Catholic colleges and universities in the United States started experiencing major identity crisis in the late 1960s when people started asking serious questions about the meaning of the Catholic identity of Catholic institutions of higher education. At the time, there were no satisfactory answers to the questions asked. As a result of the crisis,…

This article explores the merits and challenges of a community partnership that was forged between a Religious Studies professor at DePaul University and the nonprofit Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI). Through this partnerhip, students in a Religious Studies class participated in a set of ICDI-related, half-day immersion…

Purpose: The vision or mission statement of a school outlines the school's purpose and defines the context, goals, and aspirations that govern the institution. Using vision and mission statements, the present descriptive research study investigated trends in Australian secondary schools' priorities. Research Methods: A stratified sample of…

This article is an account of the actions and achievements, i.e. the "contribution", of the Ireland Province of the Vincentian Congregation, known officially as "the Congregation of the Mission", in respect of Catholic education in Ireland and England. The approach is, first, to outline the motives and intentions of the…

The article addresses the special mission of Catholic schools within the educational system in Germany. The considerations centre on the fundamental mission of the Church to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ as light of nations, and hence to be itself light of the world. Consequently, the essential distinctive characteristic of Catholic…

This article considers the Catholic culture of American Catholic colleges and universities in light of their Catholic mission and purpose--that of fostering and drawing students to a deeper knowledge and understanding of truth and themselves in relation to Truth, who is God. Drawing on Catholic theology, philosophy, magisterial teachings, and…

Developing mission-centered students, faculty, and staff leaders is a common goal among Catholic higher educational institutions. This article shares how Barry University's Dominican heritage informs its strategies for leadership development. A review of the last decade at Barry illuminated four essential elements that serve to institutionalize…

We begin with the argument that if universities are to form and educate future business leaders with a disciplined sensitivity to those who suffer from both material and spiritual poverty, they will be most successful when they draw upon a mission that has a deeper root system than generic values or instrumental rationality. Recognizing that…

College and university mission statements commonly declare contributions for the public good and the development of engaged and responsible citizens as central to their institution's work. Yet, a different narrative is often revealed when rhetoric meets reality in the promotion and tenure policies for faculty. Since Ernest Boyer's seminal work…

U.S. public schools have an important opportunity to positively impact children and families from historically marginalized communities, serving as a stable point for children as they grow and a front-lines point of intervention for families. However, few schools are able to successfully create authentic, egalitarian partnerships with communities…

This article describes the Catholic School Principal Support Program (CSPSP), a mentoring program for first and second-year Catholic school principals in a large urban diocese, and identifies key challenges, impacts and influences on decision-making. Ten school leaders describe their work and provide the lens by which they reflect on their role as…

Pope Francis' call for a missionary transformation of the Church has radical implications for Catholic schools and their educational leaders. The Church expects her elementary school principals to serve not only as instructional leaders and ecclesial ministers, but also as agents of the New Evangelization. Given this focus on the New…

The purpose of this study was to explore students' experience of the Catholic and Marianist culture at the University of Dayton. Higher education institutions hold a unique niche in United States culture and colleges transmit culture. Student development theories suggest that students progress through stages of development and there is a hierarchy…

The nucleus of any university is the intellectual life that unfolds among faculty and students. Inevitably, that intellectual life is shaped by the broader university context. Examining that process--in particular, its connection to a Catholic understanding of university mission--offers insight into pressing issues. For instance, what shifting…

A commitment to holistic student formation in the liberal arts tradition and to the Catholic faith is a hallmark of most Catholic higher education institutions. To be most effective, Catholic institutions must adapt this central mission to changing circumstances in an age of ubiquitous mobile technologies and persistent digital distractions. By…