Great article, Brendan! Are there similar statistics for monks, nuns, religious sisters, and religious brothers on their educational background?
Also, I think there are many Catholic families out there in the USA who would love to be able to send their kids to a good Catholic school but cannot afford the tuition, even with financial aid o…
Great article, Brendan! Are there similar statistics for monks, nuns, religious sisters, and religious brothers on their educational background?
Also, I think there are many Catholic families out there in the USA who would love to be able to send their kids to a good Catholic school but cannot afford the tuition, even with financial aid offerings. It used to be the case that Catholic schools charged very little, if any, tuition, and that was enabled by the schools being largely staffed by religious sisters, religious brothers, and priests from religious orders who took a vow of poverty and didn’t have spouses and kids to support. Now that Catholic schools are primarily staffed by the laity, it’s a real conundrum: on the one hand, there is a moral obligation to pay a just living wage to lay teachers. And, on the other hand, Catholic education should be accessible to everyone and not just the well-to-do. How do you accomplish both of these things? I really don’t know the answer.
Also, for Catholic homeschooling families, do Catholic dioceses have a list of resources for educating their kids that have been reviewed and received a nihil obstat and an imprimatur? I know there is ecclesiastical oversight of materials used in Catholic schools and in faith formation programs at parishes. I don’t know what oversight of and resources for the USCCB and Catholic dioceses have with regard to homeschooling.
Catholic school can be made affordable if dioceses prioritize making it affordable. See the Diocese of Wichita, where active parishioners pay no tuition (only fees) for grade school and high school because the costs are covered by the parishes.
I haven't seen a similar study on those entering the religious life, at least, not a yearly one like the survey the USCCB sponsors, but that would certainly be very interesting.
I wouldn’t assume that every school in a diocese has its curricula reviewed as there is often great variation from school to school in my observation. Some dioceses may offer recommended homeschool resources, but it is also the case that comprehensive, reliable Catholic homeschool programs are pretty easy for parents to find on their own. Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, and Kolbe Academy are all widely used. There are many others.
Well, yes. We use Mother of Divine Grace, and our primary catechetical texts at my children’s present stages are the Baltimore Catechism and A Child’s Bible History. I think it’s important to note that it isn’t just the nihil obstat and imprimatur that are important, though they are. A poorly formed Catholic using such books, whether in a traditional classroom or any other setting, is likely not well prepared to defend the material within. So it isn’t just the texts themselves that are the answer; it’s also the formation of the teachers using the texts.
Oh I definitely agree. I’m 37 and I went to a Catholic school for kindergarten and then a different one for grades 4-8, and my teacher had heretical views (this was back in the late 1990s/early 2000s). The Confirmation materials at that time were also lackluster. Fortunately I have parents that were solidly formed and I also did the Ad Altare Dei Catholic religious emblem award program that helped a lot too. And we had a solid priest assigned to my parish in 2003 and he and the great theology, philosophy, and Catholic Studies professors I had at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN really lit my Catholic on fire and I’ve been deeply in love with Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother and Holy Mother Church ever since.
I’m glad you had such a robust education. God has also used you to make me aware of the Ad Altare Dei program. I will bring it to the attention of the leaders in my sons’ scouting program. Thank you!
Most of the major programs tend to use pretty well-known materials that have all received the nihil obstat and imprimatur, or they use primary source material. Kolbe uses the Fr. Laux series in high school, for example, in addition to Eusebius' Church History, the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, selections from the Summa Contra Gentiles and others.
To be honest, I don't think such a list would be of much interest to homeschoolers. Cost definitely plays a role in choosing homeschool, but based on my own experience, homeschooling families are often less than thrilled about the curriculum options selected for use in diocesan schools and faith formation programs, and wouldn't find such a list to be reliable. For good or for ill, homeschoolers can be incredibly picky people.
(For what it's worth, though, I do think there have been significant improvements in some places with curriculum and just general emphasis on the faith that make some Catholic schools a much more attractive option than they used to be. But a lot of it comes down to the individual school.)
Does anyone keep a list of which Catholic homeschool materials have received an imprimatur and a nihil obstat for the catechetical and theology materials used in their curricula?
I would also ask if anyone keeps such a list for diocesan schools, and I think not only would the answer be “no” but that individual dioceses don’t all keep such a list for the curricula in their own schools.
My understanding is that diocesan schools are required to use catechetical and religious education materials that have received an imprimatur and a nihil obstat.
But you’re right, teacher formation is also super important, and under our current Archbishop and the excellent staff he has in the Office of Catholic Education, we do a good job of that here in my Archdiocese.
The USCCB has a list of approved texts and materials for both elementary and high schools that is regularly updated. All schools under diocesan approval are to follow those recommendations. That list has existed for about 15 years.
Great article, Brendan! Are there similar statistics for monks, nuns, religious sisters, and religious brothers on their educational background?
Also, I think there are many Catholic families out there in the USA who would love to be able to send their kids to a good Catholic school but cannot afford the tuition, even with financial aid offerings. It used to be the case that Catholic schools charged very little, if any, tuition, and that was enabled by the schools being largely staffed by religious sisters, religious brothers, and priests from religious orders who took a vow of poverty and didn’t have spouses and kids to support. Now that Catholic schools are primarily staffed by the laity, it’s a real conundrum: on the one hand, there is a moral obligation to pay a just living wage to lay teachers. And, on the other hand, Catholic education should be accessible to everyone and not just the well-to-do. How do you accomplish both of these things? I really don’t know the answer.
Also, for Catholic homeschooling families, do Catholic dioceses have a list of resources for educating their kids that have been reviewed and received a nihil obstat and an imprimatur? I know there is ecclesiastical oversight of materials used in Catholic schools and in faith formation programs at parishes. I don’t know what oversight of and resources for the USCCB and Catholic dioceses have with regard to homeschooling.
Catholic school can be made affordable if dioceses prioritize making it affordable. See the Diocese of Wichita, where active parishioners pay no tuition (only fees) for grade school and high school because the costs are covered by the parishes.
I’ll have to take a look at that, thanks!
Michael,
I haven't seen a similar study on those entering the religious life, at least, not a yearly one like the survey the USCCB sponsors, but that would certainly be very interesting.
Thanks so much for your reply!!
I wouldn’t assume that every school in a diocese has its curricula reviewed as there is often great variation from school to school in my observation. Some dioceses may offer recommended homeschool resources, but it is also the case that comprehensive, reliable Catholic homeschool programs are pretty easy for parents to find on their own. Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, and Kolbe Academy are all widely used. There are many others.
Do you know which, if any, have received a nihil obstat and imprimatur for their catechetical and theology materials in their curriculum?
Well, yes. We use Mother of Divine Grace, and our primary catechetical texts at my children’s present stages are the Baltimore Catechism and A Child’s Bible History. I think it’s important to note that it isn’t just the nihil obstat and imprimatur that are important, though they are. A poorly formed Catholic using such books, whether in a traditional classroom or any other setting, is likely not well prepared to defend the material within. So it isn’t just the texts themselves that are the answer; it’s also the formation of the teachers using the texts.
Oh I definitely agree. I’m 37 and I went to a Catholic school for kindergarten and then a different one for grades 4-8, and my teacher had heretical views (this was back in the late 1990s/early 2000s). The Confirmation materials at that time were also lackluster. Fortunately I have parents that were solidly formed and I also did the Ad Altare Dei Catholic religious emblem award program that helped a lot too. And we had a solid priest assigned to my parish in 2003 and he and the great theology, philosophy, and Catholic Studies professors I had at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN really lit my Catholic on fire and I’ve been deeply in love with Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother and Holy Mother Church ever since.
I’m glad you had such a robust education. God has also used you to make me aware of the Ad Altare Dei program. I will bring it to the attention of the leaders in my sons’ scouting program. Thank you!
You bet! There is actually an assortment of Catholic religious emblems that Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts can earn:
https://nccs-bsa.org/religious-emblems/
Most of the major programs tend to use pretty well-known materials that have all received the nihil obstat and imprimatur, or they use primary source material. Kolbe uses the Fr. Laux series in high school, for example, in addition to Eusebius' Church History, the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, selections from the Summa Contra Gentiles and others.
To be honest, I don't think such a list would be of much interest to homeschoolers. Cost definitely plays a role in choosing homeschool, but based on my own experience, homeschooling families are often less than thrilled about the curriculum options selected for use in diocesan schools and faith formation programs, and wouldn't find such a list to be reliable. For good or for ill, homeschoolers can be incredibly picky people.
(For what it's worth, though, I do think there have been significant improvements in some places with curriculum and just general emphasis on the faith that make some Catholic schools a much more attractive option than they used to be. But a lot of it comes down to the individual school.)
Does anyone keep a list of which Catholic homeschool materials have received an imprimatur and a nihil obstat for the catechetical and theology materials used in their curricula?
I would also ask if anyone keeps such a list for diocesan schools, and I think not only would the answer be “no” but that individual dioceses don’t all keep such a list for the curricula in their own schools.
My understanding is that diocesan schools are required to use catechetical and religious education materials that have received an imprimatur and a nihil obstat.
But you’re right, teacher formation is also super important, and under our current Archbishop and the excellent staff he has in the Office of Catholic Education, we do a good job of that here in my Archdiocese.
That is good to know. I’m glad I’m wrong.
The USCCB has a list of approved texts and materials for both elementary and high schools that is regularly updated. All schools under diocesan approval are to follow those recommendations. That list has existed for about 15 years.