One complicating factor with respect to the to daily affairs on campus. When we wonder why Catholic identity of this and other colleges is that students are not more engaged in campus increasing proportions of students are coming religious activities or cultural enrichment or to campus in an manner. That is to “unchurched” community service, we need to bear in mind that say, most students of this generation know little for most students other interests are of greater about the substance of their Catholic (or other) salience. Our difficult task as educators is to pry faith, church history, sacramental mat- ters, or open some room in students’ lives for intellectual the Catholic Church’s social teachings. Such and spiritual quests of enduring value precisely – knowledge has been in decline for at least two what modern social norms tend to downplay. generations and shows no signs of abating. Church attendance also is down dramatically. So We may take a measure of encouragement from when the campus mission calls upon faculty and good news buried in national data. For staff to engage students in spiritual reflection, example, students’ sense of the importance of a community service, or scholarly inquiry related Catholic college’s religious affiliation rises to Catholic theology and social teachings, what steadily with the academic selectivity of the most students know is so minimal (and often er- college, which roneous) that we have little to work with. Would implies that academic rigor and faith we want to start an athletic team with people commitment are not antithetical. Another who rarely ever played the sport? Probably not. hopeful finding is that undergraduates at Would a college music program want to start with Catholic institutions are noticeably more likely people who couldn’t read music yet? Definitely than students at public institutions to value not. Yet in the matter of Catholic social teaching, helping others, which implies a greater openness Catholic sacramental life, the Catholic faith, and to social justice activities. These clearly are related matters, most students and often we – points working in our favor who are are relatively unprepared to have – even though only a fraction of students enter any sophisticated conversation. This is the cold our campuses with a high commitment to the reality we face on a daily basis in the classroom lofty principles featured in our mission and in co-curricular activities. It also is a glori- statements. ous opportunity to make a positive difference in students’ lives.
to daily affairs on campus. When we wonder why students are not more engaged in campus religious activities or cultural enrichment or community service, we need to bear in mind that for most students other interests are of greater salience. Our difficult task as educators is to pry open some room in students’ lives for intellectual and spiritual quests of enduring value – precisely what modern social norms tend to downplay. We may take a measure of encouragement from good news buried in national data. For example, students’ sense of the importance of a Catholic college’s religious affiliation rises steadily with the academic selectivity of the college, which implies that academic rigor and faith commitment are not antithetical. Another hopeful finding is that undergraduates at Catholic institutions are noticeably more likely than students at public institutions to value helping others, which implies a greater openness to social justice activities. These clearly are points working in our favor even though only a fraction of students enter our campuses with a high commitment to the lofty principles featured in our mission statements. One complicating factor with respect to the Catholic identity of this and other colleges is that increasing proportions of students are coming to campus in an “unchurched” manner. That is to say, most students of this generation know little about the substance of their Catholic (or other) faith, church history, sacramental mat- ters, or the Catholic Church’s social teachings. Such knowledge has been in decline for at least two generations and shows no signs of abating. Church attendance also is down dramatically. So when the campus mission calls upon faculty and staff to engage students in spiritual reflection, community service, or scholarly inquiry related to Catholic theology and social teachings, what most students know is so minimal (and often er- roneous) that we have little to work with. Would we want to start an athletic team with people who rarely ever played the sport? Probably not. Would a college music program want to start with people who couldn’t read music yet? Definitely not. Yet in the matter of Catholic social teaching, Catholic sacramental life, the Catholic faith, and related matters, most students – and often we who are – are relatively unprepared to have any sophisticated conversation. This is the cold reality we face on a daily basis in the classroom and in co-curricular activities. It also is a glori- ous opportunity to make a positive difference in students’ lives.
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