Page 8: Catholic Schools in Perspective, continued

Pope John Paul II's esteem for the American Catholic school system was demonstrated on several occasions. Just months after his installation, he sent a videotaped message to Catholic educators gathered in Philadelphia for the annual convention of the National Catholic Educational Association, in which he said that he hoped to give "a new impulse to Catholic education throughout the vast area of the United States of America." He went on to say: "Yes, the Catholic school must remain a privileged means of Catholic education in America. . . worthy of the greatest sacrifices." Later that year during his first pastoral visit to the States, with 20,000 Catholic school students at Madison Square Garden, he seized the opportunity "to tell (them) why the Church considers it so important and expends so much energy in order to provide . . . millions of young people with a Catholic education." It is for no other purpose, he said, than to "communicate Christ" to them. He likewise referred to the Catholic school as "the heart of the Church."

At times, more "traditional" critics of our schools will agree that Catholic schools were certainly superb "in the old days," but are not so any more. While some horror stories about bad catechesis and poor attitudinal formation are regrettably accurate, it is crucial to underscore three other points: (1) The local government school will not be any more “Catholic,” for sure. (2) In spite of deficiencies which surfaced in the seventies, Catholic elementary and secondary schools are on the rebound, in terms of reclaiming a truly Catholic identity. (3) Socialization and identification with the “institutional” Church are key for an “incarnational” religion like Catholicism, in which structures are critically important. The last aspect is highlighted in surveys done by various sociologists which show that graduates of post-conciliar Catholic schools continue to be markedly different from their public school counterparts, especially in regard to Sunday Mass attendance, thoughts on abortion, willingness to consider a priestly or religious vocation, and generosity to the local parish (both in service and donations).

At yet another level, the success story of Catholic schools in this country occurs with phenomenal regularity in the academic realm. Professor John Coleman of the University of Chicago documents an impressive performance record for Catholic high school students, which indicates that they outstrip not only public school students but also – and amazingly so – students from private schools! The reason for the success? According to Coleman, this happens because of religious and moral values and because of the coordination between home and school. These two aspects take on the greatest significance when we reflect on the incredible achievements of youngsters in inner-city Catholic schools.

If all this is true, then why were we closing schools at the rate of one a day during the seventies, and why have so few bishops opened new schools in areas to which the Catholic population has shifted? Those questions will occupy us next.

Our Lord tells us that when one really valuable pearl is found, everything else should be sold to purchase it. Therefore, next to the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy, it is hard to imagine any activity of the Church more important than that of Catholic education. Indeed, in many ways, it is more important than worship itself because without sound catechesis, the rites of the Church are generally incomprehensible.

Well, if that is true, how did we move so far off the dime in reference to Catholic schools in the past four decades? Several factors coalesced. The process began while I was a student, continued when I was a young seminarian-teacher, and came into full bloom when I served as a school administrator. The drama is still being played out. Like any human dilemma, it is hard to perceive causes up-close. At a distance of thirty years, one is better able to see and, therefore, to deal with it.