Supreme Court Defers to Canon Law in Catholic School Decision

/in , /by

There is an admirable concession to Catholic Church authority in the Supreme Court’s July 8 ruling on the “ministerial exception” for Catholic schools.

Justice Samuel Alito, in his majority opinion for Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Agnes Morrissey-Berru, defers to the authority of the Catechism and the Church’s canon law with regard to Catholic education.

In Guadalupe, the Court ruled that two Catholic school teachers, despite teaching secular subjects in addition to religion, are “ministers” of the Catholic faith whose employment is a religious matter that lies outside the jurisdiction of secular courts.

To justify this finding, Alito turns to the Catholic Church’s own requirements for Catholic school teachers:

In the Catholic tradition, religious education is ‘intimately bound up with the whole of the Church’s life.’ Catechism of the Catholic Church 8 (2d ed. 2016). Under canon law, local bishops must satisfy themselves that ‘those who are designated teachers of religious instruction in schools … are outstanding in correct doctrine, the witness of a Christian life, and teaching skill.’ Code of Canon Law, Canon 804, §2 (Eng. transl. 1998).

In other words, because Catholic school teachers must be faithful to Catholic teaching and witnesses to the Catholic faith by both word and example, their employment depends on criteria that only religious school leaders or church leaders can properly judge.

It would have been helpful if Alito also cited Canon 803, which applies to every teacher in a Catholic school — not only those who teach designated religion courses. It says much the same thing, which may support arguments that all Catholic school teachers should fall within the ministerial exception:

The instruction and education in a Catholic school must be grounded in the principles of Catholic doctrine; teachers are to be outstanding in correct doctrine and integrity of life. (Canon 803, §2)

Likewise Canon 810, regarding Catholic higher education, calls for professors “who besides their scientific and pedagogical qualifications are outstanding in integrity of doctrine and probity of life.”

 

Rightful authority

The Court’s willingness to respect religious authority over religious activities is fundamental to the First Amendment. Alito wrote:

In a country with the religious diversity of the United States, judges cannot be expected to have a complete understanding and appreciation of the role played by every person who performs a particular role in every religious tradition. A religious institution’s explanation of the role of such employees in the life of the religion in question is important.

Such deference was the core principles of the three-part test for applying the ministerial exception that was proposed to the Court in an amicus brief filed in February. It was authored by the outstanding attorneys of Alliance Defending Freedom and Troutman Sanders LLP on behalf of The Cardinal Newman Society, the Association of Classical Christian Schools, the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and William Jessup University. The brief argued:

(1) a “minister” is an employee who performs “religious functions”;

(2) the functions that the minister actually performs should be proven with evidence from the religious organization such as written organizational bylaws, position descriptions, and other such competent evidence; and

(3) the court should determine which functions are, in fact, “religious” by deferring to the religious organization’s own good-faith understanding of its own religion.

The Guadalupe ruling largely adopts these principles and offers additional clarity to religious employers. The Court relies on Catholic schools’ definition of an employee’s ministerial duties, as long as the employer shows “good faith” in seeking the protection of the ministerial exception.

What constitutes “bad faith” is something that will likely be litigated in future cases. One thinks of the many Catholic schools and colleges that have greatly secularized, yet claim religious freedom whenever it is convenient. If there is reasonable doubt about the religious identity of an employer or its sincerity about an employee’s religious duties — challenged by evidence that the employee does not in fact do what is stated in a position description or other employment document — then courts might restrict application of the ministerial exception.

The amicus brief cites the 1971 case Tilton v. Richardson, in which four Catholic universities were found to provide a primarily “secular education,” because religion did not “permeate” the coursework and was not promoted to students. For 27 years, the Newman Society has urged such institutions to strengthen their Catholic identity, and now their ability to claim the ministerial exception may depend on it.

 

Some schools need not apply

The Court’s ruling rests on whether an employee is a “teacher of religion” and therefore a minister of the faith.

This should be relatively easy for a faithful Catholic school or college, where the Catholic faith enters into all studies and teachers are required to be strong witnesses to the faith. It may even be possible to apply the ministerial exception to non-teachers — including school administrators, coaches, guidance counselors and support staff — if they are also expected teach religion by their words and witness, while advancing the Church’s mission of evangelization through Catholic education.

However, the ministerial exception further separates weak Catholic schools and colleges from faithful Catholic education. Only schools and colleges that intentionally form students in the faith are likely to gain broad protection from employment lawsuits. Secularized schools are more vulnerable than ever, if they fail to require teachers to catechize and uphold Catholic teaching.

Ultimately it is unlikely that any Catholic school or college will be entirely protected from the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling and state laws adding homosexuality and gender identity to nondiscrimination provisions. The lawsuits, government coercion and social pressure to compromise the faith are only increasing the threats to Catholic education.

As before, the best protection for Catholic education is to be faithfully, thoroughly and consistently Catholic and to ensure that all school or college policies are firmly tied to Catholic teaching. In this way, a school or college is prepared to go to court to claim its natural and First Amendment rights.

 

This article first appeared at The National Catholic Register.

Parish Music Director Draws Upon College Experience of Beautiful, Reverent Music

/in , /by

Katelyn Stumler was exposed to beautiful and reverent liturgical music while a student at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, N.H., which is recommended in The Newman Guide. Now as the music director at a Catholic parish in Indiana, she shares this gift with parishioners—even throughout the COVID-19 shutdown.

The Newman Society recently asked Stumler to share about her experience at Magdalen College and how it prepared her for her work and ministry, as a part of “Profiles in Faithful Catholic Education” series.

Katelyn Stumler

Newman Society: What was your experience like at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts, and how has it impacted your life?

Katelyn Stumler: I began my freshman year at Magdalen College in the fall of 2004 after 12 years of homeschooling. My older sister, Jolene (Walker) Nelson, was a current senior at Magdalen that year. We were no strangers to the school. My mom had some friends who had attended the college in the early years, and Jolene and I had both attended several of Magdalen’s summer youth programs as high schoolers.

My first memory of Magdalen College really expresses the overwhelming “theme” that I focus on when reflecting my experience there. My family decided to travel from where we lived in upstate New York and check out the campus one summer when we were visiting my aunt and uncle who lived in the Boston area. Upon our arrival, a current student working as a summer program counselor came to welcome us with a spirit of genuine Christian joy and hospitality. That spirit stuck with me. I wanted to be a part of that.

I loved the liberal arts education I received at Magdalen. The Great Books program opened me up to so many great philosophers and theologians, and the Socratic method dialogues that took place in many of my classes led me down a fresh new pathway of thinking in a way I never had before. I learned the goodness of searching, of asking questions, of coming to know myself and understand humanity more, even if, in the end, it left me with more questions than I started with. I find myself approaching professional development opportunities and information today with that same open and inquisitive mind that was cultivated at Magdalen.

I came away from my years at Magdalen with an enriched spiritual life. Celebrating daily Mass as a community, praying Compline each evening with the ladies in St. Mary’s Residence Hall, celebrating full and noble liturgies with beautiful music—all these elements made a big difference in my life and instilled spiritual habits that remain with me today. The Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the residence chapel, and I recall sensing great comfort knowing that Jesus was present in that place where I studied and slept.

The friendships I made at Magdalen were deep and lasting. Some of my dearest friends today are fellow Magdalen alumni. Even though I do not live near many of them, we stay connected across the miles. The community life at Magdalen fostered strong ties between people. The fact that we “did” all of life there together, from worshiping and singing to hiking mountains and cleaning bathrooms, cultivated these strong bonds. People cared about each other there and wanted to be present to each other, whether it was helping with an academic assignment or taking a walk to talk over a personal struggle. I learned what it means to be a good and genuine friend at Magdalen, and I hope I have taken these qualities and brought them to others that I have met since moving from upstate New York to southern Indiana in 2008.

Craig and Katelyn Stumler

While I was at Magdalen, I was blessed to study abroad in Italy the summer following my sophomore year. The time spent in Rome and Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict, was an incredible opportunity to study and experience the history of Christianity and western culture. I am very grateful to Magdalen for providing me with this opportunity. I have had the immense privilege of returning to Italy and traveling to the Holy Land with my husband, Craig, through pilgrimages organized by my parish.

Newman Society: How did your education at Magdalen College help prepare you for your work during the COVID-19 crisis?

Katelyn Stumler: I have worked as a full-time director of music at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in New Albany, Ind., for the past 12 years. I had amazing opportunities at Magdalen to be involved in three different choirs (the main choir, performance choir and polyphony choir) that built upon my knowledge of music and singing for the liturgy.

When I was at Magdalen, the entire student body (probably around 75 students at the time I was a student) participated in the main choir, with a rotation system of who would sing at Sunday Mass so as to comfortably accommodate numbers in the choir loft at our college chapel. It was an incredible experience of unity for all of us, those who loved singing and those who didn’t, as the world of Catholic liturgical music was opened up to us: hymnody, Gregorian Chant (using the Graduale Romanum) and various choral works from different time periods. I dare say that by the time a student completed his or her four years at Magdalen, even those who may not have ever pictured themselves singing in a choir found that experience highly rewarding and life-changing.

During my sophomore year at Magdalen, I began occasionally accompanying one or more of the choirs on piano and organ, and my junior and senior year, I was the main accompanist for all the choirs for rehearsals, liturgies and performances. I had played for Masses and choir rehearsals at my parish church most of my teenage years prior to this, but at Magdalen, this skill was honed and shaped in ways that definitely prepared me to take on the role of music director for a parish of nearly 1,000 families.

Our parish began livestreaming Sunday Masses on the fourth Sunday of Lent, March 22, 2020, in response to the decision to suspend all public Masses in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At first, Masses took place with no music. But once we got to Holy Week, my pastor, with the approval of our archbishop, invited me to start adding music to the liturgies. Of course, all this had to be done in a way that could be captured on camera, which consisted of Father’s phone mounted on a simple tripod. We were not using microphones so as to cut down on the echo in the empty church, so singing while accompanying myself far away from the phone camera was not an option.

At this time, I turned to my experiences at Magdalen to enlighten my musical choices and decisions for Mass. I sang the Entrance Antiphon using the Simple English Propers, a project and book from Adam Bartlett, sponsored by the Church Music Association of America. I was introduced to this resource after my Magdalen years, but my knowledge of chant from the Graduale Romanum made very familiar and comfortable with the chant notation. I used the St. Meinrad psalm tones to chant the responsorial psalm and Communion antiphon for these Masses. I was first introduced to these psalm tones at Magdalen as well and use them on a regular basis for all parish liturgies, even before we were livestreaming due to COVID-19. Throughout the Sacred Paschal Triduum, I found myself drawing back upon my music experiences during those three holy days at Magdalen, as the custom at the college was to observe Holy Week and Easter on campus. On Easter morning, it gave me great joy to chant the Victimae Paschali Laudes sequence, a chant that I also learned while at Magdalen and continue to use, normally with my parish choirs, but on my own during livestreaming.

I also have my education at Magdalen to thank for my first introduction to the liturgical documents of the Church, which also proved most valuable during this COVID-19 crisis. I am a member of the Music Commission for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. When those of us on the commission found ourselves having to think “outside of the box” for ways to continue the work of our ministries, we decided to produce a series of videos for our fellow music directors on everything from cantor preparation and surviving as a liturgical minister during the pandemic to accompaniment techniques and an introduction to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM). I took on the challenge of presenting on the GIRM, once again drawing on my education from Magdalen, even consulting notes in the margins that I took during classes nearly 15 years ago.

On a slightly humorous note, I can say that my Magdalen college experience in effective dialogue and conversation have helped me navigate the plethora of Zoom meetings of which I was a part during the shutdown!

Katelyn Stumler

Newman Society: Why do you think beautiful and reverent music is important? How did you try to educate parishioners about liturgical music during COVID-19?

Katelyn Stumler: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (which I also studied from cover to cover at Magdalen) states that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (quoting Lumen Gentium, one of the Vatican II documents). The liturgy deserves beautiful and reverent music. Music naturally makes a lasting impression on people. There is a saying that what people remember most about coming to Mass is the homily and the music, and while that is somewhat comical, it does impress upon me that music choices for the liturgy need to be made intentionally and mindfully. My experiences with beautiful and reverent music at Magdalen equipped me to step into my role as director of music at my parish.

During these times, I have tried to bring beautiful and reverent music to our parishioners through what I am able to do at our livestreamed Masses. I have shared past recordings of our choirs with our parishioners through Facebook and Flocknote, a great parish communication tool. Another parish musician and I have worked together to create weekly YouTube playlists of hymns and songs appropriate for each Sunday to share with parishioners, incorporating some of the music our choirs would have sung if we had been able to celebrate Mass together in a public setting. I have encouraged our other parish accompanists and musicians to record themselves singing or playing their instrument at home so we can share these offerings on social media. I have even done some experimentation on singing apps that create multi-frame collage videos of several people singing. Since the choirs have not been able to gather or sing together, I have spent some time reaching out pastorally to our parish choir members and musicians through emails, text messages and phone calls.

During all the challenges, disappointments and tragedies of this pandemic, it has been such a blessing to reflect upon my Catholic college experiences that have helped me respond in the best possible way as a parish director of music.

Maria Schmidt

Extraordinary Teens Love the Eucharist, Catholic Education

/in , , /by

Wow! Thank God for hopeful signs, even in the darkest hours.

I just read the most extraordinary, heart-warming testimonies by teenage Catholics who are in love with Jesus in the Eucharist. They refuse to succumb to secularism, and they are unwilling to attend colleges that fail to embrace his Real Presence with confidence and reverence.

Each year The Cardinal Newman Society invites high school students to submit essays for a scholarship contest, and this year’s topic was especially timely. The students were asked to write about the following, even as they were shut out from public Masses during the COVID lockdown:

“A recent Pew Research study found that only 26 percent of self-professed Catholics under the age of 40 believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. In light of this finding, why do you think that it is important to attend a faithful Catholic college?”

Maria Schmidt of Providence Academy in La Crosse, Wisconsin, is proudly among the minority of believing Catholics. In her winning essay, she proclaims that the “Eucharist is the greatest Sacrament — the entirety of Jesus.” And she blames poor catechesis for the fact that so many of her peers do not understand.

Catholics should face the crisis of faith “with a renewed commitment to strong Catholic education and faith formation,” Schmidt argues. She will take her $5,000 scholarship this year to Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida, with the possibility of renewed scholarships in subsequent years, generously provided by the University.

Schmidt chose Ave Maria, because she wants to study psychology and theology at a faithful Catholic college. Studies in psychology at Ave Maria are “carried out in conversation with philosophical and theological insights into the human person,” which is not possible at a secular college and potentially dangerous at a Catholic college that does not guarantee orthodoxy.

“A good education helps form the whole person, laying down proper philosophical principles necessary for the pursuit of truth in all its classes and activities,” Schmidt writes.

Outside the classroom, Schmidt hopes for a strong Christian formation. “The influence of one’s companions, most importantly in the still-formative years of young adulthood, should not be overlooked. People are social creatures and will often think like those with whom they spend the most time.”

There is no better place than a faithful Catholic college to find good role models and faithful peers. The spiritual opportunities are plentiful, often providing access to multiple priests and religious, Mass and Confession throughout the week, celebration of religious feast days, pastoral counseling, and more.

Ave Maria offers perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during the academic year, and many students are grateful for the opportunity, even if they never spent time in Adoration before college. Schmidt is also looking forward to learning more about the Extraordinary Form Latin Mass, which is offered three days each week on campus.

Exposing young people to beautiful, reverent liturgy, Eucharistic adoration and authentic Catholic education can go a long way toward restoring belief in the Eucharist. Schmidt reminds us that the crisis of faith in our country and in the world is “not unprecedented.”

“Like the monks of Cluny Abbey who saved the faith of Europe in the tenth century, let us first reform ourselves through strong Catholic education and spiritual nourishment,” she writes. “That is the first step towards the reform of the crisis, and another of many steps toward heaven.”

Her full essay is posted online here. May God bless Maria and all her fellow students at faithful Catholic colleges, as they prepare for the fall and get ready to embark on exciting journeys of faith, fun and learning.

This article first appeared at The National Catholic Register.

 

More information about the Essay Scholarship Contest:

The Newman Society’s annual Essay Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors in the United States who participate in the Newman Society’s Recruit Me program and use The Newman Guide in their college search. The innovative Recruit Me program invites Newman Guide colleges to compete for students while providing information about faithful Catholic education. Rising high school seniors who wish to enter next year’s essay contest can sign up for Recruit Me online at https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/the-newman-guide/recruit-me/.

Maria Schmidt describes her college search:

While my search for a major was relatively easy, my search for a college would have been insurmountable without The Newman Guide. With about 197 professed Catholic colleges in the U.S, it would have been nearly impossible for me to find an authentically Catholic college that was just right for me. Thankfully, The Newman Guide did all the hard work for me, excluding the schools that are only nominally Catholic, and providing a detailed analysis of the fifteen U.S. residential colleges that make the cut.

With such a comprehensive and trustworthy list available, I did not have to waste my time considering schools which would only dampen my hopes and threaten my faith. Instead, I could focus my attention searching for the college that best fits my needs and expectations.

Schmidt’s $5,000 scholarship is made possible thanks to the generosity of Joseph and Ann Guiffre, supporters of The Cardinal Newman Society and faithful Catholic education.

“We are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Guiffre for enabling this scholarship,” said Newman Society President Patrick Reilly. “They understand the unique value of a truly Catholic education, and they are thrilled to help a student experience all that a Newman Guide-recommended college can provide.”

The winner of the annual contest also has the opportunity to receive an additional $15,000 from participating colleges over the course of their college education. Sixteen of the Newman Guide colleges, including Ave Maria University, have agreed to supplement the Newman Society’s scholarship with additional $5,000 grants over three additional years, under certain conditions including full-time enrollment and academic progress.

This article first appeared at The National Catholic Register.

Catholic Education ‘First Step’ Toward ‘Reform of the Crisis,’ Says College-Bound Student

/in /by

Maria Schmidt

Editor’s Note: The Cardinal Newman Society recently announced Maria Schmidt of Providence Academy in La Crosse, Wisconsin, as the winner of the Society’s fourth annual Essay Scholarship Contest for Catholic college-bound students. Schmidt will receive a $5,000 scholarship toward her education at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida, this fall. Below is the full text of Schmidt’s winning essay. More information about the Contest can be obtained here, and students who want to be eligible for next year’s Contest can sign up for Recruit Me here.

The Eucharist is the greatest Sacrament—the entirety of Jesus. So much of the faith is contained in this one mystery! Nevertheless, a recent Pew Research poll reveals that less than 26 percent of professed Catholics under the age of 40 believe in the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. The study also implies that a lack of catechesis is connected to the disbelief: 43 percent of Catholics who do not believe in the Real Presence think that their view aligns with Church teaching. In light of this finding, the believer should face the crisis with a renewed commitment to strong Catholic education and faith formation. This development of the person especially includes choosing a faithful Catholic College which teaches the truth, encourages virtue, and offers spiritual nourishment.

A good education helps form the whole person, laying down proper philosophical principles necessary for the pursuit of truth in all its classes and activities. Traditional philosophy and theology help the student to understand grace and Transubstantiation by acquainting them with the notions of form, substance, and accident. Science and mathematics pose no challenge to the faith, but rather support one’s belief in God, showing the great wisdom of His creations. History and literature aid the student in grasping human nature, exposing many falsehoods. Sports teams and campus activities promote the physical and communal wellbeing of the student, offering plenty of opportunities to volunteer in the spirit of servant leadership. Together, the courses and activities of a good education contribute to a deep appreciation of the truth and selflessness.

With salvation as their goal, the members of a Catholic college encourage virtue through their examples and friendships. The influence of one’s companions, most importantly in the still-formative years of young adulthood, should not be overlooked. People are social creatures and will often think like those with whom they spend the most time. Virtuous peers and professors instill admiration in each other’s hearts, encouraging the emulation of virtue. Surrounding oneself with good companions is, therefore, a crucial step in guarding and strengthening one’s faith.

All efforts, however, are in vain unless they are united to the spiritual life of the Church. A faithful Catholic college knows this best, offering its students and faculty ample access to daily Mass, adoration, sacraments, prayer, and spiritual direction. Such an institution recognizes the profound unity between man’s body and soul, the effects of original sin, and man’s supernatural calling from God. A Catholic college cannot shy away from this calling and remain genuinely Catholic.

While many people and colleges profess to be Catholic, it has become more apparent that not all of them are truly Catholic. Such a crisis in faith is not unprecedented. The faithful, meanwhile, take comfort in the Church’s rich traditions and life from God, who is bodily present among us in the Eucharist. Like the monks of Cluny Abbey who saved the faith of Europe in the tenth century, let us first reform ourselves through strong Catholic education and spiritual nourishment. That is the first step towards the reform of the crisis, and another of many steps toward heaven.

us supreme court

Key Points on Supreme Court’s Bostock Ruling on Sex Discrimination

/in , /by
Click here for PDF

The Cardinal Newman Society hosted a webinar on June 17, 2020, for Catholic education leaders, in which Gregory Baylor, senior counsel and director of the Center for Religious Schools at Alliance Defending Freedom, offered a brief assessment of the June 15th Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia. The following summarizes our understanding of what we learned from that webinar and other experts. Educators should consult their attorneys for professional legal advice.

Ruling: “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII,” the federal law banning employment discrimination in categories including sex.

Definition of “sex”: The Court did not explicitly reject the understanding of “sex” as male and female, as some activists hoped. It is therefore incorrect to say that the Court “redefined sex” to include multiple “genders.” The Court found that identification as homosexual or transgender is a matter related to biological sex, and so they fall within the scope of sex discrimination. The Court did not address “other genders” or uncertain gender.

Scope of sex discrimination: Previously the Court has interpreted Title VII to forbid only adverse discrimination that is unwarranted and a double standard for men or women. But this ruling finds that homosexuality and transgender identification are protected categories, even though employment standards be applied equally to men and women.

Status vs. conduct: The Court ruling fails to distinguish homosexual or transgender inclination or identification from expression and conduct—a distinction that is central to Catholic teaching.

Statutory: The ruling interprets Title VII but identifies no new constitutional rights.

Religious exemption: Title VII includes an exemption for a “religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion…” This should allow a Catholics-only hiring policy, but not every baptized Catholic is a suitable employee. Unless the exemption is strengthened, it is uncertain whether courts will allow moral and doctrinal criteria for employment, which are essential to faithful Catholic education.

Education law: Title VII has tended to guide interpretations of Title IX (on sex discrimination in education), but the Title IX religious exemption is much stronger. Although not required, several institutions have obtained prior determinations from the Education Department that they are exempt; those that have not should weigh the merits of doing so, while there is an administration that is favorable to the granting of such exemptions. COVID relief loans under the Paycheck Protection Program put schools and colleges under Title IX until the loan is forgiven or returned, but Baylor sees little reason for changing direction on PPP loans. Sex discrimination is not a statutory barrier to Title IV funding.

Legal defense: A Catholic school or college that is charged with illegal sex discrimination may have recourse to the following defenses.

Religious exemption: As noted, religious exemptions in Title VII and Title IX.

Ministerial exception: This will not cover all employees. A Supreme Court ruling on its scope is expected this month. The exception is not statutory; it is based on the First Amendment.

Religious Freedom Restoration Act: Must prove that a government action is a “substantial burden” on religion; seems to apply here, but courts may disagree. Government must then show that it could not achieve its purpose in a way that is less burdensome to religion.

First Amendment: Arguments for free exercise of religion, freedom of association, freedom from compelled speech.

Recommendations:

Strengthen Catholic identity: Firmly ground all policies in Catholic teaching and explain in writing why policies are necessary according to religious beliefs. Baylor cautions against the opposite strategy: laying low and downplaying Catholic identity, which weakens a religious freedom defense. Explicitly state expectations for employees and what will happen if violated. Always justify policies according to Catholic beliefs.

An institution’s religious identity, under the law, is whatever the institution declares to be its own deeply held beliefs. A “Catholic” label is neither enough nor necessary. Put into writing the school or college’s Catholic beliefs, especially those that are likely to be challenged, and clearly identify authoritative sources of the school’s beliefs (such as Catechism of the Catholic Church).

Nondiscrimination policies: Avoid listing any protected categories, but especially do not include sexual orientation or gender identity. Do not promise nondiscrimination on “religion”; declare your legal status as a religious entity with freedom to make decisions based on religion.

Employee benefits: Check employee benefits to ensure no support for “gender reassignment,” same-sex marriage, etc. Any compromise can weaken a religious freedom defense.

Language: Clarify language in all policies, especially employment documents, that is vague, confusing, or in conflict with Catholic teaching regarding sexuality and gender.

Lobby Congress: Consult your legal counsel; generally nonprofits can lobby on matters that directly affect them. Urge Congress to protect religious education and, if possible, to amend law to reverse Bostock ruling. Oppose Equality Act, which is highly dangerous: would enshrine Bostock in law, embrace gender ideology, remove religious exemption, and end RFRA application to sex discrimination. Oppose Fairness for All Act, which would enshrine Bostock in law (an immoral law) in exchange for religious exemptions that are unlikely to survive.

Catholic Identity Standards Project: Please know that the Newman Society is working on policy standards to help Catholic schools and colleges stay firmly grounded in Catholic identity while establishing the best protection against legal threats. This work depends on the assistance of a large number of expert reviewers. If you would like to assist by commenting on draft documents, please contact Michael Kenney, director of the Catholic Identity Standards Project, at mkenney@cardinalnewmansociety.org.

Pope Saint John Paul II

Theology of the Body for Schoolchildren

/in , /by

If ever there was a time to teach young people about human nature and our common human dignity, it’s now.

They need to know that race, sex and their very lives are willed by God. They need to know that marriage and family are also willed by God, and that the collapse of the family has contributed to many of the social ills that are on display today.

The timing is right, then, for newly published educational standards that help schools teach St. John Paul II’s “theology of the body” in a progression from kindergarten through eighth grade. They help transmit to students a “vision of the human person according to God’s loving design,” and Catholic education is uniquely situated to teach it.

“It’s a gamechanger for someone to be deeply convinced of their personal self-worth, dignity and purpose, knowing themself to be infinitely and unconditionally loved by God and called to live in a communion of persons in his image,” state the new “Standards for Christian Anthropology,” co-authored by Dr. Joan Kingsland of Ruah Woods Press and Dr. Denise Donohue of The Cardinal Newman Society.

“This self-knowledge includes respecting and revering oneself, others and above all God. It affects the choices made by young people about how they will treat others and expect others to treat them.”

The standards explore the foundations of personal identity and are a key solution to the problems we face in society right now. Just consider, what if every student in Catholic schools across the country was taught authentic Christian anthropology? How would society look different, if graduates of Catholic education could clearly articulate and defend the value of every human person?

“In recent years there’s been a surge in the ever-widening gap between the mainstream take on the identity of the human person versus a Christian vision rooted in Sacred Scriptures,” explain Dr. Donohue and Dr. Kingsland. Gender ideology, racial division, pornography, premarital sexual activity, contraception and abortion are just some of the challenges facing Catholic educators, and increasingly they are pressured to compromise Catholic teaching.

Understandably, then, many Catholic education leaders welcome the standards.

They “provide much-needed guidance for more deeply understanding who we are as human beings, made in the image of God,” says David McCutchen, coordinator of the office for catechetical formation in the Diocese of Toledo.

“These standards present, at age-appropriate moments, the foundational truths upon which an authentically Christian view of the human person must be built,” he continues. “The burning questions and confusing issues of our time regarding human dignity, sexuality and gender can be effectively addressed only in light of these fundamental truths.”

Jill Annable, assistant superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, agrees. “It is a difficult task to articulate the Catholic worldview of Theology of the Body, yet the Standards for Christian Anthropology provide us key teachings for each grade level that will be understandable to families and assist teachers in critical aspects of this formation in a logical sequence,” she says.

Jim Rigg, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago, adds that the standards help ensure that “students are able to tangibly uphold the sanctity of human life.”

Ultimately, the goal of an authentic Catholic education is to form students with the foundation they need for this life and the one to come. Given the recent struggles in our society, it is imperative that young people know their own worth and the dignity of every human being they encounter.

This article first appeared at The National Catholic Register.

religious sister

Dominican Sister Says Newman Guide College ‘Opened My Soul’ to Vocation

/in , /by

Sr. Maximilian Marie

Opportunities for public Masses and other spiritual offerings have been limited over the last several months for Catholics across the globe due to COVID-19. To help fill the spiritual void and provide consolation, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have been livestreaming their daily Masses and other prayers online for the first time.

Sister Maximilian Marie, O.P., has been responsible for responding to the prayer intentions that the sisters have received during this challenging time. The Newman Society recently asked Sr. Maximilian Marie about this experience and how her vocation was influenced by her time at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, N.H., which is recommended in The Newman Guide.

Newman Society: Why did the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, decide to share their private prayers and Masses online?

Sr. Maximilian Marie: At the Motherhouse, we are blessed by circumstances that allow us to have daily Mass during the current pandemic crisis. Our deep gratitude for the Blessed Sacrament, coupled with the recent launch (July 2019) of our Lumen Ecclesiae Digital platform, led to the possibility of daily livestreaming our Mass, Holy Hour, Rosary and prayers.

Thus, we invited people, globally and across denominations, to join in our community prayers to provide consolation and hope during this time of pandemic. It is our desire to especially inform people about the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours — the ongoing prayers of the Church — which we livestream at three periods of the day: Lauds (Morning Prayer), Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Compline (Night Prayer).

Photo via the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

Upon reflection, I see the livestreaming project as another way to live out our vocation as Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Jesus and His Real Presence are the heart of our vocation as Brides of Christ and the source of our Spiritual Motherhood. We start our day with a common hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Mass, and then, in normal circumstances, we go out into the schools to share the great gift we have received with our students. In these days of “shelter-in-place,” by livestreaming our otherwise private Community Mass and prayers, we are able to bring Jesus to starving souls in a very different way but far reaching: we are not limited to the four walls of our classrooms, but bring Jesus into living rooms across the globe.

I am sure St. Dominic would have done the same! Upon founding the Order, he did something new by sending his friars out into the heart of society — founding convents amidst the hustle and bustle of universities and big cities… because that was where the people were. Through livestreaming and archived videos on our platform, we can bring Jesus to anyone and everyone who is homebound, alone and without the Sacraments during the pandemic.

In these last months, I have had the privilege of reading and responding to the prayer intentions we receive through our website. They come in from around the globe and across denominations, expressing their gratitude and commenting on how, because of the livestreaming throughout the day, they do not feel quite as alone during these days of solitude.

Newman Society: What was your experience like at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts?

graduation

Sr. Maximilian Marie (far left) at her graduation from Magdalen College.

Sr. Maximilian Marie: I arrived at Magdalen College as a 21-year-old freshman, a little older than most students, but ripe and ready to live a more honest, authentic life. I immersed myself in the liberal arts program, the community life and the sacramental life on campus. At Magdalen College, I was stretched intellectually, socially and spiritually, and I loved it for that reason!

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” I was told in my first tutorial, and I was now examining my life with bigger eyes than ever, as I was exposed to (and exposed by) a variety of universally acclaimed works. This experience opened me to examining the fundamental questions of life: “Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?” As I wrestled with these great works in the context of honest, personal friendships and a strong community life, a childlike wonder began to reawaken in me, and the floodgates of grace seemingly flew open!

I recall, one day at Mass, after receiving the Holy Eucharist, I gazed up at the Crucifix and realized how much Christ loved me. This experience was a special grace. The reality of the Crucifix and of the Holy Eucharist took hold of me — sacrificial love and selflessness.

As a “devout” Catholic, I had seen, known and consumed Him my whole life, but never with such deep meaning. This experience demanded a radical response from me: sanctity.  From this point on and by God’s grace, I became a daily communicant and totally in love with the Living Person, Jesus Christ. My identity was rooted in Christ, my Lord and His Catholic Church. This is the beginning to any faithful vocation… an invitation to love.

Newman Society: How did your time at Magdalen College influence your vocation to the religious life?

Photo via the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

Sr. Maximilian Marie: It is curious, how this lay-governed, lay-administered Catholic institution that emphasized lay-leadership, was the key that opened my soul to consecrated religious life. I smile to think how, upon entering the convent in 2001, my college copy of Vatican Council II documents bears in its margins excitedly scribbled remarks alongside paragraphs focused on the laity, while the margins of the sections on Religious Life, were quite tidy.

To be honest, I do not recall any overt, external influences toward religious life—perhaps because, at the time, I had a one track-mind toward marriage. But, in retrospect it was the dynamic of the program of studies, the community life and the sacramental life that was foundational to my vocation.

A key influential factor was the emphatic teaching instilled in us regarding the universal call to holiness and seeing it lived out. From studying the social teachings of the Church and living them in a common life, to daily witnessing the sincere gift of self among faculty and staff, I realized that sanctification was ‘worked out’ in every act and at every moment.

This realization and the habits instilled made me truly free to say a wholehearted “Yes” to the will of God, whether it was seemingly inconsequential tasks like cleaning a bathroom to life decisions and vocational matters. Each action was a little fiat proclaimed with Mary: “Let it be done.”

In my almost 20 years of religious life, all that I received at Magdalen College has been constantly deepened and broadened in the context of our Dominican tradition of study, contemplation, and community life. Hardly a day goes by in which I do not recall some aspect of my education and formation at Magdalen College, for which I am so very grateful.

Catholic College Student Assists Homeless During COVID

/in , /by

Philip Swanson

A college student is serving the homeless during COVID-19 in New York, and he says that his faithful Catholic college is helping him “stay focused on God” through it all.

Philip Swanson is serving as a missionary this year at the St. Anthony Shelter for Renewal, a homeless shelter founded by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in The Bronx, N.Y.  At the same time, he’s been taking online courses with Holy Apostles College and Seminary, which is recommended in The Newman Guide.

The Cardinal Newman Society is grateful to Swanson for sharing about the impact of his faithful Catholic education, as a part of our “Profiles in Faithful Catholic Education” series.

Newman Society: Why did you decide to attend Holy Apostles College and Seminary?

Philip Swanson: I decided to attend Holy Apostles due to the desire I have to receive an education from a university that I knew was orthodox in teaching and whose mission it was to present the goodness, truth and beauty of the Catholic Church in her entirety. I wanted to learn about God and be led to love Him more, from priests and professors who both know and love Him. I am currently studying theology and philosophy and I became a missionary with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in May of 2019 (two years after graduating from high school).

Newman Society: Can you tell us about the work you’re doing with the homeless during this COVID-19 crisis?

Philip Swanson: Since the COVID-19 outbreak, work at St. Anthony’s Shelter for Renewal has greatly increased. In a way, there is more interaction with the guests due to the stay-at-home order put in place by the state of New York, which is great as we have more time to pray with them and more opportunities to serve them. I’m involved with the food team which involves helping sort donations, helping prepare and cook the meals and helping at the food handout in which the missionaries and friars give food to the poor of the area. Despite all the extra work that has gone in since the outbreak and at times feeling a bit crammed into such a small space (and all that the other difficult things that go along with living in community), the friars, missionaries and shelter guests have certainly grown closer with one another and with Christ.

Newman Society: How has Holy Apostles impacted your life and the way you’re responding to the crisis?

Philip Swanson: Holy Apostles has impacted my life overall and especially during this virus in the sense that it truly allows me to always be focused on God. The nature of being at a great Catholic college and majoring in theology and philosophy allows for this; the more I learn in my classes and from classmates, the more I am able to take to prayer and better serve God and the men. While getting schoolwork done in the midst of the virus has been challenging at times, the professors at Holy Apostles have been extremely kind and understanding, and for that I am truly blessed.

Good Seed: Standards for Christian Anthropology Released

/in , /by

Two weeks ago, on a video call from Rome to Florida, Dr. Joan Kingsland and Dr. Denise Donohue wrapped up a most important project: educational standards for grades K-8 based on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body teachings. The Standards for Christian Anthropology provide a solid basis for incrementally transmitting a vision of the human person according to God’s loving design.

But the significance of the completion date, May 18, did not strike the authors until later. It was the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Paul II!

The new standards’ simple yet robust framework provides the guidance that has been sought by educators for some time now. The Standards for Christian Anthropology support the curricula published by Ruah Woods Press and complement the Catholic Curriculum Standards published by The Cardinal Newman Society, which cover English language arts, history, scientific topics, and mathematics. The new standards—a collaboration of the two organizations—situate the person in proper context as son or daughter of God, heir to the Eternal Kingdom, and brother or sister to all. Anthony Esolen, Catholic writer and social commentator, said, “If you don’t get man right, you don’t get education right.” The Standards for Christian Anthropology lay the groundwork for “getting man right,” a foundation for other subject areas.

Although this work was begun in 2016, its completion was inspired by the most recent document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, Male and Female He Created Them: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education (2019), which addresses the current identity crisis affecting many classrooms today. The Vatican document was generated to present Christian anthropology and to encourage institutions of higher learning and research centers to provide professional development and programs for educators. The Standards for Christian Anthropology are a direct response to this call.

More fundamental than sex ed, Theology of the Body goes deeper, to the heart of personal identity. “It’s a gamechanger for someone to be deeply convinced of their personal self-worth, dignity and purpose, knowing themselves to be infinitely and unconditionally loved by God and called to live in a communion of persons in his image. This self-knowledge includes respecting and revering oneself, others and above all God. It affects the choices made by young people about how they will treat others and expect others to treat them, including in the area of sexuality. It’s a unique, theological approach to Christian anthropology that lays out the pathway to a happy, deeply fulfilled life.” (Introduction to Standards for Christian Anthropology, 2020).

Although these standards were created based on the completed work of Ruah Woods’ ROOTED K-12 curriculum, they also provide guidelines for other publishers and programs. Existing programs might find that their curricula already align to the Standards, or that this would be possible with minor modifications. It is a framework that hopefully will complement already solid religious education standards chosen by Catholic schools and will touch the hearts of young people. Knowing that they are created in the image of the Triune God and are called to live in communion, they will learn that fulfillment comes through a sincere gift-of-self.

View and download the Standards for Christian Anthropology.

Register for an upcoming webinar that will explore the Standards.

For more information, contact Dr. Joan Kingsland (JKingsland@RuahWoods.org) or Dr. Denise Donohue (DDonohue@CardinalNewmanSociety.org).

 

children nature

Questions and Answers on Christian Anthropology Standards

/in , /by

Editor’s Note: We recently asked the authors, Dr. Joan Kingsland and Dr. Denise Donohue, about the new Standards for Christian Anthropology which were released by Ruah Woods Press and The Cardinal Newman Society.

1. What are the Standards for Christian Anthropology?

“Early in his pontificate St. John Paul II offered what he termed an adequate anthropology through 129 talks given during Wednesday audiences that stretched from 1979-1984. These audiences were then published under the title Man and Woman He Created Them. Commonly referred to as St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, these teachings offer a profound vision of the dignity, goodness and worth of the human person. Created in the image of God who is a communion of persons, each person will find fulfillment and happiness, in whatever state of life, through the sincere gift-of-self” (Introduction to Standards for Christian Anthropology, 2020).

These standards, based on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body teachings, provide a solid basis for transmitting incrementally, K-8, a vision of the human person according to God’s loving design and St. John Paul’s teachings on the human person.

2. What are some of the key concepts that they try to convey?

“In the area of expectations, it’s important to understand that they do not address matters of sexuality through a “frontal approach”. In fact, these are not standards for teaching sexuality as such. Instead, they go deeper, to the foundations of personal identity. It’s a gamechanger for someone to be deeply convinced of their personal self-worth, dignity and purpose, knowing themselves to be infinitely and unconditionally loved by God and called to live in a communion of persons in his image. This self-knowledge includes respecting and revering oneself, others and above all God. It affects the choices made by young people about how they will treat others and expect others to treat them, including in the area of sexuality. It’s a unique, theological approach to Christian anthropology that lays out the pathway to a happy, deeply fulfilled life” (Introduction to Standards for Christian Anthropology, 2020).

Prominent themes extracted from St. John Paul II’s teachings and reflected in the Standards include: Creation as a Gift, Original Solitude, Original Unity, Original Nakedness, Communion of Persons, Gift-of-Self, Body-Soul Unity, Body Reveals the Person, Historical Man – Fall and Redemption, Purity of Heart/Virtue, Vocation, Eschatological Man – Resurrection.

3. Why did you create the Standards for Christian Anthropology?

The Standards were created to assist educators who choose to use the teachings of St. John Paul on the human person with a format that is familiar to them. Many teachers are familiar with standards as a way to focus curriculum to ensure the presentation of specific content; a pathway of sorts. We wanted to create a familiar pathway for those teachers currently using the Ruah Woods curriculum and for any school that might consider incorporating a K-8 component focused on Christian Anthropology within their current Religion program whether they use the Ruah Woods curriculum or any other curriculum.

4. Are they meant to fill a gap in Catholic education that exists today?

In recent years there’s been a surge in the ever-widening gap between the mainstream take on the identity of the human person versus a Christian vision rooted in Sacred Scriptures. Teachers and administrators of Catholic schools across the nation are finding themselves unprepared for the maelstrom of demands and challenges pressing upon them from students, peers, parents and society at large to accommodate their standards to what in fact would be harmful to the true good of their students.

For instance, the most recent document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, Male and Female He Created Them: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education (2019), addresses the current crisis we are seeing of the practice and discussion among young people of “gender transitioning;” the bifurcation of one’s biological sex from one’s gender. This “phenomenon” often begins with the young person (sometimes as young as toddler age) claiming to identify more closely as a person of the opposite biological sex. Some have treated this psycho-sexual disorder with a “wait and watch” approach which has largely resulted with young people resolving their identity with that of their biological sex. More and more we are seeing a radical advocacy, along with political legislation, which demands a “gender affirmation” approach where those guiding the young person are required by law to agree with the disillusionment of the youth and facilitate the gender transition with behavioral modification (i.e., dressing as someone of the opposite sex or using a name or pro-nouns of the opposite sex), the use of hormone blockers to retard the natural biological sexual development of the young person, and even surgical treatments to reconstruct or remove one’s healthy genitalia. The document was generated to present the Church’s position of this “phenomena” in the much broader context of Christian anthropology and to encourage institutions of higher learning and centers of research to provide professional development and programs for educators to help them understand this phenomena and to assist those to whom it affects. Ruah Woods was ideally positioned to respond to this call.

5. Why is it so appropriate that these standards were completed on the 100th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s birth?

The project was actually started some years back by Ruah Woods. I (Joan) took it on when I began working there early in 2016. I (Denise) joined the effort in June of last year, and we worked toward completion thinking it would be last fall.  The project grew, though, from the creation of standards by grade level to that of themes with the inclusion of two additional themes and a glossary. Adjustments were made after reviewer comments all culminating with the conclusion of the document coinciding with St. John Paul II’s 100th birthday. Though it certainly wasn’t planned that we would finish our last edits then, it’s meaningful that a day commemorating the birth of this great saint aligns with the debut of Anthropological Standards based on his teachings. St. John Paul II showed a lot of interest in the youth and spoke to them along the same lines as are found in the Standards.

6. As Catholic educators plan their curriculum for the next academic year and beyond, why should they consider incorporating these standards?

When incorporating these standards beginning in Kindergarten, educators and parents can lay the foundation of concepts and vocabulary that situate man within the rich meaning of an authentic Christian humanity. We have already witnessed how the lives of children and young people are transformed through the assimilation of these teachings. They become convinced of their own self-worth and that of others and their actions begin to show it. They’re kinder and more thoughtful. They become aware of what freedom really means and they become more responsible and focused on achieving what truly brings happiness. It’s heartening to think of the good that can come through the diffusion of these Standards.

7. How do the Standards work together with the Newman Society’s “Catholic Curriculum Standards”?

The Standards for Christian Anthropology complement the Catholic Curriculum Standards published by The Cardinal Newman Society, which cover English language arts, history, scientific topics, and mathematics. The Standards for Christian Anthropology situate the person in proper context as son or daughter of God, heir to the Eternal Kingdom, and brother or sister to all. Anthony Esolen, Catholic writer and social commentator, said, “If you don’t get man right, you don’t get education right.” The Standards for Christian Anthropology lay the groundwork of “getting man right,” a foundation for other subject areas.

8. What’s your hope for young people who are formed by an education that incorporates these standards?

(Answered in 4 above). Two high school students who had only been studying Christian Anthropology for one semester were brought in to give their testimony at a Christian Anthropology in-service for 200 Catholic teachers. The exit survey said it all: overwhelmingly, the witness of these two young people was the highlight for the teachers. These two young people were articulate, confident and optimistic about their futures. They knew who they were as human persons and what makes for happiness. That’s the sort of thing we expect of young people who are being educated in light of the Standards for Christian Anthropology.

9. Anything else you’d like to add?

We would like to add that even though these standards were created based on the completed work of Ruah Woods, they were designed with the intention of providing guidelines for publishers and the writing of other programs. Existing programs might find their curricula already aligns to the Standards, or that this would be possible with minor modifications. It is a framework that we hope will complement already solid religious education standards chosen by Catholic schools.

These Standards are meant to inspire programs that will be transformational, that will touch the hearts of young people and help them form deep convictions about who they are, their self-worth and dignity and that of others. Knowing that they are created in the image of the Triune God and are called to live in communion, they are convinced as well that fulfillment comes through the gift-of-self. St. Augustine likens our life to a sailboat saying that we can afford to forget from where the boat set out, but we cannot forget where we are headed!