In a talk at Assumption College, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput recently made a forceful case for the faithful Catholic academic character that Catholic colleges and universities need to realize in order to affect cultural renewal, Catholic News Agency reported. In addition to defining this high vocation for Catholic colleges and universities, Archbishop Chaput succinctly analyzed the terrible consequences that have taken place on Catholic campuses “under the banner of ‘academic freedom.’”
From the CNA report on the talk:
“Catholic higher education is heir to the greatest intellectual, moral and cultural patrimony in human history,” the archbishop said in a Nov. 10 address at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. …
The Philadelphia archbishop said that Catholic institutions of higher learning have suffered even more than other Church ministries from secularization that has taken place under the banner of “academic freedom.”
“Instead of Catholics converting the culture, the culture too often bleached out the apostolic zeal in Catholics while leaving the brand label intact,” he noted. …
Instead of seeking to impress the world on its own terms, he said, Catholic schools must recapture the “genius” that once gave life to Western civilization with its harmony of reason and faith.
This type of education “refuses to separate intellectual and moral formation because they are inextricably linked.” And while honoring all subjects, “ it gives primacy to the disciplines that guide the formation of a holistic view of reality – philosophy and theology.”
Authentic Catholic learning, he noted, also makes an impact outside the university campus because it “aids in the creation of a Christian culture and explains what this means for human thriving.”
This type of cultural renewal is not a luxury, but an urgent need, Archbishop Chaput stressed. …
“The vocation of a Catholic college is to feed the soul as well as the mind … to offer a vision of men and women made whole by the love of God, the knowledge of creation, and the reality of things unseen,” Archbishop Chaput reflected.
This, he said, “is the work that sets fire to a young person’s heart … Our task is to start that blaze and let it grow.”
Be sure to read this article in its entirety at Catholic News Agency.
Adam Wilson
CNS Staff
Matthew Archbold
Charlotte Hays
11 Comments
Archbishop Chaput is the real deal. He has the intelligence, fortitude and zeal of the Fathers of the Church so many generations ago.
Wonderful to read the words of Archbishop Chaput. He brings the fresh air of sanity to Catholic Higher Education. He’s has opened the door to greater discussion which I hope will lead to changing the direction of many of our Catholic Institutions who have lost sight of their mission. Students are so impressionable and can be led astray by those professors who present half the discussion that favors their ideology and leave out the opposing views. We need teachers who present the pros and cons of a serious debate. Academic freedom is not an excuse to deceive students by omission. A serious review of the personnel procedures to choose those who instruct our youth must be undertaken. The review should include consideration first and formost for the institution’s mission and identity.
It has been brought to light, one too many times, that Catholic Universities and colleges, are being influenced by secular society. Most of this happens from within-from the teaching staff down to the students, themselves. This is not the way it’s supposed to be! No, it should be quite the opposite!
Our Catholic institutions of higher leaarning should set the bar or standard, if you will, of how one lives his or her life. If we allow the liberal ocmmunity to infiltrate our schools, we will lose our Catholic identity. May we do all we can to preserve our catholic traditions, culture, and way of life, just as Cardinal Newman would want it to be.
why call yourself catholic if you teach everything not catholic & even more horrible – teaching AGAINST the church such as abortion , stem cell, living together w/out marriage, raising children “out of the church” i could go on & on the students can get this junk from non-religinos schools
Ah, Yes…”ACADEMIC FREEDOM” = Vagina Monologue…Social Justice…Mixed Dorms and
the enrollment enticements of both FORDHAM UNIV
& GEORGETOWN. As a Fordham alumni (’56) I removed
my diploma from view & hid my ring 25 years ago
IN SHAME.
If the universities actually thought about it, a true Catholic approach to education and the story of America would position those students to perform much better than their secular counterparts. America is in decline and our secular driven education system is one of the major forces of that decline.
You are exactly right, Al. But that is the heart of the issue: A strong education isn’t what primarily drives the dominant educational approach on most Catholic campuses. The real end game, is progressivism; and in particular, the use of “Catholicism” as a vehicle for advancing progressivism.
It really is a shame how many Colleges and Universities call themselves Catholic, yet allow anti- Catholic speakers, groups, clubs, teachers, plays, etc., etc. to infest their campuses and their teachings. It is time our bishops and our Holy Father took a stand on changing things to the way they should be!
Graduated from a so called “Catholic College”
The University of The Incarnate Word. A bunch of secularized libs have taken this over as have taken over most all colleges/universities.
They promote homosexual rights and Islam. They are sold to the highest bidder. If you are Christian Conservative and attended this College you would know what I mean (whoever can get gov funding to pay their overpriced tuition are their buddies).
If more men like Chaput were appointed there would not be those Catholics who think for themselves. He replaced another remarkable man.
What inspirational words from The Archbishop, impressing on all of us the importance of getting our thinking right about the importance of our faith and how we can and should follow and pursue the truth above all things.
We have a tradition that we can be really proud of and this must be nurtured and developed in our young people by the Catholic Colleges and Universities, so that they will be producing zealous Catholics, who will go out to the world and spread the true culture, that is their inheritance, for all the world to see and become part of.