopal parish/institution, then we know the autonomy is being emphasized to the exclusion of Catholic identity.
Rob,
I agree with you. I would like to see Catholic schools hold kids to higher standards than public schools, both academically and spiritually. Also, unfortunately, Catholics school teachers have largely bought into educational fads like other teachers have…but as I always say, wait a few years and the old theories will be out of date and a new trendy theory will come along, and eventually, the old will be new again!
SS –
I think you are referring to “H*yas for Choice” (not a typo), which is not a recognized student organization, has been told they may not use the name “Georgetown University” and have place an asterisk in their name out of fear of a trademark lawsuit from the University.
Now some might argue that the asterisk is a thin fiction and that the University should still litigate against these students. But I’m not sure it makes one a baby-killer to decide that this is not worth a court case.
I would like to have a conversation with FUS about the working conditions of apparel shops that are licensed to use their trademarked logo. Or are factory conditions in Mexico and El Salvador that cause women to spontaneously abort not part of our pro-life concern?
Sr. Katherine,
“H*yas for Choice” exists because “Hoyas for Choice” caused the president of GU to get his handed to him by the Vatican. Before there were “H*yas” there were “Hoyas”.
At least “H*yas” don’t get school funding. “Hoyas” did.
I am not, Sister, of the opinion that not litigating against these wayward “H*yas” makes the non-litigators baby killers either. Glad we agree *n that.
I would like to have a conversation with FUS about the working conditions of apparel shops that are licensed to use their trademarked logo.
Most curious, why would you single out Franciscan University of Steubenville alone of all the colleges of Catholic identity?
I would welcome this discussion. Have you considered setting out your own shingle, getting a free blogger account, and having a go at blogging?
Or are factory conditions in Mexico and El Salvador that cause women to spontaneously abort not part of our pro-life concern?
Who said that, Sr. Katherine? Who said anything even halfway close?
Actually Georgetown University (to their credit) has such a policy for any corporation licensed to manufacture apparel with their trademarked logo. BC, Santa Clara and Fordham as well.
Some Catholic social justice friends of mine in NYC got the gift shop at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to stop marketing products from Chinese corporations using slave labor and subjecting workers to conditions that endanger their lives and any unborn children they may be carrying. Unfortunately, I have not been able to convince the Opus Dei bookstore here to adopt the same policy.
Sr. Katherine, SC,
It is an interesting coincidence the folks that seem to invoke your ire and the folks who inspire your confidence. That is for sure.
Is it known that FUS (one wonders just how you happened to choose that university…) in fact now has apparel being produced in sweatshops in the third world where pregnant women are spontaneously aborting?
How is GU and the gang you site doing as far as enforcement and investigation?
What percentage of FUS merchandise do you think is taking up the market?
Is Opus Dei selling a good deal of Chinese made Catholica? Catholica known to come from slave-labor camps?
In turn, how are you doing with the local Wal-Mart?
as to “Or are factory conditions in Mexico and El Salvador that cause women to spontaneously abort not part of our pro-life concern?”
I would still like to know, who said that, Sr. Katherine? Who said anything even halfway close?
Sr. Katherine, SC,
You are aware I am not a vowed religious, are you not? I am a retired member of the United Steelworkers of America, so I am not unacustomized to being called “sister” and therefore I’ve not mentioned anything before now. I’m sure why “SC”.
It is an interesting coincidence the folks that seem to invoke your ire and the folks who inspire your confidence. That is for sure.
Is it known that FUS (one wonders just how you happened to choose that university…) in fact now has apparel being produced in sweatshops in the third world where pregnant women are spontaneously aborting?
I said I would like to have a conversation with FUS. I don’t see how that is suggesting I am aflicted with ire. Can’t we even talk anymore?
For the record, FUS does not have a policy in place with their vendors on this matter. I pray they do and if you have any god offices with them, perhaps you could set up a little con-fab?
How is GU and the gang you site doing as far as enforcement and investigation?
I think the best they can. Thank you for asking.
Is Opus Dei selling a good deal of Chinese made Catholica? Catholica known to come from slave-labor camps?
A good deal? No, the majority of their sales are books. The devotional objects made in China would be a minority of their sales.
In turn, how are you doing with the local Wal-Mart?
Not very well. But through prayer and action, all is possible.
as to “Or are factory conditions in Mexico and El Salvador that cause women to spontaneously abort not part of our pro-life concern?”
I would still like to know, who said that, Sr. Katherine? Who said anything even halfway close?
Actually, if you could do a quick survey of the national pro-life groups and identify which of them indicate this is a concern of theirs and get back to me, it would be really appreciated. I’m looking for a new volunteer activity and that would interest me.