Catholic Education Foundation presents TTHHEE CCAATTHHOOLLIICC EEDDUUCCAATTOORR

Volume 17 | Fall 2014

In T his Edition

A Word from Our Editor Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas Page 4

Pope Francis' Address to the Congregation Zenit.org Page 7 for Catholic Education

Stewardship Education at Middle Creek Kathy Coley Page 9 Christian Retreat

Taking Stewardship of Catholic Schools Page 11 Fr. Roger Landry

Pope Francis Recalled Fondly His Childhood School, Praised ‘Catholic Kelly Conroy Page 13 Culture’

Rural School Embraces Classical Education, Carl Bunderson Page 15 Catholic Identity

Catholic Schools and the New Zenit.org Page 17 Evangelization: 'A Most Valuable Resource'

Catholic Schools in U.S. Court China’s Kyle Spencer Page 26 Youth, and Their Cash

Catholic Leaders Are Hoping Latinos Can Andrew O’Reilly Page 29 Save Struggling Parochial Schools

Page 31 'The Dumbest Generation' by Mark Bauerlein Lee Drutman

The Catholic Educator 2 Fall 2014

A Review of Bauerlein's "The Dumbest James Heiser Page 33 Generation"

Do Christian Schools Produce Good Ray Pennings Page 35 Citizens? The Evidence Says Yes

Most Reverend David Page 38 Where Did They Learn All These Things? O’Connell

A Special Offer for Our Readers Newman House Press Page 40

The Catholic Educator 3 Fall 2014

A Word from Our Editor

As we are well on our way into the new observed that Catholic schools are more like academic year, I am happy to present the “public” schools in that they are open to all, new issue of The Catholic Educator. My especially within the Catholic community, reflections this time around will “piggy- while there is a highly self-selective element back” on three items included in this edition, when it comes to Evangelical parents who as well as some thoughts on a very choose Christian schools for their children. important book. That is, it is a rare “mediocre” Evangelical who opts for a Christian school experience for one’s children; rather, that parent is Cardus has just produced a new study on the already deeply committed to the faith. In effects of non-public education in North the Catholic scheme of things, to use the late America, a follow-up to their 2011 study. Father Benedict Groeschel’s phrase, it’s an The organization describes itself thus: example of “Here comes everybody!” I “Cardus (root: cardo ) is a think tank shall return to the Cardus study shortly. dedicated to the renewal of North American social architecture. Drawing on more than 2000 years of Christian social thought, we Within the past couple of months I have had work to enrich and challenge public debate the good fortune to meet and get to know through research, events, and publications, Mark Bauerlein of First Things. The for the common good.” I was happy to be insightful professor and editor is also the present at the September 10 New York author of a block-buster of a book, The release of their latest contribution to serious Dumbest Generation, whose provocative research on such an important topic. In the title is explained by its sub-title: How the question period, I asked a two-part question Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and since the formal presentation offered some Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust information that did not square with Anyone Under 30). Having been in the previous data I had seen, asserting that there “education business” since my teens (!), I was no (or very little) statistical difference have been able to monitor the downward in terms of religious allegiance between the spiral firsthand and with no small degree of students of Catholic schools and those of sadness. For years now, I have refrained public schools. I noted that studies of U.S. from assigning term papers even to graduate Catholic schools consistently show a students because the writing is incompre- remarkable difference. So, I asked if it hensible. A student at a state college told might not be important to separate out me last semester that Socrates was a Canadian Catholic schools from their U.S. Christian philosopher who lived in the counterparts. The researcher agreed. The Middle Ages. And just the other day, other point I questioned was the study’s someone said that in a graduate education finding that Evangelical schools do a better course, he was asked where “Electoral job of achieving what we might call student College” was located! We are in trouble, “loyalty” than Catholic schools. Actually, I no? Of course, The Closing of the American didn’t question the finding as such but Mind highlighted this three decades ago,

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while the very prescient Jacques Maritain welcome, precisely because he himself was said this back in 1947, publishing his a high school teacher for quite some time. analysis as Education at the Crossroads. Where does all of this lead us? Catholic schools have been successful because they have resisted the pressure to “dumb down” and thus aid in the production First of all, we need to learn a lesson from of “the dumbest generation.” That resistance Catholic education to our north, namely, that must continue. we cannot allow the allure of governmental funding to move us toward secularization. Which is why —although a major proponent This past month I have finally had the of programs like vouchers and tuition tax opportunity to review a monumental study, credits—I have always been adamantly entitled Lost Classroom, Lost Community, opposed to any direct government monies by Margaret F. Brinig and Nicole Stelle flowing into our Catholic schools. Nothing Garnett and published by University of is for nothing. Observers are almost Chicago Press. In the simplest terms, the unanimous in saying that most of Canada’s authors document—through rigorous Catholic schools are virtually indis- research—how important Catholic schools tinguishable from the secular state schools— are for the community-at-large. As a young and that is proven in the study I cited at the seminarian, I served as vice-principal of an outset, which fact also skewed the data for inner-city parish school in Trenton, New the Catholic schools of the United States. Jersey. More than one-third of our students Secondly, James Cardinal Hickey of were black Baptists. Why were they with Washington was famous for his terse us? A black Baptist minister put it response to why the Church operates inner- succinctly: “The future of our community is city schools for largely non-Catholic in Blessed Sacrament School.” The authors populations: “We run those schools,” he demonstrate not only the highly effective declared, “not because they are Catholic but nature of these schools in terms of giving because we are!” Our schools offer hope to youngsters a real crack at life; they also individual children and families, as well as show how the school is the glue or cement to neighborhoods and cities. That said, to maintain a spark of civility in a because we are Catholic, we must also neighborhood and, further, that when such a engage in the work of evangelization. If a school closes, anyone who can moves out. Catholic school is not bringing non-Catholic students and families into the communion of the Church, something is seriously amiss in Finally, we include in this issue an address the educational project. of Pope Francis to the Congregation for Catholic Education, wherein he stresses the critical importance of maintaining academic Last but not least, we must continue to keep rigor, all the while maintaining and the academic bar set high. Our standards — increasing Catholic identity, especially in and achievements —have always been the this era of “accentuated cultural and highest, and we have no reason whatsoever religious pluralism.” The present Pope’s to be tempted to imitate other failed input on Catholic education is quite educational systems, lest we throw in our lot with those who have been raising what the

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convert poet-monk Thomas Merton dubbed community of faith, just as we have been “a generation of hyenas.” doing since began operating schools centuries ago.

The goal for this year—and for ever—is to foster a community of learners in a

Devotedly yours in Christ, Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D Executive Director

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Pope Francis' Address to the Congregation for Catholic Education

Vatican City, February 13, 2014 (Zenit.org ) frequented by many non-Christian students and even by non-believers. The Catholic Here is a translation of Francis’ address educational institutions offer to all an today to the plenary session of the educational proposal that looks to the Congregation for Catholic Education (of integral development of the person and that Seminaries and Institutes of Study). responds to the right of all to accede to * * * learning and knowledge. However, all Lord Cardinals, equally are called to offer—with full respect of each one’s liberty and of the methods Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and proper to the school environment—the the Priesthood, Christian proposal, namely Jesus Christ as Dear Brothers and Sisters, the meaning of life, of the cosmos and of I give a particular welcome to the Cardinals history. and Bishops recently appointed Members of Jesus began to proclaim the Good News in this Congregation, and I thank the Cardinal “Galilee of the Gentiles,” a crossroads of Prefect for the words with which he persons of different race, culture and introduced this meeting. religion. Such a context is similar in certain The topics you have in the order of the day ways to today’s world. The profound are exacting, such as the updating of the changes that have led to the ever greater Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana, diffusion of multi-cultural societies ask all the consolidation of the identity of Catholic those who operate in the school and Universities and the preparation of the University sector to involve themselves in anniversaries that will fall in 2015, namely, educational itineraries of encounter and the 50th of the Conciliar Declaration dialogue, with courageous and innovative Gravissimum Educationis and the 25th of fidelity which will be able to make the the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Catholic identity meet with the different Ecclesiae. Catholic education is one of the “spirits” of the multi-cultural society. I am most important challenges of the Church, thinking with appreciation of the committed today to carrying out the New contribution that the Religious Institutes and Evangelization in an historical and cultural other ecclesial institutions offer with the context in constant transformation. In this foundation and running of Catholic schools perspective, I would like to call your in contexts of accentuated cultural and attention to three aspects. religious pluralism. The first aspect regards the value of The second aspect regards the qualified dialogue in education. Recently, you preparation of the formators. We cannot developed the topic of education to inter- improvise. We must engage seriously. In the cultural dialogue in the Catholic school, meeting I had with the General Superiors, I with the publication of a specific document. stressed that today education is addressed to In fact, Catholic schools and Universities are a generation that changes ; therefore, every educator—and the whole Church which is

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Mother Educator—is called to “change,” in formative institutions spread throughout the the sense of being able to communicate with world and on their responsibility to express the young people she has before her. a living presence of the Gospel in the field I would like to limit myself to recall the of education, of science and of culture. guidelines of the figure of the educator and Catholic academic institutions must not be of his specific task. To educate is an act of isolated from the world; they must be able to love, it is to give life. And love is enter with courage in the Areopagus of demanding, it calls for using the best present-day cultures and engage in dialogue, resources, for awakening passion and to aware of the gift they have to offer begin with patience together with young everyone. people. The educator in Catholic schools Beloved, the issue of education is a great must be, first of all, very competent, open yard, in which the Church has always qualified and, at the same time, rich in been present with her own institutions and humanity, capable of being in the midst of projects. Today it is necessary to boost this young people with a pedagogical style, to commitment at all levels and to renew the promote their human and spiritual growth. task of all the subjects committed to you in Young people are in need of quality the perspective of the New Evangelization. teaching, together with values not just In this horizon I thank you for all your work enunciated but witnessed. Coherence is an and, through the intercession of the Virgin indispensable factor in the education of Mary, I invoke the constant assistance of the young people. Coherence! We cannot make Holy Spirit upon you and your initiatives. I them grow, we cannot educate them without ask you, please, to pray for me and for my coherence: coherence, witness. ministry, and I bless you from my heart. Because of this, the educator himself is in Thank you! need of permanent formation. Therefore, it [Original text: Italian] is necessary to invest, so that docents and [Translation by Zenit] directors can keep high their professionalism and also their faith and the strength of their spiritual motivations. And in this permanent formation I also allow myself to suggest the need for retreats and Spiritual Exercises for educators. It is good to have courses in this and that argument, but it is also necessary to have courses of Spiritual Exercises, retreats, to pray!—because coherence is an effort, but above all it is a gift and a grace. And we must ask for it! A last aspect concerns the educational institutions , that is, the Catholic and ecclesial schools and Universities. The 50th anniversary of the Conciliar Declaration, and the 25th of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the updating of Sapientia Christiana induce us to reflect seriously on the numerous

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Stewardship Education at Middle Creek Christian Retreat

Fairfield, Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg

Middle Creek Christian Retreat introduces a Forest Resources new Stewardship Education program for middle and high school students beginning
Oak-Hickory forest with white oak, in January 2014. The curriculum is centered red oak, pin oak, black walnut, on principles of Biblical stewardship, Maryland oak, hickory species, designed to teach basic ecological ideas muscle wood, hawthorn, witch hazel, through a curriculum based on the and a variety of other shrubs. following: Other Ecological Resources
Standard sampling techniques for aquatic organisms (invertebrates,
Trail system connecting these amphibians, and fish). resources with access along stream.
Basic water chemistry (using Hach
Ephemeral pools—excellent kits). potential for construction of
Vegetation surveys (using standard ephemeral pools for salamanders via forest protocols for species creation of shallow basins with clay composition and volume estimate per liners along hiking trail. unit area).
Sheet metal roof sheets from old
Herbaceous vegetation (using coop at farmstead to serve as reptile permanent fixed plots and plot-less habitat placed throughout forests. survey techniques). Also strategically located brush piles along trails for reptile and rodent Participants will make use of standard habitat. Mulch piles and sand areas wildlife survey techniques (including along edges of forest for nesting cameras) for monitoring deer populations as habitats for reptiles. well as other mammals. This curriculum
Deer exclusion areas (fenced) for also employs active restoration of the comparison with un-enclosed areas landscape at Middle Creek to demonstrate to measure how deer affect existing our role in caring for God’s earth. forests and future restored forest plots. Aquatic Resources Sample Lesson Plans (3-day/2-night
Retention Pond—excellent for frogs, package) emergent vegetation, painted turtles, potential for garter snakes; excellent Day 1- Arrival, hike to meet the creatures for invertebrates, crayfish, potential of Middle Creek small fish, adjacent wetlands.
Introduction—Hike to forests, creek, adjacent wetlands and looking for signs of wildlife. Check and set up wildlife cameras. Introduce idea of

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ecological productivity based on
Evening—Predator-Prey and People pyramids of biomass and numbers —ecology of God’s creatures from with initial energy fixed by sun and dentition, plus tracks and pelts. loss of energy with each level of the
Activities—predator prey tag and chain from primary producers, to Kim’s Game with groups for tracks, primary consumers, secondary skulls, pelts. consumers, and detritivores.
Noon Devotional—Psalm 124: The Earth Is the Lord’s. Day 3- Thy Kingdom Come
Afternoon—Forest Ecology and Diversity —Measuring and
Morning Devotional—Colossians identifying forest trees. Data 1:15-20. tabulation. Comparison of deer
Restoration Ecology in context of excluded and un-excluded plots. watersheds—connecting the stream
Late afternoon—Edible and and the Chesapeake Bay to the Medicinal Plants—the garden of forest. eaten.
Activity—planting restoration plots
Dinner Devotional—Trees and the (seasonally appropriate), creating Bible. vernal ponds, restoring aquatic
Evening Activity—Judging Whitetail vegetation, creation of animal habitat Deer and population demography (brush piles etc.), exotic species from photos. Dusk hike and shining control. These will all be for wildlife along trails. outlined. Groups may choose from seasonally appropriate activities.
Lunch Devotional—Thy Kingdom Day 2- Aquatic Resources Come (based on the Lord’s Prayer).
After lunch—wrap-up and review
Morning Devotion—Christ the with integration of pictures of kids Living Water and Biblical Images of during activities and from the Water. wildlife cameras.
Morning Lessons—Aquatic
Closing Devotional—caring for Productivity and Ponds— God’s World as a Witness for Christ. examination of pond water, basic water chemistry. Contact Kathy Coley at 301-770-5338
Lunch Devotional—All Creatures of or [email protected] to discuss prices for Our God and King (based around packages led by your own staff or our hymn by Francis of Assisi and The staff. Package includes two nights’ lodging Doxology). at the Manor or Laney Lodge and six meals.
Afternoon—Aquatic Macro- invertebrates, their ecology and watersheds, basic stream chemistry.

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Taking Stewardship of Catholic Schools

One of the joys I’ve had over the past few of per capita income. The clergy and years has been traveling to various dioceses faithful of Wichita, however, have made an to preach retreats and facilitate convocations enormous commitment to Catholic edu- for fellow priests. Such occasions expose me cation. quite a bit to how similar things are handled from place to place. All Catholics are asked to tithe a percentage of their income in order to make it possible While much of what pastors do stays the for every young Catholic, rich or poor, to same wherever they minister, one of the receive a Catholic education. The vast largest areas of disparity among dioceses majority of Catholics make that sacrifice in concern the administrative and financial order to pass on the faith to the younger responsibilities of parishes that priests must generations, including to burgeoning oversee. numbers of impoverished Hispanic immi- grants. Parishes with schools often spend 80 Many of the differences I discover leave me to 90 percent of their budget to make saying, “Thank God I’m a priest of the Catholic education free, accessible and Diocese of Fall River!” excellent. Parishes without schools commit to paying the entire tuition of their young But in a few areas I can’t help but say to parishioners to attend nearby Catholic myself, “We should be doing that, too!” schools. Churches in particularly poor areas One of the most conspicuous areas is with get help from a Diocesan St. Katherine regard to Catholic education, something that Drexel Fund, to help them meet their I’ve been thinking about quite a bit during budgets beyond what their parishioners can Catholic Schools Week. sacrifice. Since all Catholics are sacrificing for A few years ago I was in the Diocese of Catholic schools, even if they no longer Wichita, which is teeming with vocations to have any children or grandchildren the priesthood and religious life and features attending, many are willing to volunteer in top notch programs for high schoolers, schools to save money to use it for collegians, and young adults that solicit programs, facilities and salaries. The huge and enthusiastic responses. massive investment also keeps Catholic In talking with priests about their diocese’s identity in the schools robust. In order to be remarkable vitality, they told me, “It all able to attend the schools for free, Catholic begins with our Catholic schools.” families need to be committed and active stewards in their parish. Non-Catholics who Throughout the Diocese of Wichita, accept the strong Catholic identity of the Catholic education is free. No Catholic school are welcome to attend, with their youngster needs to pay a penny to attend any families’ paying a tuition that is slightly of the 38 elementary schools and four high below per pupil costs. schools. It’s funded entirely by the generosity of parishioners through the It’s a model of how Catholics in a diocese Sunday offertory. Wichita, by the way, isn’t prioritize Catholic education and form exactly Newport or Greenwich in terms disciples for the future.

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scholarships to attend Catholic schools—and In various other dioceses I’ve visited, while indirectly assists schools by increasing Catholic education isn’t free, every parish student enrollment—but it’s nowhere near without a school is assessed a major enough to remedy the fundamental percentage of the offertory—often 25 to 40 economic problems facing most parochial percent—to subsidize Catholic schools schools. elsewhere in the Diocese, something that keeps tuitions affordable, pays just salaries, Adopting a parish offertory model of funds fund capital improvements and the support for Catholic Schools here would building of new schools. It also means that likely create short-term financial distress for every parish is necessarily highly invested in parishes already struggling to meet budgets. forming the next generation of believers. For But there are ways that all Catholics, that reason, the gift of a Catholic education including those in parishes without schools is regularly promoted at all parishes, and without relatives in schools, could facilitating a culture in which all Catholic support Catholic schools without harming families are urged to take advantage of an parish bottom lines. affordable, excellent Catholic education for their children. The first would be to have a diocesan-wide second collection once or twice a year to In our Diocese, the only parishes that are support Catholic Schools in the Diocese. similarly invested in Catholic education are those that still have parish elementary A second would be to do a campaign similar schools attached to them, which are less than to the Catholic Charities Appeal (CCA) a quarter of our Diocese’s parishes. specifically to support Catholic education. Regional schools administered by the Just like the CCA helps everyone grasp how Diocese or the five Catholic High Schools much need there is for the excellent spiritual receive no direct funding from parishes. and social services that the CCA funds, so a similar campaign for Catholic education The only regular commitment those parishes would not only provide necessary financial without schools are required to make is to support for the Catholic schools, but it give a $300 annual subsidy to students from would also dramatically increase awareness the parish who are attending one of the 19 of the indispensable importance of Catholic Catholic elementary schools. Several schools among all Catholics. parishes do more than what is required, and some also offer financial assistance for The inescapable reality is that the future of students to attend one of five Catholic high the Catholic Church in our country is highly schools, but all of this is paltry compared to dependent on the prevalence and quality of what happens in those dioceses where Catholic schools today and tomorrow. parishes without schools give massive That’s why all Catholics and all Catholic chunks of their offertory to support Catholic parishes need to be urged to take genuine education. stewardship of them. As Catholic schools go, so goes the Church. The St. Mary’s Education Fund that our Diocese has established is a great help to Fr. Roger Landry families in financial need to receive partial The Anchor

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Pope Francis Recalled Fondly His Childhood School, Praised ‘Catholic Culture’

“School life was a ‘whole’... The most so that there wouldn’t be time to be natural thing was to go to Mass in the lazy. The day passed as an arrow morning, as well as having breakfast, without time for one to be bored. I studying, going to lessons, playing during felt myself submerged in a world recreation, hearing the ‘Good night’ of the that, although prepared “artificially” Father Director.” (with pedagogic resources), had nothing artificial about it. The most In a 1990 letter written by the future Pope natural thing was to go to Mass in Francis and republished on ZENIT , then- the morning, as well as having Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio recalls fondly breakfast, studying, going to lessons, the “Catholic culture” that he experienced at playing during recreation, hearing age 13 in a Catholic school run by the the “Good night” of the Father Salesian Fathers. Director. Each one was made to live different assembled aspects of life, Pope Francis writes that the Wilfrid Baron and this created a conscience in me: School of the Holy Angels in Ramos Mejia, not only a moral conscience but a Buenos Aires, prepared him “for life.” He sort of human conscience (social, remembers the night that one of the Fathers ludic, artistic, etc.). Said differently: discussed the importance of praying to the the School created, through the Blessed Virgin Mary to know his vocation. awakening of the conscience in the After that, he never went to bed without truth of things, a Catholic praying. culture that was not at all “bigoted” or “disoriented.” The letter also recalls the night when one of the Fathers spoke to students about the death Pope Francis attributes the “Catholic of his mother. Afterward, Pope Francis culture” of the school to the “faith” of the thought of death as something “natural” and Salesians who ran the institution. He said not to fear. that they “believed in Jesus Christ” and had the “courage to ‘preach’: with the word, The Holy Father writes that he grew in a with their life, with their work.” love of purity and willingness to sacrifice, and he learned various hobbies and “Everything was done with a meaning,” the crafts. He was even instilled with a respect Holy Father writes. “I learned there, almost and love for the Pope! unwittingly, to seek the meaning of things I learned to study in the School. The hours of Reflecting on what it was like to attend the study, in silence, created a habit of school, Pope Francis describes its “Catholic concentration, of a quite strong control of culture”: dispersion.”

School life was a “whole.” I was “Never (in so far as I remember) was a truth immersed in a way of life prepared negotiated,” he continued. “One could then

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play the rebel, the atheist… but imprinted Catholic schools today can create a deep down was the sense of sin: a truth that “Catholic culture” similar to what Pope could not be thrown out, to make everything Francis experienced at age 13, he believes. easier.” He writes: “[T]he Salesian cultural patrimony of 1949, this pedagogic Later on in life, Pope Francis heard that the patrimony, is capable of creating in its Salesian Fathers were leaving some schools pupils a Catholic culture also in 1990, as it in the hands of the laity, partly because of a was able to create it in 1930.” lack of vocations but also because the young Salesians were not attracted to teaching. Kelly Conroy Pope Francis asked himself in response: February 5,2014 “[W]hen a work languishes and loses its Catholic Education Daily flavor and its capacity to leaven the dough, is it not rather because Jesus Christ has been substituted by other options: psychological, sociological, pastoral?”

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Rural School Embraces Classical Education, Catholic Identity

Sterling, Colo., Feb 4, 2014 ( CNA/EWTN teaching them “subjects.” The foundation of News ).—A Catholic grade school on classical education is a set of three methods Colorado's eastern plains is working to of learning subjects, called the trivium— adopt a classical curriculum, in the hopes of grammar, logic and rhetoric. revitalizing the school community and providing a well-rounded formation for its Skerjanec noted that there is a trend of students. Catholic schools “moving toward classical education … I think you'll find a lot of “We decided we needed to re-explore our schools doing this.” Catholic roots in education,” said Joseph Skerjanec, principal of St. Anthony Catholic He added that Andrew Seeley, a professor at School in Sterling, Colo. Thomas Aquinas College in California and director of the Institute for Catholic Liberal “We've always distinguished ourselves by Education, has trained the school's staff in our faith, but also academically, we thought the methods of teaching classically. this was the best thing: to get back to the Catholic intellectual tradition,” he explained “The students themselves love it, and I do to CNA Jan. 30. too. It's been a wonderful experience, very rejuvenating … in a lot of ways it's not new; “The purpose of education ultimately is to it's just rediscovering who we are.” get to heaven, and we feel this is the best route for us to do that.” The principal explained that “we spend a lot of our teachers' meetings exploring writings, After serving the families of northeastern documents about it, then talking about how Colorado for 95 years, St. Anthony's nearly it can be implemented,” and “it's been very had to close this academic year, but was good for us.” saved through a successful fundraising campaign. “It's slowly being implemented,” he noted. “We decided to start with social studies and Skerjanec, together with the faculty and the literature, because that's where a lot of the parish, realized that embracing a classical 'meat' of classical education exists.” curriculum might help the school to continue to serve students into the future, by offering St. Anthony's was introduced to classical “virtue education … and exposing our kids education after the son of parish deacon Ron to those people who we need to be modeling Michieli returned from a classical college our lives after.” and started leading groups in the community. This inspired Deacon Michieli Classical, or liberal arts, education is meant to share the idea with St. Anthony's pastor to help students learn how to think, giving and with Skerjanec. them the tools of learning rather than merely

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“It just feels right,” Skerjanec reflected. “I dioceses serving the area. The nearest spent 15 years in public education, and it Catholic school is in Greeley, more than 90 just always felt like there was something miles away. else, something more; and when I finally realized that getting back to the Catholic “No matter where you live, you should have intellectual tradition was where it was at, it the opportunity to send your kids to a was like a light bulb going off for me.” Catholic school, whether it's in a busy place like the Front Range, or out here on the Abbey Daly, a new teacher at the school plains with a rural setting,” the principal who received a classical education at said. Wyoming Catholic College, said she has “discovered the importance of St. Anthony's “doesn't turn anyone away,” memorization” for her middle school classes he noted, adding that this is what makes the at St. Anthony's, where she teaches school's financial planning so important: literature, history, logic, Latin and grammar. “we don't want to turn anyone away. Anyone who wants a Catholic education “That's been the most enjoyable thing for should get one.” me: helping the kids in class memorize poetry, Latin forms, presidents, states,” she He called it a “blessing” that “while we see told CNA. Memorization is an important so many Catholic schools closing, we're still part of classical education, particularly for here, and our community still supports us.” younger students, helping to develop intellectual virtues. To stay open for the 2014-15 academic year, St. Anthony's set a goal of raising $600,000 Daly explained the importance of classical last year. The school ended up raising $1.1 education “not as a means of getting ahead million. in life, but as simply a way of being happy no matter what you do in life – farming, or “It truly solidifies the point that our driving a truck, or being a lawyer, whatever community supports us,” Skerjanec said. God is calling you to be. Latin, learning “They think it's important that we're here, history this way, learning philosophy and and we just need to get the word out to logic, are helpful no matter what God is regenerate that support; but we cannot thank calling you to do.” our benefactors enough for what they've done for us.” Skerjanec said the school has been explaining its new classical curriculum to “People from all over have supported us … parents and parishioners, and hopes to boost we're very, very blessed and very thankful, enrollment in future years, especially by and very humbled by it.” reaching out to communities around Sterling. Carl Bunderson

St. Anthony's is the only Catholic school on Colorado's eastern plains among the three

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Catholic Schools and the New Evangelization: 'A Most Valuable Resource'

excellence and learning, but they are also Dublin, February 20, 2014 ( Zenit.org ) places of faith. So, if the Holy Father is calling on our young people to be agents of Here is an address from Archbishop Eamon the new evangelisation, it is important to ask Martin, coadjutor archbishop of Armagh, ourselves: to what extent do we, in our given today at the Edmund Rice Schools Catholic schools, facilitate young people in Trustees (NI) Annual Foundation Lecture. grasping the truths of faith, growing in love of God and neighbour, and in becoming "We need a bigger beach" ran a newspaper witnesses for Christ? headline last July on the morning after World Youth Day 2013. It was an amazing I am aware, of course, that this is a sensitive sight —two and half miles of Rio’s topic, controversial even. Some question the Copacabana beach crammed with three role of the school in helping a young person million young Catholics from all over the deepen her or his faith. Is that not primarily world, including Ireland. the responsibility of their parent or their parish? And if the Catholic school does have Pope Francis left the young people in no a part to play, then have we the necessary doubt that they have an important role to resources and formation in place to make play in the New Evangelisation. 'The Lord that possible? needs you for His Church', he told them. Unapologetically, he called them to be Pope Francis has no doubt that Catholic missionaries. ‘Be active members of the schools are vital to the New Evangelisation. Church’, he said, ‘go on the offensive… Just before Christmas he published the build a better world of justice, of love, of Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium , peace, of fraternity, of solidarity’. ‘Don’t (The Gospel of Joy) in response to the XIII leave it to others’, he said. ‘Don't be Synod of Bishops on The New observers of life’. 'Get involved’. ‘Be Evangelisation. In ‘The Gospel of Joy’ he protagonists of change’. At the final Mass he says: said that the best tool for evangelising the ‘Catholic schools, which always strive to young is another young person and he join their work of education with the explicit challenged them: ‘Do not be afraid to go and proclamation of the Gospel, are a most bring Christ into every area of life, to the valuable resource for the evangelization of fringes of society, even to those who seem culture’ ( EG, 134). farthest away, most indifferent’. His words are reminiscent of those of his It’s impossible to talk about ‘Catholic predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Speaking Schools and the New Evangelisation’ to US bishops on an ad limina visit in 2012, without first being aware of the Holy he described Catholic schools as ‘an Father's challenge to young people. A few essential resource to the new evangel- weeks ago we celebrated Catholic Schools isation’, whose task is not just to pass on Week, acknowledging that our schools are distinctive —they are not only centres of

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intellectual knowledge, but also to ‘shape most saddening feature of recent years is the the hearts’ of young people. prevalence of depression amongst the young, and the creeping despair and But how might Catholic schools take their emptiness which has tragically taken the place in the New Evangelisation? And what lives of too many of our young people challenges does the Pope's mandate present? through suicide. Tonight I would like to reflect on three particular issues: firstly, the New Context in In Ireland as elsewhere, the gradual drift of which our Catholic schools are working; people away from Mass and the sacraments secondly, what is this New Mission that is has grown stronger and increasingly we are being given to us?; and thirdly, I offer my finding people who live their lives with little thoughts on some 'New' Partnerships to or no reference to belief or trust in God. A assist our schools in taking up the challenge. considerable number of baptised Catholics in Ireland are in need of what Pope John 1. A New Context Paul II termed the 'new evangelisation', Last Monday evening I had the privilege of finding themselves at a remove from Christ and the church and having 'lost a living returning to my alma mater, Saint Columb’s RM College in Derry, to speak to several sense of the faith' ( 33). There is also no doubt that the dark cloud of abuse, with all hundred senior pupils from the Catholic post-primary schools in Derry. Standing in its shame and scandal, has, as Pope Benedict put it (Letter to the Catholics of Ireland the Assembly Hall of my old school, I 2010), couldn’t help thinking back 35 years to the ‘obscured the light of the gospel’. It has not only brought such tragic time when I had been an Upper Sixth student. It is difficult to comprehend the consequences for victims and their families, but has also undermined trust among some magnitude of the changes that have taken place since then—in education, the Church parents in the involvement of the Church in our schools and other educational and society. The world is now a very different place. establishments. The new context shows itself in various The past twenty years have seen a steep ways. It is not uncommon for Primary decline in weekly practice and prayer School teachers to notice that some children amongst Catholics here. Ireland shares with starting school have not yet been introduced other parts of Western Europe a certain loss to Jesus and have little or no foundation in of the ‘sense of the sacred’, increasing prayer. And even when the school does its individualism and disengagement from best to prepare and create an environment of community, and a tendency towards ethical prayer and practice, in many cases pupils are relativism. Schools and their pupils are not not brought to the sacraments outside of immune. Teachers and parents struggle to school. More teachers nowadays are finding compete with all the contradictory messages 'in loco which contemporary culture hurls at our themselves quite literally parentis' as the first teachers of these young people - the cult of the celebrity, binge drinking and drugs and pornography. children in the ways of faith. Ironically, the digital communications With the decline in family prayer, and in a revolution has brought with it a certain culture of faith in many homes, perhaps breakdown in real and meaningful some parents simply lack the confidence to communication and friendships. Perhaps the

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teach their children about God, or how to students are not Christian or do not believe. talk to Jesus as their loving friend. Others, He reminded us that Catholic education has, because of their particular life circum- as its aim, not only the full development of stances, may feel disaffected or even every person, but also the desire 'to present excluded from the family of the Church. On Jesus Christ as the meaning of life, the the other hand, there are many young cosmos and history’. He said the new parents, who consider it as a great privilege context of dialogue and encounter in which and responsibility to hand on the faith to we find ourselves is not unlike that in which their children—recently a young couple told Jesus began to proclaim the Good News —a me they have both come back to God and 'Galilee of the nations', a crossroads' of the practice of their faith following a pre- people, diverse in terms of race, culture and baptism course in their parish. And I should religion'. Here, our Catholic schools are mention the importance of the vocation of called to maintain what Pope Francis calls ‘a grandparents in supporting their children courageous and innovative fidelity that and grandchildren in coming to know God— enables Catholic identity to encounter the the Catholic Grandparents Association is various 'souls' of multicultural society’. already making a tremendous contribution to the New Evangelisation. Having spoken about the New Context in which Catholic schools are finding As I said, schools are not immune from the themselves, let me consider now some influences I have been speaking about. aspects of the New Mission that awaits Often teachers will express their personal them. lack of confidence when it comes to witnessing to their faith in any kind of 2. New Mission public manner. In some cases they too may Pope Francis 'never tires' of repeating these have fallen away from regular practice of words of his predecessor Pope Benedict: their faith, or perhaps they have had “Being a Christian is not the result of an insufficient support or mature formation in ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the knowing and understanding the truths of the encounter with an event, a person, which Catholic faith. For whatever reason, they gives life a new horizon and a decisive may feel uncomfortable in leading prayer, or direction”. talking to their pupils about faith matters — especially in an age when young people are Surely this is the key mission which unites well able to put you 'on the spot' over a us as parents, teachers, priests —to help our tricky moral dilemma or about some aspect young people find a personal relationship of the Church’s teaching. Our schools are with Jesus within the communion of the also becoming increasingly diverse with Church. At times we can present our faith as pupils and teachers from a wide variety of if it were simply a collection of guidelines, cultural, religious or non-religious rules, rituals and routines, symbols, backgrounds. structures and historical characters. Of course it includes all of these. But if we Last weekend, Pope Francis, speaking to the reduce it to these entirely and neglect the plenary session of the Congregation for 'spark of faith' and that personal encounter Catholic Education, pointed to the with the love of God in Jesus, then we will multicultural environment of Catholic end up with something 'worn out' and schools and universities, where many joyless.

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Pope Francis makes no apologies for putting b. Let God’s presence in His Word and the the ‘joy’ back into the vocabulary of our Eucharist transform our schools from within. faith. In Evangelii Gaudium (The Gospel of Joy) he mocks our tendency towards c. Reach out to the poor and tackle 'joyless' Christianity. An evangeliser, he inequality. says, must never be 'self-absorbed' or a. Confidence to be witnesses gloomy, looking like 'someone who has just come back from a funeral'. ( EG, 10) He has The Gospel readings these Sundays, drawn no time for ‘defeatism’ which turns us into from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7), ‘disillusioned pessimists' - or “sourpusses” leave us in no doubt that we are all called to as he calls them. He insists: ‘Let us not be ‘witnesses’ for our faith. Jesus says: ‘You allow ourselves to be robbed of the joy of are salt for the earth; You are light for the evangelisation’; ‘let us not allow ourselves world’. Tasteless salt or hidden lights are to be or ‘robbed of hope’ (EG, 83). worthless and should be thrown out. Instead, Pope Francis challenges us to get It is difficult, of course, to be public out there to bring faith to life. He says ( EG ): witnesses for Christ nowadays, particularly ‘I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting in schools. Perhaps it's because pupils or and dirty because it has been out on the teachers don’t want to come across as pious streets, rather than a Church which is or ‘holier than thou’ in front of friends and unhealthy from being confined and from colleagues; or, because they are conscious of clinging to its own security…. If something their own personal weaknesses and should rightly disturb us and trouble our sinfulness? Or is it that they do not have the consciences, it is the fact that so many of our maturity of language or vocabulary in order brothers and sisters are living without the to communicate the truth of the Gospel strength, light and consolation born of message in a sometimes aggressively secular friendship with Jesus Christ, without a world? To be a witness to Christ nowadays community of faith to support them, without is becoming increasingly counter-cultural. meaning and a goal in life’. More and more, faith-based opinions are being given the 'cold shoulder' in the public I find these words exciting, but also quite square. disturbing of my own 'comfort zone'. When I look at my own life, I wonder how much How many of us have not found ourselves do I keep Jesus locked up inside myself? floundering at times to understand and Because at the heart of the message of Pope articulate Gospel values and Catholic Francis is the radical call of Jesus to go out teachings about life, love, the family, to the whole world and proclaim the Good charity, a fair distribution of wealth, mercy, News. forgiveness and reconciliation? I would like to suggest three particular ways If we wish to become witnesses for Christ by which our Catholic schools might today, we have to be able to draw upon both respond to this challenge: reason and faith in order to express our vision of the dignity and vocation of the a. Instill confidence in pupils and teachers to human person, linked to the common good. be public witnesses for our faith. All the more reason, then, for our Catholic education system, from infancy to young

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adulthood, to play its part in providing a out over and over: ‘Jesus Christ loves you; progressive catechesis, one which gradually he gave his life to save you; and now he is and systematically helps pupils and teachers living at your side every day to enlighten, to grasp and present the essential content of strengthen and free you’ ( EG, 164) our rich Catholic tradition and doctrine. b. Let God’s presence in His Word and All Catholic schools, with the help of their the Eucharist transform our schools from Diocesan Advisor, might usefully examine within their ethos and curriculum in order to evaluate the contribution they are making to And that brings me to the second feature of pupils' knowledge and understanding of the New Mission for our Catholic schools, to salvation history and of the four so-called let God’s presence in His Word and the 'pillars' of the Catechism of the Catholic Eucharist transform our schools from within. Church: Obviously this means finding more 1) What we believe (the creed); 2) how we opportunities in Catholic schools for pupils celebrate (liturgy and the sacraments); 3) to hear or read God’s Word, and then to how we live (Christian morality); 4) how we reflect on what it is asking of them. The pray (Christian prayer). Word of God is the ‘wellspring of renewal’ in the life of the Church and in our own Because of the many influences on them, not personal lives ( Verbum Domini ). But if this least in the digital media, young people are is to happen, then we need to make the Bible often left without moral reference points and a more natural part of the daily life of our are easily swayed by ethical relativism, or schools. by a comfortable ‘spirituality without challenge’. Sadly, as one young R.E. teacher St Jerome once said: Ignorance of Scripture told me recently: More young people are is ignorance of Christ, so let us seek new tempted towards a kind of 'nihilism', opportunities in our Catholic schools for viewing life as basically meaningless. teachers and pupils to meet together to read and study the Bible, to reflect upon it Our Catholic schools have a vital role to prayerfully, to get to know who Jesus is, His play in developing a ‘creative apologetics’ life and ministry and relate it to their lives. (EG, 132) which will help our young people e.g. in Assemblies, Bible Study Groups to present and explain to their world a and Lectio Divina groups. Pope Francis ‘consistent ethic of life’, and, as the first describes the Word of God as a 'sublime letter of Peter puts it: "a reason for the hope treasure'. He says 'the study of the Sacred that is within us" (1 Pet 3:15). We must aim Scriptures must be a door opened to every to send our pupils out 'in the service of love', believer’; evangelisation demands famil- emboldened with the Gospel of Joy, to iarity with the Word of God. You may be change the world. We must help and aware of the website, 'Sacred Space’ which encourage them to say a resounding ‘Yes’ to is hosted here in Ireland. In a few clicks it a culture of Life and ‘No’ to the creeping offers opportunities for a few moments of culture of death and destruction. prayer and meditation for each day, drawing from God’s Word, offering thoughts on how In all this we must remember, as Pope that Word relates to daily life. Something Francis says, ‘on the lips of the catechist, the like this would be the ideal beginning to first proclamation (of the Gospel) must ring

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every day for pupils, teachers and school every day: Reach out to the poor and tackle chaplains. inequality. God’s powerful presence in the Eucharist is The problem of world poverty remains a another source of nourishment for our huge challenge for all of us. The recent Catholic schools. Most of our schools observation by Oxfam that the 85 richest already make a big effort to ensure that people in the world earn more than 3.5 school, class and Year Group Masses are billion of the world’s poorest people stopped celebrated regularly with joy and reverence. many of us in our tracks. Apparently one Pope John Paul II, who invented the term third of all the food bought in Ireland is ‘New Evangelisation’ was always clear that thrown out—and worldwide there are 1.3 there is no authentic celebration of the billion tons of food waste every year. Pope Eucharist that does not lead to mission. The Francis refers to the 'scandal of global Eucharist is the summit and source of the hunger' and says ‘we cannot look the other Church’s life and mission. Regular way and pretend that global hunger does not celebration of the Eucharist, as well as exist’. ‘We must try to give a voice to those opportunities for young people to meet God who suffer silently from hunger so that this in adoration and prayer before the Eucharist voice becomes a roar which can shake the can bring new hope, enthusiasm and renewal world’. into the life of a school. The disturbing thing about this challenge is A few weeks ago during Catholic Schools how easy it is for us at home, school and Week, I attended a wonderful liturgical parish, to become comfortable with our celebration with 800 children from all over share of the world’s material goods, and Dundalk. Towards the end of their hour-long even to get caught into the pursuit of more celebration of joyful prayer and song, the riches and pleasure, oblivious to those in the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and the world who are much less fortunate than we children were led in a meditation and silent are. It is true that Ireland remains one of the adoration, before ending with Benediction— most generous countries in the world when it was deeply moving to see 800 children it comes to supporting development aid and praying intensely in silence before Jesus in our schools raise large amounts for charity. the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Pope The 5 million euro raised by Trócaire before Benedict once said: ‘Eucharistic spirituality Christmas for Syria and the Philippines was must be the interior motor of every activity’. an extraordinary act of generosity and (Homily at Conclusion of the Year of the solidarity. Eucharist, 23 October 2005). Might all our Catholic schools harness this power in But I think that Pope Francis is reminding us driving the New Evangelisation? that solidarity with the poor is about more than giving from what we have left over. He c. Reach out to the poor and tackle is calling us to examine our whole lives, our inequality mindset, our personal attitudes to money and possessions. And these are issues which our The third aspect of the New Mission flows Catholic schools must present to our young from Word and Eucharist and from the people who are so easily caught up in the desire to be a public witness to Christ - it is materialism that surrounds them. Where do one which Pope Francis mentions almost we find fulfilment in our lives? Is it in the

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material things that we own, or is it in In this regard, within our Catholic education becoming a more rounded and generous system as a whole, we must continue to look person who is deeply conscious of the out for those who are left behind or impact of our lifestyle on the earth and on neglected in any way. The holy founders and the poorest peoples who share this planet foundresses of many of our Catholic with us? Pope Francis is asking us to schools, like Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice confront our worldliness, that ‘throwaway or Venerable Nano Nagle were clearly culture’ which reduces everyone and inspired by a preferential option for the everything to consumers or units of poor. We must examine the inequalities in consumption; he invites us to be our system with its widening gap between permanently 'tuned in' to hearing the cry of the highest and lowest achievers, where too the poor, the excluded, the marginalised, the many of our young people leave without forgotten. Indeed he goes further, he asks us meaningful qualifications or opportunities, to go out to the peripheries, to meet the poor where the responsibility for children from and excluded where they are. the most deprived backgrounds or for those with the greatest educational needs falls I applaud those Catholic schools that unfairly on the shoulders of only some of organise outreach programmes for their our post-primary schools, where too many pupils, who have established youth branches of our newcomer children continue to of St Vincent de Paul Society, who organise struggle with literacy and language skills trips to Lourdes as helpers of the sick, even after a considerable number of years educational visits to orphanages in Romania, among us. Let me quote Evangelii or to mission countries like Kenya or Gaudium again: ‘None of us can think we Uganda. These experiences can have a are exempt from concern for the poor and profound, lifelong impact on our young for social justice (201)'; (Christians) 'are people and on the teachers who accompany called to care for the vulnerable of the earth. them. Development education and Catholic But the current model, with its emphasis on social teaching ought to be a compulsory success and self-reliance, does not appear to part of the curriculum in all Catholic schools favour an investment in efforts to help the so that teachers and young people can be slow, the weak or the less talented to find aware of issues such as solidarity, fair opportunities in life ( EG, 209). distribution of the world’s goods, and about the impact of poverty on the dignity of the 3. ‘New’ Partnerships human person. If we are to meet the challenges of the New Evangelisation, To conclude I would like to offer examples Catholic social teaching must not remain, as of ‘New’ Partnerships to assist the New some say, the Church’s best kept secret! Evangelisation, or should I say—‘renewed Trócaire’s website has some excellent partnerships’, for many of these partnerships resources. By way of introduction for already exist in some form. teachers and principals, I recommend Donal The first is as ‘old as the hills’—partnership Dorr’s classic text: Option for the Poor and between home, school and parish. I am for the Earth –which traces the development convinced that, if the New Evangelisation is of the key principles of Catholic social to be a success in Ireland, we must revisit teaching over more than a century. and revitalise this important set of links. Clearly, much value can be added when

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home, school and parish share responsibility Youcat and the new Adult Catechism in this for a coherent programme of catechesis, country. linking home, school and parish is in place. This is the vision of Share the Good The National Directory for Catechesis in News , the National Directory for Catechesis Ireland, Share the Good News, situates in Ireland . I think it is timely to revisit the 'catechesis within the call to evangelise... Veritas Parish Catechesis Programmes such and provides principles and guidelines for as 'Do this in Memory', 'The Bridge' and the evangelisation, catechesis and religious Confirmation support programmes to education today motivating us to study and examine and harness greater potential from a research all the means available to bring the coherent home-school-parish linked pro- Gospel to life anew every day' (preface, gramme of catechesis. For example, as SGN). children and young people are introduced to Speaking here in St Mary’s University traditional prayers like the Rosary or the College, I call for a further 'renewed' Stations of the Cross, opportunities emerge partnership, between you, our teacher for engaging with their parents and the training College, and those responsible for parish in sustaining these ancient devotions. Catechesis and Evangelisation in our I would advocate that the writing of all schools and dioceses. The teachers you school catechetical materials in the future prepare have so much to bring to the New should include resources for adult Evangelisation through their daily witness in catechesis. We must grasp all opportunities our schools and the associated links with for conversion and re-awakening the faith of parishes and homes. But they will need parents and teachers. continuing education in faith and theology. To this end, an 'ex-officio' presence of the Often they end up ploughing a lonely furrow school principal, chaplain or R.E. in school as R.E. teachers or Liturgy Coordinator on the Parish Pastoral Council, Coordinators. One young man who qualified and the involvement of suitably trained from this College within the past five years teachers as parish catechists is worth told me that already every single letter that considering. Many parishes are already even vaguely looks like religion, faith, introducing the Robert Barron Catholicism charity or Catholic ethos lands on his desk! I Series, or the Maryvale Adult Faith would encourage a great College like this to Programmes. Might we encourage our become centrally involved in the saving teachers to avail of these programmes and, mission of the Church by supporting in indeed, to be trained as facilitators of these concrete ways the New Evangelisation in programmes for other adults or senior cycle our Catholic schools. This might be done by students in a parish setting? surveying knowledge of our faith amongst young people of various ages as well as Such initiatives can only be a success if we adults and researching the effectiveness of promote partnership between all those various catechetical methodologies. There is involved in Catechesis and 'Adult Faith a pressing need to write and pilot new Formation' at National, Diocesan and Parish resources and deliver training programmes Level. We might usefully begin now to on the New Evangelisation for Catholic develop 'home-grown' programmes for teachers and parish catechists. Ireland to accompany the promotion of

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This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary As Pope Francis said to the young people in of Lumen Gentium which called for lay Rio, 'The Church needs you, your people to act 'like a ‘leaven’ sanctifying the enthusiasm, your creativity and your joy'. world from within '. In the coming months hundreds of our young people will be Our Catholic schools remain a valuable receiving the Pope John Paul II Award in resource in helping our young people, recognition of their contribution to bringing parents and teachers to understand and bear faith to life. Just imagine the possibilities if witness to our faith in public and to bring the thousands of young people who have the Gospel of Joy to the world. In reflecting already received this Award around the with you on the New Context, a New country were to drive the new Mission and New Partnerships this evening, Evangelisation in Ireland in their 20s and I am inviting our superb Catholic schools to 30s as young parents and parish, school and join us in the New Evangelisation and help community leaders. us to sing a new song to The Lord!

The Catholic Educator 25 Fall 2014

Catholic Schools in U.S. Court China’s Youth, and Their Cash

chemistry, European history, studio art and WAYNE, N.J. — When she arrived chorus, they also take theology, lead at DePaul Catholic High School to join the Christian service club meetings and attend class of 2014, Di Wang hardly lacked for monthly Mass, where they can approach the international experience. The daughter of a altar to receive a blessing from the priest Chinese petroleum executive from Shaanxi, during communion but cannot partake in the she had attended an elite summer camp in sacramental wafer because they are not Japan. She knew firsthand the pleasures of baptized. French cuisine. Her favorite movie was “The Godfather.” At Marquette Catholic High School in Michigan City, Ind., 20 Chinese students Her worldly exposure, though, did not live in a brick Victorian and nearby carriage extend to the particulars of a Roman house, recently renovated to accommodate Catholic education. Ms. Wang, 18, got her the school’s expanding international first lesson on that inside the school’s lobby. program. There are 60 international students Gazing up at an emaciated Jesus hanging at Melbourne Central Catholic High School , from a wooden cross, she was so startled she near Cape Canaveral, Fla., close to 10 recalls gasping: “Oh, my God! So this is a percent of the school’s population. Most are Catholic school.” from China.

She is hardly an anomaly. American “The students are not just going to the big parochial schools from Westchester County cities,” said Robert R. Bimonte, the to Washington State are becoming magnets president of the National Catholic for the offspring of Chinese real estate Educational Association, in Arlington, Va. tycoons, energy executives and government “It’s rural; it’s suburban and it’s small officials. The schools are aggressively towns.” recruiting them, flying admissions officers to China, hiring agencies to produce glossy The schools do not require the students to brochures in Chinese, and putting up web convert. But, several school officials said, pages with eye-catching photos of blond, they must be respectful during prayers, tousled-haired students gamboling around enroll in mandatory theology courses and with their beaming Chinese classmates. fulfill required Christian service hours, which means, for example, tutoring low- The students, some of whom pay more than income students in a church basement or five times as much as local students, are serving the hungry at a Catholic soup infusing an international sensibility into kitchen. these schools, and helping with their often- battered finances after many have suffered The accommodation goes both ways. steep declines in enrollment. At John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, N.Y., where about 9 percent of the Today at DePaul, 39 of the 625 students student body hails from China, bake sales come from China. Besides courses like can include both cupcakes and guava-

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flavored hard candy. Students in the Jiacheng Wang, a senior at John F. Kennedy international friendship club decorate the from Ningbo, a coastal city, said he left school with wreaths for Christmas and red China to obtain a well-rounded education in paper lanterns for Lunar New Year. the arts and sciences. “I wanted to have time to do the things I love,” he said, including The Rev. Mark Vaillancourt, the principal, drumming and singing. He said that the says only half jokingly that Beijing has school’s religious affiliation played almost become his fourth recruitment district, after no role in his decision to enroll, but he now the Bronx and Putnam and Westchester finds the school’s daily prayers calming. Counties. Sometimes before bed now, he prays alone.

With the foreign tuition, he has upgraded the “I believe in science,” Mr. Wang said. “But computer labs, completed a gym renovation, now, I’m kind of 50 percent Christian. I start installed LED lighting and new ceiling tiles, to believe this God stuff.” and added more local students to the scholarship rosters. Asked during a phone interview from China whether she believed her son would convert, Students from China pay $47,500, more than his mother, Li Qijun, 46, replied five times what local students pay. Some, dismissively in Mandarin. “That won’t but not all, of the difference is due to room, happen.” board and services like insurance. Father Vaillancourt said the higher bill was As for her own religious beliefs: “I don’t justified because the parents do not help out have any,” she said. “I’m a party member, a on fund-raisers or otherwise contribute, and Communist Party member.” because he does not believe the students will become active alumni. Anna Sun , director of the Asian studies program at Kenyon College, says Chinese Besides helping their own schools, he said students attending parochial schools may he and his counterparts were also developing well appreciate, and even be moved by, positive relations between the Church and Christian traditions but not feel the need to China’s up-and-comers. make a classic conversion.

“You always want to be a good ambassador “Unlike in the West, where one is either a for the faith,” he said. Catholic or a Protestant but cannot be both, most people in China have a more fluid Wealthy Chinese parents are not seeking out relationship to religion, mainly because a Catholic education so much as an traditional Chinese religions are not American one, to help prepare their children monotheistic,” she said. for college in the United States and to escape what many describe as a test-heavy, The ranks of Chinese Christians are reductive educational system. Secular relatively small but growing, in part because private schools have also been recruiting of underground churches that have survived heavily in China in recent years. in spite of the government’s wariness of organized religion. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center report , 5 percent of Chinese

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citizens identified themselves as Christian, Bethany Duane-Dacles, a history teacher with less than 1 percent Catholic. and director of the school’s summer programs, says the seminars included Recruiters and agencies that help place videos, PowerPoint presentations and props Chinese students in schools abroad say they like rosary beads. Students were taught the do not make a big deal about the religious basics: the Ten Commandments, the aspect of Catholic schools. Instead they push hierarchy of the church, how to read the elements that they believe are more Bible and make the sign of the cross. important to today’s Chinese families, using phrases like “the value-based, mission- “If you don’t know who Jesus is, it’s really driven” qualities of a Catholic education as difficult,” she said. well as safety and supervision. Theology teachers tend to pass fleetingly Barnabas Chan, the international admissions through sticky terrain. The church’s position recruiter for Bishop Kearney High School in on abortion, which directly opposes that of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, which currently the Chinese government, is one such area. educates about 30 students from China, travels to cities including Kunming, Ms. Wang, who plans to attend college in Guangzhou and Zhuhai every winter to give the United States, says she has enjoyed talks at middle schools and in the sprawling learning about church doctrine, which she living rooms of import-export magnates and sums up like this: “Do good, avoid evil.” technology executives. He says parents do not make much of a distinction between Sitting in the school library on a recent parochial and secular private schools. So, he morning, donning one of DePaul’s black does not “lead with it.” fleeces, she said her interest did not extend further. She intends to remain an atheist. When they arrived at DePaul two years ago, Still, now, she does sometimes pray. “Thank Ms. Wang and 26 other students from China God,” she whispers to herself, “for this underwent a three-week orientation before beautiful day.” classes began. Kyle Spencer They got a primer on the Constitution and April 6, 2014 the Declaration of Independence, ate pizza, toured nearby subdivisions and boned up on Jeffrey E. Singer contributed reporting. their English. Then they moved on to Catholicism.

The Catholic Educator 28 Fall 2014

Catholic Leaders Are Hoping Latinos Can Save Struggling Parochial Schools

By Andrew O'Reilly instruments of catechetical and intellectual Published August 21, 2014 formation (and social transformation) this Fox News Latino country has ever known, are uniquely poised to serve Latino families,” Father Joe NEW YORK —For more than 130 years, Corpora of the University of Notre Dame sitting just off Times Square, the Holy Cross wrote in the preface to a study School opened its doors to students looking entitled “Renewing Our Greatest And Best for a Catholic education near “The Inheritance." Crossroads of the World.” Over the past decade, 16 percent of U.S. But as Times Square transformed from a Catholic schools have closed. They dropped gaudy and depraved hotspot of vice to one from 8,114 to 6,841 and enrollment of the city’s main tourist attractions, nationwide has declined 23 percent —thanks enrollment at the school began to wane and to various factors such as the growth of in 2013 the New York Roman Catholic charter schools, fallout from the church’s Archdiocese announced the closing of Holy sex abuse scandals and changing Cross along with 24 other schools across the demographics. state. What Catholic schools hope to do with The shuttering of Holy Cross is just one of Latino students is very similar to the hundreds of closings of Catholic schools strategy the Church applied in its more across the country in recent years due to halcyon days of the past. sagging enrollment and rising costs to maintain the schools. Some Catholic leaders, however, are now looking to one key For decades Catholic school enrollment was demographic in the U.S. to come to their driven —especially in major cities like New schools, and possibly be the key to save the York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia — institutions. by immigrants and their children from heavily Catholic countries like Ireland, Italy and Germany. Latinos —making up 17 percent of the U.S. population and a group that is 40 percent Catholic —have been identified by some “The entire Catholic school system began by Catholic leaders as both a population opening up schools for immigrant children,” underserved educationally and one of the Corpora told Fox News Latino. Church’s best hopes for reviving schools on the brink of closure. Greater integration into the U.S., moves away from traditional immigrant enclaves by second and third generation families, and “At the heart of this opportunity is a simple a gradual decline in church membership, all and fundamental reality: our Catholic aided the decline of Catholic school schools, which are the most effective

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enrollment over the last few decades and by schools are elite and exclusive, because 2000 around 1,900 schools in the U.S. had that’s how they are in Latin America.” closed their doors. In an attempt to make schools more Catholic leaders have begun to say that affordable for newly arrived Hispanic Latino outreach is a critical factor in students, some states are offering vouchers drawing in Hispanics to the Church’s for private education in areas where public schools and since 2005 dioceses around the institutions are struggling. And the Catholic country—including in heavily Catholic School Advantage is advising some schools towns like Boston, Cincinnati and to offer income-based tuition to make it Phoenix—have launched initiatives to easier for low-income families to meet the appeal to Hispanic students. expense of their children’s education.

By 2010, Latino enrollment in Catholic “This is like the Delta Airlines model where schools increased by 9 percent nationwide they sell certain seats for lower prices than and schools in Peoria, Illinois saw a 34 others,” Corpora said. “It doesn’t make percent rise in Hispanics. While that sense to fly a plane with empty seats and it changed the number of Latino students from doesn’t make sense to run a school with 25 621 to only 834 in the city’s Catholic empty desks.” schools, Corpora said he and other observers are hopeful that the trend will continue In some cities the vouchers and income- across the country. based tuition seem to be paying dividends with schools, not only keeping them afloat “It’s happening at a slower pace than we but helping them actually gain students. want, but it is happening,” he said. “It’s Chicago Catholic elementary schools saw moving in the right direction.” enrollment increase 3 percent in 2012 and 1 percent the year before last year—the first two-year growth spurt since 1965. Boston- One problem that has hindered Catholic area elementary schools had a 2 percent schools from attracting more Latino students bump in that time—the first in 20 years. is the prohibitive costs that accompany an education at many of these institutions. Catholic elementary school tuition can The outreach efforts—at least marginally— average between $6,000 to $8,000 a year, appear to be paying off but Church officials which can be a pricey venture for immigrant want to make clear that the push for more and low-income families with multiple Latinos in their schools has less to do with children. saving educational institutions and more to do with helping a community in need. “Many in the immigrant population are just worried about the day-to-day,” Sylvia “We’re not in this to build up Catholic Armas-Abad, the Los Angeles field schools but to give Latinos a good correspondent for Notre Dame’s Catholic education,” Corpora said, adding that a School Advantage told the Religion News higher enrollment in the schools was just a Wire . “We come in thinking that Catholic nice payoff. “It’s a cause and effect.”

The Catholic Educator 30 Fall 2014

'The Dumbest Generation' by Mark Bauerlein

By Lee Drutman , Special to The Times ballyhooed advances of this brave new world have not only failed to materialize— July 5, 2008 they've actually made us dumber.

In the four minutes it probably takes to read The problem is that instead of using the Web this review, you will have logged exactly to learn about the wide world, young people half the time the average 15- to 24-year-old instead mostly use it to gossip about each now spends reading each day. That is, if you other and follow pop culture, relentlessly even bother to finish. If you are perusing keeping up with the ever-shifting lingua this on the Internet, the big block of text franca of being cool in school. The two most below probably seems daunting, maybe even popular websites by far among students are boring. Who has the time? Besides, one of Facebook and MySpace. "Social life is a your Facebook friends might have just powerful temptation," Bauerlein explains, posted a status update! "and most teenagers feel the pain of missing out." Such is the kind of recklessly distracted impatience that makes Mark Bauerlein fear This ceaseless pipeline of peer-to-peer for his country. "As of 2008," the 49-year- activity is worrisome, he argues, not only old professor of English at Emory because it crowds out the more serious stuff University writes in "The Dumbest but also because it strengthens what he calls Generation," "the intellectual future of the the "pull of immaturity." Instead of United States looks dim." connecting them with parents, teachers and other adult figures, "[t]he web . . . The way Bauerlein sees it, something new encourages more horizontal modeling, more and disastrous has happened to America's raillery and mimicry of people the same youth with the arrival of the instant age." When Bauerlein tells an audience of gratification go-go-go digital age. The result college students, "You are six times more is, essentially, a collective loss of context likely to know who the latest American Idol and history, a neglect of "enduring ideas and is than you are to know who the speaker of conflicts." Survey after painstakingly the U.S. House is," a voice in the crowd tells recounted survey reveals what most of us him: " 'American Idol' IS more important." already suspect: that America's youth know virtually nothing about history and politics. Bauerlein also frets about the nature of the And no wonder. They have developed a Internet itself, where people "seek out what "brazen disregard of books and reading." they already hope to find, and they want it fast and free, with a minimum of effort." In Things were not supposed to be this way. entering a world where nobody ever has to After all, "never have the opportunities for stick with anything that bores or challenges education, learning, political action, and them, "going online habituates them to cultural activity been greater," writes juvenile mental habits." Bauerlein, a former director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the And all this feeds on itself. Increasingly Arts. But somehow, he contends, the much- disconnected from the "adult" world of

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tradition, culture, history, context and the youth. Maybe something is different this ability to sit down for more than five time. But, of course. Something is different minutes with a book, today's digital every time. generation is becoming insulated in its own stultifying cocoon of bad spelling, civic The book's ultimate doomsday scenario—of illiteracy and endless postings that a dull and self-absorbed new generation of hopelessly confuse triviality with trans- citizens falling prey to demagoguery and cendence. Two-thirds of U.S. under- brazen power grabs—seems at once graduates now score above average on the overblown (witness, for example, this Narcissistic Personality Inventory, up 30% election season's youth reengagement in since 1982, he reports. politics) and also yesterday's news (haven't we always been perilously close to this, if At fault is not just technology but also a not already suffering from it?). But amid the newly indulgent attitude among parents, sometimes annoyingly frantic warning bells educators and other mentors, who, Bauerlein that ding throughout "The Dumbest argues, lack the courage to risk "being Generation," there are also some keen labeled a curmudgeon and a reactionary." insights into how the new digital world really is changing the way young people But is he? The natural (and anticipated) engage with information and the obstacles response would indeed be to dismiss him as they face in integrating any of it your archetypal cranky old professor who meaningfully. These are insights that just can't understand why "kids these days" educators, parents and other adults ignore at don't find Shakespeare as timeless as he their peril. always has. Such alarmism ignores the context and history he accuses the youth of Lee Drutman is co-author of "The People's lacking—the fact that mass ignorance and Business: Controlling Corporations and apathy have always been widespread in anti- Restoring Democracy." intellectual America, especially among the

The Catholic Educator 32 Fall 2014

A Review of Bauerlein's "The Dumbest Generation"

Written by James Heiser teach. Trained to make use of the most up- to-date information technologies, many The Dumbest Generation is a book that is modern students are unable to retain and painful to read, but which Americans dare assimilate such information, and one of the not ignore. The book’s title reflects the most important elements of an education— confrontational character of its findings: the ability to apply past lessons and events Mark Bauerlein addresses a topic that to present concerns—is almost entirely refuses to be ignored, and he does so with a outside of their grasp. command of the facts and the passion of a jeremiad. Bauerlein masterfully interweaves anecdotal incidents and statistical studies throughout As Bauerlein observes in the “Introduction”: The Dumbest Generation , which serves to “This book is an attempt to consolidate the magnify the impact of the work on the best and broadest research into a different reader. For example, while demonstrating profile of the rising American mind. It the bibliophobia of the rising generation, he doesn’t cover behaviors and values, only the dismisses the claim “at-least-Harry-Potter- intellect of under-30-year-olds. Their has-kids-reading” with the statistical political leanings don’t matter, nor do their demonstration that not only is the rate of career ambitions. The manners, music, reading in precipitous decline, but the depth clothing, speech, sexuality, faith, diversity, of material read is also markedly degraded: depression, criminality, drug use, moral “The percentage of 17-year-olds who ‘Never codes, and celebrities of the young spark or hardly ever’ read for fun more than many books, articles, research papers, and doubled from 1984 to 2004, 9 percent to 19 marketing strategies centered on Generation percent. Over the same period, the Y (or Generation DotNet, or the percentage of 17-year-olds who read for fun Millennials), but not this one. It sticks to one ‘Almost every day’ dropped by 9 points. thing, the intellectual condition of young Nearly half of high school seniors (48 Americans, and describes it with empirical percent) read for fun ‘once or twice a month evidence, recording something hard to or less.’” When Bauerlein asks, “Has the document but nonetheless insidious undergraduate plan become so pre- happening inside their heads. The professionalized that the curriculum information is scattered and underanalyzed, functions as a high-level vocational training but once collected and compared, it charts a that dulls the intellectual curiosity that consistent and perilous momentum encourages outside book reading?,” the downward.” reader knows the answer. True education has little place in the institutions that Russell What Bauerlein documents is that it is not Kirk once dubbed “Behemoth University.” that the educational system has failed to keep children busy—the school day is filled Bauerlein’s evaluation of online learning with frenetic activities—but that the system and the over-use and misuse of technology fails to accomplish the one thing which rests in education deserves a more lengthy review at the heart of its charter: schools fail to that can be allotted here. Reviewing the

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evidence at his disposal, Bauerlein is largely honestly contend with the underlying thesis. dismissive of the educational benefits of There have been, and will continue to be, online study and cites studies that many who will pander to the vanity of the demonstrate that such research may actually young and praise them for their presumed damage the student’s overall ability to technological prowess and "hard work." As assimilate information. “Nonlinear, nonhier- Cervantes observed, the proof of the archical thinking sounds creative and pudding is in the eating. The results of the individualized, but once the Web dominates ongoing miseducation of the young is a student’s intellectual sphere, does it statistically demonstrable and anecdotally change value, sliding into a destructive seemingly omnipresent in the semiliterate temptation to eschew more disciplined ramblings of MySpace and other forums. courses of thinking, to avoid reading a long poem line by line, tracking a logical Bauerlein declares in his conclusion: “It’s argument point by point, assembling a time for over-30-year-olds of all kinds to narrative event by event...? The other speak out, not just social conservatives who effects, too, might prove harmful. If students fret over Internet pornography, or political grow up thinking that texts are for Leftists who want to rouse the youth vote, or interactivity—to add, to delete, to cut and traditionalist educators who demand higher paste—do they acquire the patience to standards in the curriculum. Adults assimilate complex texts on their own terms, everywhere need to align against youth to read The Illiad without assuming that the ignorance and apathy, and not fear the ‘old epic exists to serve their purposes?” In fact, fogy’ tag and recoil from the smirks of the studies demonstrate that very little reading young. The moral poles need to reverse, goes on with the Internet at all; for the most with the young no longer setting the pace for part what takes place is superficial skimming right conduct and cool thinking. Let’s tell which utterly undermines the reader’s ability the truth. The Dumbest Generation will to meaningfully engage the text. The cease being dumb only when it regards deterioration of any capacity for critical adolescence as an inferior realm of petty reading and thinking will echo throughout strivings and adulthood as a realm of civil, the broader culture: “The habits young historical, and cultural awareness that puts people form after school, on weekends, and them in touch with the perennial ideas and over the summer are pleasing—fast struggles.” In short, the struggle continues to scanning, page hopping, sloppy writing, be for what T. S. Eliot memorably called associative thinking, no unfamiliar “the permanent things.” Pursuing data content—and while they undermine the instead of truth , the rising generation is in values and demands of the classroom and mortal danger of losing both the facts and the workplace (scrupulous reading, good their implications and such a loss threatens grammar, analytical thinking), these habits the entire fabric of the American Republic. won’t go away.” Mark Bauerlein, The Dumbest Generation The problems highlighted by The Dumbest — How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Generation demand a response; even if one Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future , is critical of the extent to which the author (New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2008 presses his argument, it is difficult to [hardover] and 2009 [paperback]).

The Catholic Educator 34 Fall 2014

Do Christian Schools Produce Good Citizens? The Evidence Says Yes.

According to their critics, private Christian give a comprehensive account of how schools foster an attitude of isolation and different kinds of high schools contribute to withdrawal from society. And according to the academic achievement, cultural their boosters, public schools provide a engagement, and spiritual formation of their unique and essential preparation for graduates. citizenship in a diverse nation. For the past five years, my colleagues and I at Cardus have been studying these claims, and last week, we released a new study that shows The results of this survey were mostly just how little data exists to support them. consistent with a similar survey we conducted in 2011. While it’s inevitably most interesting to look at the differences among graduates of these different kinds of Do private schools (whether religious or not) schools—more about those in a moment— foster social isolation? Do public schools one of the most striking results is the uniquely help to create the “social capital” similarities. On more than half of the over that comes from diverse friendships and 500 slides of results (available for free working relationships? Based on the data we download along with the report at released last week, the answer seems to be www.carduseducationsurvey.com ), there are no on both counts. Adult graduates of no statistically significant differences Evangelical Protestant, Catholic, non- between the various schooling types. religious private, and public schools were all as likely to have a close friend who was an atheist or of a different race. The only statistically significant difference we found Some will find these similarities comforting, was that Evangelical Protestants were while others will find them disconcerting. marginally less likely to have a close gay or Within the educational establishment policy lesbian friend—about 57 percent of and research community, they are at the very evangelical Protestant graduates, compared least surprising, not least because of the to 69 percent of public school graduates, implications for public funding of private report a friend or relative who is gay or alternatives to government-run schools. In a lesbian. panel discussion at Roosevelt House in New York City on September 10th after the results were released, former New York State Commissioner of Education David The Cardus survey, collected in March 2014 Steiner asked: “If the results are the same, is and analyzed by the team at the Cardus there any justification for not publicly Religious Schools Initiative at the funding private schools?” University of Notre Dame , was designed to

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non-religious private schools—for these graduates, the various measures of academic There are differences between the graduates attainment are consistently higher than other of different kinds of schools, to be sure. sectors. Catholic graduates tend to be Evangelical Protestant graduates marry employed in STEM occupations as well as younger, have more children, divorce less, disproportionately in managerial and and are more active in their church professional occupations, especially in fields communities than other graduates— related to finance. At the same time, our although, confounding rumors of study confirmed the 2011 finding that evangelical isolation, they are more active in Catholic schools do not seem to be their broader communities as well. producing the spiritual formation results that Academically, Evangelical Protestant school most Catholic parents would presumably graduates look quite similar to public school aspire to when choosing Catholic education graduates. Evangelical Protestant male for their children. graduates are more likely than others not to go beyond high school, representing a greater occupational involvement in the trades, but (confounding still more rumors, There was one other intriguing result among this time of evangelical sexism) Evangelical the graduates of private schools that are not Protestant female graduates are as equally religious (neither Evangelical nor likely as those from other sectors to pursue Catholic)—they gave relatively positive tertiary education. evaluations of the contribution of their schools to their religious and spiritual formation. (As with all these findings, the sample here was controlled for Another significant difference between socioeconomic and religious backgrounds in Evangelical Protestant graduates and others order to enable “apples to apples” is that they are less likely than others to comparisons.) Although non-religious pursue majors and careers in STEM schools are by definition officially secular (science, technology, engineering and just like public schools, it would seem that math)–related occupations. They are more non-religious private schools are much more likely to be employed in education, health, open and supportive of the religious and other social science-related occupations expression of their students. Perhaps this is (the “caring professions”). When it comes to because many non-religious schools choosing a career, financial reward seems to originated as religious schools; perhaps it have a lower priority in their decision- reflects the public schools’ hypersensitivity making process. They are much more likely to any religious expression. Whatever the to pursue a career based on a sense of cause, the results are striking. “calling from God” or vocation than their counterparts from other school types.

One final finding should not be overlooked: the “satisfaction” results in which Catholic school graduates, on the other respondents were asked to evaluate how hand, tend to look more like graduates of well their high school prepared them for

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various dimensions of adult life. Every one sectors can make more informed choices. of the private school types have significantly And we hope those involved in education more positive evaluations in this domain, in will take an opportunity to look in the mirror almost every measure, than public schools. this survey provides. Ultimately these results One might argue this is to be expected, matter for all of us—most of all because given that tuition was paid for the private they debunk the myth that religious schools school experience, but that alone can hardly are somehow deficient in creating the social explain the dramatic gap. capital necessary for a vibrant democratic society. As it turns out, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Our project isn’t intended to be the last word. Rather, we seek to bring reliable data into the discussion, so that those interested Ray Pennings in the pros and cons of the various school September 17, 2014

The Catholic Educator 37 Fall 2014

Where Did They Learn All These Things?

Homily for Catholic Schools Mass, preached synagogue, from people of His time. St. by the Most Reverend David O’Connell. Luke tells us that “the child grew and C.M., at St. Mary of the Assumption became strong, filled with wisdom and the Cathedral in Trenton on 7 October 2014. favor of God was upon him” (2:40). Did Jesus ever go to school? The Bible There is a great story told in St. Luke’s doesn’t say, so we cannot be sure. The New Gospel that after one of their annual trips to Testament does tell us that Jesus could read, the Temple in Jerusalem, the holy city, when something He had to learn somewhere. The Jesus was about twelve, Mother Mary and New Testament also suggests that Jesus her husband Joseph lost track of Him for could write—again, something He had to three days, each one thinking He was with learn somewhere. Jesus also knew the the other. Can you imagine what that must Hebrew Scriptures since He quoted them have been like? I remember once getting often. Where did He learn the Jewish separated from my parents on the boardwalk religion and all its rules and practices? at the shore. I couldn’t find my parents for a couple of hours and I was scared to death. Historians and scholars of the ancient world But St. Luke tells us that when Jesus’ tell us that education in Jesus’ time began in parents found Him, not only was He calm as the home and was the responsibility of the can be but He was “sitting among the father. There was no real school system as teachers, listening to them and asking there is today, but there was usually a school questions. And all who heard him were attached to the synagogue where children, amazed at his understanding and his especially boys, would learn the Scriptures answers” (2:46-47). Very interesting for a and the laws of the Jewish faith. The boy who didn’t have much schooling. And emphasis was on memorization since not too St. Luke ends his story telling us that Jesus many books were available, especially in a went home to Nazareth with His parents and small town like Nazareth. As far as other “increased in wisdom and in stature and in academic subjects were concerned, these favor with God and man” (2:52). were learned from adults who served as mentors to the children. They usually In the synagogue schools, the rabbi not only learned a trade from their fathers and taught their young students about the continued their businesses. The New Hebrew Scriptures and the laws and customs Testament tells us that Jesus was the “son of of their faith, but historians tells us they a carpenter.” were also responsible for teaching about values and behavior, how to live in this So, we cannot say for sure that Jesus “went world. Schools in the ancient Jewish world to school” as we do, but we have no reason were not very organized, but they did to doubt that His early life in Nazareth was accomplish something important in the lives much different from other boys of His day. of young people. When we read about Jesus in the Bible,— however, He does seem to be well educated Here we are today, 2000 later, celebrating —probably a combination of things He our Catholic schools which are very well learned from His parents, from the organized and teach us so much and prepare

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us so well. Our schools are not small groups parishes all over New Jersey. We are one, of children gathered in the synagogue as in holy, catholic and apostolic Church together Jesus’ day: they are real schools attached to from pre-K through twelfth grade. And the our parish churches with hundreds of young sacrifices that our wonderful parents make people attending. They have a curriculum in give us this great opportunity to learn our math and science, English and history, faith, to grow in wisdom and hope and favor language arts and music, computer with God. technology and so many other things important for our education. But, like the Later on in His life, when Jesus Himself as little synagogue schools in Jesus’ time, our an adult was teaching in the synagogue in Catholic schools have one most important his hometown of Nazareth, the Gospel of St. subject that makes them different from Matthew tells us people asked, “Where did public schools: our Catholic schools teach us this man get this wisdom and these mighty our Catholic Faith—they introduce us to works … isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Is not Jesus Christ and to the Church He founded. his mother called Mary? And are not his They teach us Catholic values and behavior brethren James and Joseph and Simon and so that we are prepared to give witness to Judas? … Where did this man get all this?” our faith, to live our faith, to make a (13:54-55). True, we believe Jesus was God difference in the world. My young sisters and His wisdom came from God, but He and brothers, our schools are different and was also man and He learned so much from we are different because of our faith and all the human life He lived, beginning at His that we are learning about it from the mother Mary’s knee and His foster-father dedicated teachers who teach us so well. Joseph’s gentle instruction, continuing in the Believing in God, knowing Jesus, praying synagogue where He learned His Jewish and going to Mass and the Sacraments, faith. learning what the Church teaches, and living As your Bishop, I believe that one day and loving others because of our faith— people will be amazed at you, too. They will that’s what makes us different, that’s what look at your lives and ask, where did they helps us see the world differently, through learn all these things? And, if you really Jesus’ eyes, that’s what makes us treat one work at growing in wisdom and in your faith another differently as Jesus asks us to do. now, you will be able to say later with joy And that’s why we are here today in this and pride, “I learned all these things in Cathedral, the most important church in our Catholic school. Diocese, from so many different schools and

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As a special offer to our readers, we are making available two books from Newman House Press at a great discount.

The first is Constitutional Rights and Religious Prejudice: Catholic Education as the Battleground , by Father Peter Stravinskas, giving the historical and legal background to the century-long effort to obtain justice for the parents of children in religious schools. It retails for $10.00. Orders of twenty-five or more to one address qualify for the special rate of $3.00 per book; single orders, $5.00 per book.

The second is Recovering a Catholic Philosophy of Elementary Education , by Professor Curtis Hancock, the first text on this topic in English in over forty years. This volume is ideal for a communal reading project for a faculty (elementary or secondary), using the questions at the end of each chapter as a guide for discussion. It retails for $20.00. Orders of twenty-five or more to one address qualify for the special rate of $3.00 per book; single orders, $5.00 per book.

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