The shortage of teachers who can strongly identify with the religious mission of Catholic schools is at the point of an "existential crisis," according to a system leader in Catholic schools in Western Canada. Drawing upon exploratory interviews completed with ten chief superintendents (who oversee large school districts), this paper…

Faculty are critical players to advance institutional mission in higher education (Clark, 1972). Hiring faculty who have an affinity for mission and who understand and support Catholicism in the spirit of an institution's founding charism can be a significant challenge for academic leaders and for the longevity of institutional mission in Catholic…

For centuries, Catholic schools have promoted extra-curricular activity as a means to develop well-rounded students. Sports programming has been a vital aspect of this work, but there is little research into how these programmes can support the combined educational-religious missions of the schools. In response, this paper relies on archival and…

The developing science of cathedral studies has focused mainly on Anglican cathedrals. The present study argues for drawing Catholic cathedrals into this field. Employing data gathered from the websites of the 22 Catholic cathedrals in England and Wales, alongside data gathered from the diocesan reports submitted to the Charity Commission, this…

Researchers have considered how school choice policies affect student achievement, but less inquiry explores how the organization of schools may change in the presence of choice. This descriptive and exploratory paper analyzes a state representative sample of school mission statements at two time points: before the enactment of choice policies in…

This interpretive phenomenological study features the leadership experience of 16 current and former women college presidents of U.S. Roman Catholic colleges and universities. With Catholic organizations barring women from top leadership roles within the Church, the term "stained-glass ceiling" describes the unique leadership barriers…

Sustainability is a fundamental value that all organizations strive to achieve, including universities. Some academics argue that sustainability is not only a principle to which universities should commit, but also that they have the potential to accelerate its implementation and catalyze social change towards more sustainable practices. This…

As access to private religious education expands through vouchers, public discourse has positioned these schools as politically neutral spaces. Teachers who seek to ethically care for students are thus placed in a predicament. In this article, we present the fictive case study of a middle school teacher in a suburban Catholic school that has…

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 qualitative study explores how five Jesuit universities in the United States maintain their mission and identity when partnering with online program managers (OPMs) to develop and support online degree programs. Focusing on the history of online learning and Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy, and using cultural reproduction theory as a lens,…