Chapter 2: The Schools and Our Children

The greatest challenge to Catholic education in the United States today … is to restore to that culture the conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things, and, in grasping that truth, can know their duties to God, to themselves and their neighbors. St. Pope John Paul II

Moral relativism simply means no one can agree to anything of actual importance.

2. Identify three statistics cited here which you or, perhaps someone else, might find surprising. In what sense do these stats surprise ?

The stats on pre-marital sex was truly revealing. Almost half of our teens are not virgins.
Catholic school students top the chart (more than public school) at 70% in believing that premarital sex is ok “if you are in love”
Chart after chart that shows how public and catholic schools are no different. This is truly something to consider.

3. In your experience, what is helpful and what is harmful in the movement to encourage students’ “self-esteem” ?

There is more harm than help. In fact, i will be surprised if there was ever a time when education did not encourage “self-esteem”. The stress of self-esteem as the goal of education is however a big problem.

After all, in a world without any objective truths, that is the highest good we could hope for.

In practice though, this translates into the kids not being told what is good and what is bad. Because, we are not to judge any behavior. You can imagine, what will this lead to. Basically, uneducated individuals.

4. Consider those teens you know who retain a vital faith. In your experience, is it the parish, the school, or the family that seems most to encourage their Catholic identity ? What role does each play ?

Out of family, parish and school, only the family has any chance of being authentically Catholic these days.

The parish and school also need to be redeemed. And that should be the goal of any serious Catholic now.

1. Why is moral relativism more damaging to culture than, say, poverty or social inequality ?#

2. Identify three statistics cited here which you or, perhaps someone else, might find surprising. In what sense do these stats surprise ?#

3. In your experience, what is helpful and what is harmful in the movement to encourage students’ “self-esteem” ?#

4. Consider those teens you know who retain a vital faith. In your experience, is it the parish, the school, or the family that seems most to encourage their Catholic identity ? What role does each play ?#

1. Why is moral relativism more damaging to culture than, say, poverty or social inequality ?

2. Identify three statistics cited here which you or, perhaps someone else, might find surprising. In what sense do these stats surprise ?

3. In your experience, what is helpful and what is harmful in the movement to encourage students’ “self-esteem” ?

4. Consider those teens you know who retain a vital faith. In your experience, is it the parish, the school, or the family that seems most to encourage their Catholic identity ? What role does each play ?