Catholic Schools
— Martin E. Marty | February 11, 2013
In a bittersweet column in the Wall Street Journal, Joe Queenan suggests that “all sorts of iconic, useless institutions could be under siege; coleslaw, fedoras,” etc. Added to that headlined list were U.S. Savings Bonds, dachsunds, Fortune cookies, hatchbacks, and more. In the expanded list of “examples of revered institutions that once served a valuable function but are now no longer necessary” were galoshes, rice pudding, polenta, etc. Queenan also derided T-shirts bearing messages. (My recent birthday sweatshirt reads: “Irony. The Opposite of Wrinkly.” I dare him to touch that.)
His column was prompted by the presumed impending demise of Muzak and the planned disappearance of the penny in Canada. Those of us who reckon with cultures of religion can extend the list. Things like misleading signs in churches, notably “Welcome to All.” Cliché-burdened headlines such as “Mainline Protestant Decline” or “Nones Are Fastest Growing Religious Population in America.” We take such very, very seriously—but not too seriously. To get serious:
What are we going to do with headlines referring to the crisis in American Catholic education? To comment on declines in Catholic parochial education, on my part, is not Schadenfreude. I have no leftover Protestant prejudice against parochial education, being the product of the Lutheran counterparts to the Catholic version. We had no nuns slapping our fingers, as too many Catholic memoirs remember them, and our teachers could marry. Fortunately for me, being the son of a Lutheran teacher. The Martys support two Lutheran-based but open-to-all. Positive views of parish-based education at its best, or even at its upper-middle good, lead me to read as many editorial comments on all sides of this crisis-issue. Readers do not need my help in finding web coverage of the topic.
Typically, the reporting inspires ideologically-based debate. If the New York Times writers suggest that there’s a sort of solution at hand for Catholics: simply allow for married clergy and the supply of help will grow. And such suggestions get slapped down by defenders of celibacy for clergy. Don’t tamper with sacrament-like institutions. Hands off, Catholic dissenters and critics! Cost would be forbidding, in any case.
Studying statistics would at least help inform the debates. Patrick J. McCloskey and Joseph Claude Harris, in the Times article, lead off with attention to the crisis: “Catholic parochial education is in crisis. More than a third of parochial schools in the United States closed between 1965 and 1990, and enrollment fell by more than half.” However, there is reported to be “strong demands from students and families.” The authors know that much of the decline is demographic. Families are smaller. Change in communities, including moves of millions from Catholic urban enclaves to suburban dispersals hurt schools. Economics plays a part everywhere.
Catholic schools have a long way to go down before they’ll fit in the company of fedoras and Muzak, but no serious church members, parents, or citizens of any faith or no faith can allow for the decline and fall of Catholic education, without taking a second look at what it has meant and asking, with responsible leaders, questions such as “How can Catholic education be saved?” and if it should be. Lowered temperature among ardent defenders of Catholic schools, vouchers, etc. as well as cool analysis will help.
If these institutions continue to fade and fail, who will notice?
References
Joe Queenan, “If Muzak Goes, Will Rhode Island Be Next?” Wall Street Journal, February 8, 2013.
Patrick J. McCloskey and Joseph Claude Harris, “Catholic Education, in Need of Salvation,” New York Times, January 6, 2013.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, “The Plan to Save Catholic Schools,” Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2013
I’ve been saying for a long time now that children and youth are the Church today and tomorrow. It’s more than a marketing phrase for me and one reason why I think of my service in the church as “teaching the language of faith and the practice of Christianity for the Church today and tomorrow.” Here in Oklahoma we are using that as a benchmark, vision, and mission statement all rolled into one. A friend in ministry, Rev. Evan Dolive, continues the practice of “public theologian” as he writes for the local paper in his community. His thoughts on this topic are shared in this paragraph.
Young people are not leaving the church because they have objection with the teachings of Christ, rather they are leaving because they have no place in the church. Sure churches do a great job with their nursery program, Worship and Wonder program and even youth and college programs, but after that the church has not done too well. The church has bought into the lie that the late Whitney Houston promoted, that the “children are our future.”
This, my friends, is a bold face lie.
Children, middle schoolers, high schoolers, young adults are not the future of the church, they are the “right now.” Click here to read more.
As I reflect on my denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we too are contracting as many mainline denominations and even the “megas” are as well. I don’t think “mall Christianity” works long term and for me long term is more important than “saving souls.” No, my denomination has systematically dismantled ministry with/for children, youth, and young adults from our General manifestation right down to local congregations. It’s the easiest way to cut the budget when dollars decrease. We’ve noted in resolutions and mission imperatives that children and youth are important, even vital, for our expression of faith, but as yet have not reallocated resources to match those words. We delegate children’s ministry and youth ministry to “professionals” that may have theological training and smile at them when these people who know something about this ministry remind us that ministry with children, youth, and young adults requires everyone in a congregation, a Region, or a General ministry unit.
So, the next time I hear a Sr Minister, a Regional Minister or our General Minister and President talk about the importance of these ministries with children, youth, and young adults I’m going to vocally suggest, beginning with this post, that the next time they are offered a raise these persons set an example by declining it and asking that those monies be allocated to the children, youth, and young adult ministries in their context. If, our GMP would make that statement from the pulpit at General Assembly this year it would send ripples throughout our denomination. It would set a tone and direction. If, the next time a Regional Minister is offered a raise and announced that those funds needed to be allocated to the Region’s ministry with children, youth, and young adults that would ripple into congregations and set a different tone. If a local Sr Minister or solo Minister did the same it would set the tone, the direction, and note the actuality that children, youth, and young adults are the Church today as well as tomorrow.
I’m not saying that congregations have to become children, youth, and young adult focused only. I am saying that intentionally including this age demographic in “being” church/Church is, like an educated laity, congregational and Church reformation. It’s one way to arrest contraction before it plunges too far down the lifecycle toward death or worse, irrelevancy. That’s why some of my peers in ministry and I call this “missional ministry.” At some point this missional ministry has to be as important at starting new congregations because where this intentionally happens in local settings, congregations are born anew or revived by the gifts of the entire community. New congregations emerge with each generation and retain Disciple DNA. In Regions where this intentionally happens, leadership is learned, shared, and shaped because the ideas, energy, and presence of all ages is important to the life of the community and the structure not simply to survive, but to thrive. Thanks Evan for the words about the big lie.