{"id":2161,"date":"2010-12-06T05:01:50","date_gmt":"2010-12-06T13:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/?p=2161"},"modified":"2010-12-05T23:27:50","modified_gmt":"2010-12-06T07:27:50","slug":"the-3-functions-of-a-catholic-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/the-3-functions-of-a-catholic-school","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Functions of a Catholic School"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2223\" title=\"Classroom\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Picture-2-159x300.png\" alt=\"Classroom\" width=\"159\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Picture-2-159x300.png 159w, http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Picture-2.png 262w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px\" \/>Why do Catholic schools exist? What&#8217;s really the difference between a public school and a Catholic school? Is a Catholic school simply a public school with an added course called Religion? Is a Catholic school&#8217;s purpose to be a haven from the world, an island where no bad things come?<\/p>\n<p>According to the Declaration on Christian Education, a document of the Second Vatican Council, a Catholic school has three functions:<\/p>\n<p><em>No less than other schools does the Catholic school pursue cultural goals and the human formation of youth. But its proper function is to create for the school community a special atmosphere animated by the Gospel spirit of freedom and charity, to help youth grow according to the new creatures they were made through baptism as they develop their own personalities, and finally to order the whole of human culture to the news of salvation so that the knowledge the students gradually acquire of the world, life and man is illumined by faith. So indeed the Catholic school, while it is open, as it must be, to the situation of the contemporary world, leads its students to promote efficaciously the good of the earthly city and also prepares them for service in the spread of the Kingdom of God, so that by leading an exemplary apostolic life they become, as it were, a saving leaven in the human community.<\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/hist_councils\/ii_vatican_council\/documents\/vat-ii_decl_19651028_gravissimum-educationis_en.html\">Gravissimum Educationis, 8<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Looking at our own Catholic schools&#8211;whether as a pastor, administrator, or teacher&#8211;how do they measure up? Are they functioning as intended? Looking closer at each of the following points may help us reflect on those questions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. &#8220;To create for the school community a special atmosphere animated by the Gospel spirit of freedom and charity&#8221;:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is my school&#8217;s atmosphere &#8220;special&#8221;&#8211;that is, uniquely enlivened by the freedom and charity of the Gospel?<\/li>\n<li>How much autonomy do the students have? Are they free to pursue their individual gifts and God-given talents?<\/li>\n<li>Charity: &#8220;a divinely infused habit, inclining the human will to cherish God for his own sake above all things, and man for the sake of God&#8221; (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/cathen\/09397a.htm\"><em>Catholic Encyclopedia, <\/em>1910<\/a>). How does my school foster the virtue of charity?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>2. &#8220;To help youth grow according to the new creatures they were made through baptism as they develop their own personalities&#8221;:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We are called to help our students grow not as the &#8220;old creatures&#8221; they were before their baptism, but as &#8220;new creatures.&#8221; How should our approach be different than if we were teaching the unbaptized?<\/li>\n<li>What do baptized young people need in order to grow in their new life in Christ?<\/li>\n<li>Am I helping students to develop their own personalities, or am I unintentionally squelching their individuality?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>3. &#8220;To order the whole of human culture to the news of salvation so that the  knowledge the students gradually acquire of the world, life and man is  illumined by faith&#8221;:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How does the world look different when &#8220;illumined by faith&#8221;?<\/li>\n<li>Catholic schools are called to look at &#8220;the whole of human culture&#8221; through the lens of faith. How does that lens affect our lesson plans and subject area objectives?<\/li>\n<li>In areas like science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, and music, does the content and organization of my school&#8217;s curriculum look very different than a public school? If so, how? If not, why not?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why do Catholic schools exist? What&#8217;s really the difference between a public school and a Catholic school? Is a Catholic school simply a public school with an added course called Religion? Is a Catholic school&#8217;s purpose to be a haven from the world, an island where no bad things come? According to the Declaration on &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/the-3-functions-of-a-catholic-school\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The 3 Functions of a Catholic School&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-teaching-tips"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/prZ8V-yR","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2900,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/tv-program-explores-decline-in-catholicism-and-catholic-schools","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":0},"title":"TV Program Explores Decline in Catholicism and Catholic Schools","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"January 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Are Catholic schools closing because Catholicism is in decline, or is Catholicism in decline because Catholic schools are closing? That's just one of the questions Lynn Doyle asks of her guests in this 24-minute program. She begins her show with guest Jerry Davis, one of the members of the Archdiocese\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/category\/news"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/itsyourcall-300x275.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2876,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/catholic-school-closures-could-increase-tax-burden-and-cause-overcrowding","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":1},"title":"Catholic School Closures Could Increase Tax Burden and Cause Overcrowding","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"January 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Joan Hellyer reports on two of the most significant side effects of the Philadelphia Catholic school closures -- the impact on local public schools and the impact on taxes: \"This may severely challenge our school district, which has been experiencing increased elementary school enrollment coupled with severe state budget cuts,\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/category\/news"},"img":{"alt_text":"Empty Classroom","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/Classroom-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2051,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/catholic-education-roundup","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":2},"title":"Catholic Education Roundup","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"November 4, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"November is here, and maybe you're feeling like winter hibernation is a good idea right about now. Cheer up, because it's time for another roundup of recent blog posts by Catholic educators. It seems like there's been an explosion of great articles lately. With all the fantastic content out there,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/category\/news"},"img":{"alt_text":"Too Early to Hibernate!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/Sleeping_baby_cat.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2855,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/dramatic-changes-expected-in-philadelphia-catholic-education","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":3},"title":"Dramatic Changes Expected in Philadelphia Catholic Education","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"January 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Which Philadelphia Catholic schools will close? That's the question on the minds of many Catholics in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia this week. The results of Philadelphia's Blue Ribbon Commission on Catholic Education will be made public on Friday, January 6. The members of the Commission were appointed by Cardinal Justin\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/category\/news"},"img":{"alt_text":"Philadelphia Catholic School Students","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/philadelphia-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2350,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/catholic-schools-week-2011-in-the-news","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":4},"title":"Catholic Schools Week 2011 in the News","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"January 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Catholic Schools Week officially begins next week on January 30, 2011, but some schools are so excited they just can't wait. Here's a roundup of stories featuring what some schools are doing this year: Priests witness many positive influences of Catholic schools Blessed Sacrament School schedules special events to celebrate\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/category\/news"},"img":{"alt_text":"Catholic School Students","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/cathstudents-287x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2941,"url":"http:\/\/www.nicksenger.com\/csc\/101-essential-resources-for-catholic-educators","url_meta":{"origin":2161,"position":5},"title":"101 Essential Resources for Catholic Educators","author":"Deacon Nick","date":"January 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy Catholic Schools Week! To celebrate, I've put together a list of 101 resources that no Catholic educator should be without. 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