The Catholic school sector is under significant stress with declining enrollments and schools closing in virtually every diocese in the United States. This paper examines two value propositions for Catholic education. One is its role in providing foundational support for the development of a personal, chosen religious-spiritual identity across the…

The shortage of teachers who can strongly identify with the religious mission of Catholic schools is at the point of an "existential crisis," according to a system leader in Catholic schools in Western Canada. Drawing upon exploratory interviews completed with ten chief superintendents (who oversee large school districts), this paper…

This article examines silent reflection within the context of Augustinian Catholic schools. Tracing the rich lineage of Augustinian spirituality, it explores how cultivating interiority serves as a transformative practice that fosters spiritual growth, nourishes a deeper understanding of self and others, and compliments academic inquiry. Through a…

Our paper represents a conceptual framework designed to (a) help current stakeholders within the University Consortium of Catholic Education (UCCE) critically reflect on their respective programs' support of Latinx Catholic school teachers and (b) provide guidance for Catholic education researchers in their future inquiry into the UCCE model of…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic schools in the United States pivoted from traditional learning to a remote learning model to maintain continuity of instruction for students. This pivot has served as a catalyst for academic innovation in many Catholic schools. As Catholic schools turn their attention to the possibility of remote learning in…

In this grounded theory study, qualitative data from 11 educators in six diocesan high schools in the New England region revealed an interrelated framework for lay educator faith formation. Dimensions of that framework include the educator's relationship to the Church, interconnected processes of prayerful reflection and personal encounter,…

How do Catholic schools create inclusive, equitable environments that embrace the identities of their students, including their race, ethnicity, and culture? What does Catholic theological spirituality say about diversity, equity, and inclusion to address racism? What is the connection between Catholic theological spirituality and equitable school…

This essay reflects on the spiritual lessons learned as a Catholic graduate-level teacher prep program guided novice teachers through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed the importance of articulating a clear spiritual vision rooted in scripture, history, and personal experience. The guiding spiritual lens has been the Emmaus…

Contemporary research about purpose suggests that adolescents benefit in multiple ways when they develop purpose, and at the same time, that many adolescents are not purposeful. Adolescents in Catholic high schools may receive a unique set of contextual supports that help them develop a sense of purpose and understand what that purpose is. This…

This article considers the Catholic culture of American Catholic colleges and universities in light of their Catholic mission and purpose--that of fostering and drawing students to a deeper knowledge and understanding of truth and themselves in relation to Truth, who is God. Drawing on Catholic theology, philosophy, magisterial teachings, and…

Pope Francis' call for a missionary transformation of the Church has radical implications for Catholic schools and their educational leaders. The Church expects her elementary school principals to serve not only as instructional leaders and ecclesial ministers, but also as agents of the New Evangelization. Given this focus on the New…

Catholic schools in the United States continue to struggle with declining enrollment just as the wider American Church continues to struggle with rampant disaffiliation. While some Catholic educators have generated creative solutions to keep their schools afloat, the long-term viability of U.S. Catholic education will require understanding the…

This article describes how students in an urban Catholic school draw on racial and religious categories to construct classroom-specific identities during coursework. When students engage with each other in classroom discussions, they use broadly circulating, institutional, and event-level categories to position one another, and in doing so…

This study aimed to evaluate and articulate what makes Catholic schools special and effective by measuring culture and climate in five Catholic high schools and two Catholic elementary schools in a large metropolitan area in the Midwest United States. The seven schools represented a variety of student demographics, location, and size of school.…

Roman Catholic schools have been part of the state-funded system of education in England and Wales since the 1850s. Currently, Roman Catholic schools provide places for around 10% of students attending state-maintained primary and secondary schools. The present study employed data collected during the 1990s to compare a range of religious, social,…