Youth depression is a growing phenomenon in schools, college and universities, a major area of pastoral concern which needs addressing, according to many Catholic educators. This article argues that medical/psychiatric approaches and guidance "combined with" theological and spiritual understandings constitute the most effective way…

The question: 'Education: Commodity or Public Good?' (Grace, G. 1989. "Education: Commodity or Public Good?" "British Journal of Educational Studies" 37 (3): 207-221. doi:10.1080/00071005.1989.9973812) is more prescient than ever, and this paper probes the ways in which Catholic school teachers experience market-oriented…

Inspired by Paul VI's Octogesima Adveniens regarding the Church's urgent response to social issues, in his speech to Jesuit alumni in Valencia in July 1973, Fr. Pedro Arrupe reflected on the concept of 'social justice' and its implications for Jesuit schools. He spoke about how Jesuit education could assist students to become 'men and women for…

This article examines silent reflection within the context of Augustinian Catholic schools. Tracing the rich lineage of Augustinian spirituality, it explores how cultivating interiority serves as a transformative practice that fosters spiritual growth, nourishes a deeper understanding of self and others, and compliments academic inquiry. Through a…

This paper explores some of the documents that provide a foundation for the Church and its ministries to deliver justice and mercy to all, including students with disabilities. First, Catholic Social Teaching (CST) traditions will be presented as the foundation to some of the documents of the American Church. A chronology of the documents of…

This is a response to Michael J. Boyle's "To Act with Justice and Love Tenderly: Exploring the Church's Call for Inclusion." While Janice L. Benton agrees with his suggestions of self-reflection, retreats, and guided explorations of the Church documents, she also recommends gathering the perspectives of individuals with disabilities by…

Do parental priorities for what children should learn in school differ depending on the type of school chosen by parents? Does this, in turn, have potential implications for the future of Catholic schools in the United States? This article considers these questions in the context of the long-term decline in enrollment in U.S. Catholic schools.…

Private religious schools are widely seen as value-laden communities that mold the character of their students. Thus, we expect adults who attended religious schools as children to demonstrate more favorable family outcomes related to stable marriages and childbearing. We further expect Protestant schooling to have a more powerful effect on…

Social efficiency shaped much of public schooling in the United States during the early twentieth century. Simultaneously, Roman Catholic schools proliferated and became increasingly regulated by state departments of education. This led to increased influence of public education reform movements on Catholic schools. This article examines the…

The Second Vatican Council introduced a new narrative for Catholic school. Rather than serving a primarily catechetical purpose, Catholic schools were to share in the Church's evangelizing mission by embodying an ideal learning community in a manner rooted in Gospel values. This paper argues that Gospel values are not exported from the Bible and…

This article emulates the new stance of Professor Michael Hand on faith schools. He illustrates how theological criteria could be used to inform and guide curriculum aims in a way that avoids indoctrination and the perils of faith-based education. This approach is adopted vis-à-vis Catholic education in order to sketch out what a non-confessional…

Our paper represents a conceptual framework designed to (a) help current stakeholders within the University Consortium of Catholic Education (UCCE) critically reflect on their respective programs' support of Latinx Catholic school teachers and (b) provide guidance for Catholic education researchers in their future inquiry into the UCCE model of…

Walk into most Catholic schools (pre- and post COVID-19) these days and they look very similar to the Catholic schools from 50 years ago. The tradition, the familiarity, and the similarity are comforting and classic. However, in the past 50 years a revolution has happened in education. Educational research across many domains has revealed ways to…

This article contributes to a discussion about building a research agenda for the international and comparative study of Catholic education. Globally, the Catholic Church's work in education represents by far the largest civil society organisation running schools and an institution of enormous historical and persistent importance in the shaping of…

The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools (NSBECS) are a national articulation of defining characteristics and performance benchmarks that guide Catholic schools in assessing, strengthening, and sustaining their operations in four Domains: Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and…