Government regulators may not recognize Catholic universities as religious institutions
January 12, 2011
After the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that a Catholic university’s fundamental purpose is secular, the Cardinal Newman Society warned that many Catholic institutions are risking their religious identity.
The NLRB ruled against Manhattan College in a case involving a bid to unionize the faculty. The NLRB ruled that the college is not exempt from regulations, despite its claim to be a Catholic institution, because “the purpose of the college is secular and not the ‘propagation of the faith.’”
Patrick Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society, warned that many American Catholic institutions of higher education may be subject to similar rulings because they have not guarded their Catholic identity. “For decades since the infamous Land O’Lakes declaration, too many Catholic colleges and universities have straddled the line between Catholic and secular,” Reilly said. Government regulatory agencies are now more demanding in their requirements that Catholic institutions prove themselves to be genuinely religious schools, he said. “For all but a handful of faithful Catholic colleges, this is a difficult if not impossible task.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: Gregory108 -
Jan. 13, 2011 5:12 AM ET USA
As the old saying goes, "If you were ever accused of being a Catholic or Christian, could they find enough evidence to convict you?" For many of these "premier Catholic colleges," apparently not! I agree that the bishops should act, removing their "Catholic" designation and the Blessed Sacrament reserved in their chapels, making official that which has been long obvious, even to our "pagan" government! This will prevent parents and prospective students from being confused and mistaken.
-
Posted by: filioque -
Jan. 12, 2011 11:55 PM ET USA
The non-Catholic "Catholic" schools need to be exposed. But do you really think that they would have survived this long if most Catholic parents cared, or could tell the difference? The real problem is in the faithful, so long without shepherds.
-
Posted by: -
Jan. 12, 2011 6:34 PM ET USA
This is one of the reasons we are going through each and every "Catholic In Name Only" school and exposing as much 'crap' as we can so Catholics who are looking for a Catholic school for their children won't send them to a place like Georgetown or Boston College. See our descriptions and make up your own mind. We look at Secondary Education as well.
-
Posted by: -
Jan. 12, 2011 6:24 PM ET USA
Poetic justice. I shouldn't grin.
-
Posted by: Obregon -
Jan. 12, 2011 5:14 PM ET USA
So-called "Catholic" universities have not been Catholic for a long time. All we need now is for bishops with a spine to declare those institutions non-Catholic to begin with and to withdraw from those universities the Eucharist which might still be in their chapels.
-
Posted by: Gil125 -
Jan. 12, 2011 4:11 PM ET USA
In other words, the chickens are coming home to roost.
