The pope said yesterday that Catholic schools must follow Church Teaching. For many of us, this is a “no-brainer,” but remember that like other areas of Catholic life and culture, Catholic schools are recovering from the 1970s too. Pope Benedict made the point that ignoring Church Teaching in the name of academic freedom betrays Catholic identity and leads to confusion among students. The pope also reminded us that Catholic dogma should shape every facet of a Catholic institution’s life, inside and outside the classroom. Despite this (correct) criticism, Pope Benedict thanked Catholic educators for their dedication and generosity.
These words come as newspaper editorials observe the decline in the number of Catholic schools throughout the United States. According to the Washington Post, 300,000 students have been displaced because of the closing of 1,300 Catholic schools since 1990. Many of these closings have been in big cities, meaning that many disadvantaged kids have lost access to safe and effective schools, to be possibly returned to unsafe public schools. In my diocese, we are seeing increased enrollment because of vouchers, although many schools are still struggling. Certainly demographics play a role, since many neighborhoods that were once Catholic now have very few Catholics, which presents a real problem for Catholic schools in those areas. Also, because of heterodox teachers, and a lack of Catholic culture at some schools, some orthodox Catholics refuse to send their children to Catholic schools. In fact, the internet is full of stories of students who turned out Catholic in spite of what they learned in Catholic schools (although, the same can be said of many parishes, Confirmation programs, etc). Nonetheless, I think the biggest reason many schools are in decline, next to demographics, is cost. With gas and food costs rising, with income staying stagnant, the cost of tuition isn’t a high priority, especially if the local public school is reasonably safe, or homeschooling is an option. Also, with the decline in the number of those pursuing a religious vocation in the U.S., schools no longer have religious sisters and brothers doing most of the teaching, raising costs.
Despite this decline, and the current problems in Catholic schools (which, I need to emphasize, are similar to problems facing the wider church), the Church has always had a deep commitment to Catholic schools. Certainly the idea of a Catholic educational community, in which every facet of school life, from academics to athletics, is rooted in Catholic Teaching and values, is a good one. The Church itself strongly supports this idea. From the Vatican II document, Gravissimum Educationis:
The Council also reminds Catholic parents of the duty of entrusting their children to Catholic schools wherever and whenever it is possible and of supporting these schools to the best of their ability and of cooperating with them for the education of their children…(8).
This Sacred Council of the Church earnestly entreats pastors and all the faithful to spare no sacrifice in helping Catholic schools fulfill their function in a continually more perfect way, and especially in caring for the needs of those who are poor in the goods of this world or who are deprived of the assistance and affection of a family or who are strangers to the gift of Faith (9).
However, many find it hard to provide support to a school that is not following the Pope’s exhortation to teach what the Church teaches. Many have to worry about paying the family bills, and funding a Catholic school isn’t high on the agenda. As a Catholic school teacher, I am biased in favor of Catholic schools, I admit. However, even if I were not a teacher, I would still take an interest in the local Catholic school, given the Church’s strong commitment to Catholic schools.
It is difficult to find solutions to the decline in Catholic schools. Neighborhood demographics cannot be fixed easily. However, problems of infidelity to Catholic Teaching, and tuition costs, could be fixed easily enough, if enough people were willing to deal with them and find constructive ways forward. There are some parishes that pay tuition for every child who wants to go to their local Catholic schools, and teachers are still paid a fair wage, so solutions do exist. I suggest that whatever the solution(s) may be, it will involve less complaining, and more action, and more cooperation, and less territorialism. It will involve orthodox Catholics getting involved, working to secure funding for solid programs, perhaps working to change heterodox programs, and making concerns known to local dioceses, schools, and parishes. I would love to see a renaissance in our parishes and schools, and given the number of young orthodox priests, seminarians, teachers, and laity, I suspect if we are patient enough, we may just see it soon!
Image from another article about Catholic School closings, which sheds more light on the issue.
David Bennett
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Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
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April 18, 2008 at 10:37 pm
David,
A very well written posting. You are a diamond in the rough (Catholic blogosphere).
Keep up the great witness to our beautiful Catholic faith.
Tito
April 18, 2008 at 11:09 pm
-tuition costs, could be fixed easily enough, if enough people were willing to deal with them and find constructive ways forward-
Tuition costs are a false problem. The real problem is orthodoxy. People can scream about the cost, but many of these same people spend thousands more on appliances and new cars. They worship Mammon, not God.
In my state, we are fortunate to have a tax-credit program and so my children have a 75% scholarship (the maximum permitted). It still costs me $2,000 a year to send my two eldest (or $100/month/child). People gasp when they hear that and complain. But how much do they spend on McDonald’s every month? Pizza? DVDs? What is their priority? “Poor” Catholics who have cable TV have no right to complain about tuition. ANd if they are poorer, I am sure that any parish is willing to work with a family that is honestly too poor (I know we have done that at my school).
And in case anybody thinks I have no idea “how rough it is”, I would remind them that I was a teacher for ten years, principal of a Catholic school for one, have four kids and now clean toilets for a living. I have a very good idea of how rough it is. I would rather send my kids to Catholic school (and support a good Catholic parish) than have these other things the world offers me.
April 18, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I am working on a post for The Black Cordelias investigating the matter of setting up endowments for schools - as the face of the Catholic Church is increasingly that of the working class and poor in the US, we do well to not let them fall through the cracks. It is a big effort, to be sure, but to see to it that gradeschools, high schools, and colleges have decent endowments for the future is a matter of no small importance.
April 21, 2008 at 9:34 am
Tito,
Thank you for your kind words!
Rob,
I agree with you. In fact, I considered going into a little diatribe about how most families really could afford tuition if they prioritized. I know at my school, tuition is usually the last priority. Cell phones, expensive clothes, etc, are all bought while the school has to hound families just to get basic tuition. However, I also know that there are families out there that are sacrificing and still can’t afford tuition.
SS,
You make a great point. Most Catholics are working class, and a lot are poor. It would be great if we could set up endowments so every Catholic could have an opportunity to get the best education possible, one that is orthodox, and rigorous academically (to prepare students for college, or whatever trade they will learn after college).
–Sorry I am just replying here. I was visiting Jonathan and Carmel and their new baby this past weekend!—
April 21, 2008 at 9:36 am
My own parish school is able to continue its important mission thanks to a number of young, dedicated lay Catholics deeply committed to the Church’s social justice vision. The have chosen not to live in gated, suburban communities but in our inner city neighborhood, most in Catholic social justice centered group houses. They work at modest salaries at our parish school. Their daily prayer supports their work in the community not only to help educate our children but to help empower their parents to advocate for fair housing, anti-racism, and the rights of workers and immigrants. They are wonderful examples of the next generation of Catholics.
April 21, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Here, grade school tuition is almost $9000 for three or more children (in-parish), $899/ month for 10 months. The ones who can afford it, send their kids, but it’s just not affordable to many of our parishioners any more. No tax credit, no bus service. We will have paid that rate (+ or- inflation) from 2000-2017, when we’ll drop to having only 2. Forget high school; it’s around $9000 for ONE child at the nearest school, and there’s only about a $500 discount for a second child. We’re doing it, but I won’t listen to your complaints if/when we decide we just can’t do it any more; this fall our oldest starts college, and we’ll have at least one in college for the next 21 years! Then we’ll have about three years to save up for retirement…
April 21, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Jeanette,
Your experience is why the Church needs to support its schools. Many families, even with making sacrifices, can’t afford 10,000/year for tuition. I know I could not afford to send my kids (when I have them) to a private school at that cost. I am a Catholic school teacher, so $10,000 is a good chunk of change!
Catholic schools should not be places where only the wealthiest send their kids; they should be places where all Catholics who want it can get their kids a quality Catholic education. I know I am speaking in ideals, and somebody has to pay, etc. However, I think if we would make it a priority, it could be done. At my school, we are fortunate that some local Catholics and graduates donate money regularly (including paying tuition for kids who need it), and our principal is a great fund-raiser. The policy at our school is that if you want to go, we will find a way for you to go. Some parishes are able to pay all of tuition for every student through various programs, so it can be done.
April 21, 2008 at 3:29 pm
“The have chosen not to live in gated, suburban communities but in our inner city neighborhood, most in Catholic social justice centered group houses.”
Do you think “gated suburban communities” are a cause of schools closings or that a lot of Catholic schools close because their teaching faculties live in same?
April 22, 2008 at 10:58 am
Do you think “gated suburban communities” are a cause of schools closings or that a lot of Catholic schools close because their teaching faculties live in same?
I think when very talented and faithful young men and women who have great opportunites before them choose a radical Christian lifestyle of working and living among the less fortunate, it is a highly admirable faith witness.
April 22, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I’ve noticed that it’s the urban schools that close. Suburban ones are doing fairly well I think. When we moved here, this was only one of two Catholic schools that would put us on the waiting list; the others had closed the waiting lists. The teachers live very far away, where they can afford housing, except the parents who are teaching for the half-price tuition. And this is one of the less-expensive schools here.
I don’t understand the question exactly, though. I don’t know of any teachers, public or private, whose income allows them to live in a gated community!
April 22, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I don’t understand the question exactly, though. I don’t know of any teachers, public or private, whose income allows them to live in a gated community!
I don’t either, but I may have not been clear. I do know individuals who are very talented and well-educated and certainly COULD find jobs that would allow them to live this well. However, animated by a Catholic social justice vision, they have chosen to serve as Catholic school teachers and live among the inner city children they teach.
They are living examples of grace and faith.