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Can Catholic schools be saved?

CWN - May 12, 2011

Andy Smarick, a former deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of Education, examines the rise and fall of Catholic schools in the United States and considers whether faith-based charter schools might help stem the decline.

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  • Posted by: FredC - May. 15, 2011 2:55 PM ET USA

    Some dioceses are having an increase in the number of Catholic schools. Other diocese should learn what these dioceses are doing and imitate them.

  • Posted by: New Sister - May. 13, 2011 2:21 AM ET USA

    Laity must be involved but cannot lead the New Evangelization. Priests must. NB: The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (Delta Force of the Church) has no problem with vocations. The parishes and schools they run are thriving, issuing *exponentially* higher vocations than NO parishes. Rather than feel threatened by these men in cassocks (most lock them out, persona non grata), bishops should welcome the FSSP and orders like them. (& back them w/ Traditional *active* orders of sisters!)

  • Posted by: bkmajer3729 - May. 12, 2011 8:08 PM ET USA

    In order to save Catholic Schools, Catholic culture needs to be reinstitutred in our society. The days of Religious Sisters staffing our elementary schools and Brothers staffing our high schools are over. This is not cause to be sad but it is cause to recognize the opportunity in change the Holy Spirit is leading us through. Vocations will come back but our lay people - the majority of the Church on earth - need to live and witness authentic Catholic lives and relationships with prayer.

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