September 23-29, 2007 Issue |
Posted 9/19/07 at 12:21 PM
The Faith & Family and National Catholic Register college guide is made possible by the cooperation of bishops, college presidents, our benefactors, and our advertisers. This year, 26 schools ― more than 10% of all American Catholic universitites ― went on record in answer to our Catholic identity survey.
Health: “The Augustine Institute does not have its own
student health services at present. But if we did, we certainly would exclude
all referrals to abortion clinics.”
Dorms: “Current dorms are constructed as ‘motel suites’ with
all suite doors opening to the outdoors. Sexes are separated by floor, with
women on only the upper floors for their security and to limit access.
Single-sex dorms will be built as a part of a building plan to begin in the
near future.”
President: “The president vowed to up-hold the Catholic
mission of the college in the presence of the local bishop during his
inauguration; he is currently in correspondence with the bishop to ensure that
he has appropriately fulfilled the canon law requirements.”
Oath: “We have made arrangements with the local bishop to
receive the oath of fidelity from our theology faculty.”
Dorms: “We have a single-sex housing philosophy that
intentionally promotes a theology of the body based on Christian anthropology.
One hall has both men and women in it, but they are separated by floor with a
sophisticated security system that prevents intermingling between floors past
visitation hours.”
Mandatum & Oath: “As an online university, our faculty
is all adjunct. They do not take an oath of fidelity, but every staff member is
approved by our president, who is the local bishop.”
Mandatum: “Catholic theologians must receive a ‘canonical
mission’ from the local bishop/chancellor that obliges them to ‘teach in the
name of the Church’ — it is different from the mandatum. They must receive a
nihil obstat from the U.S. bishops on the board and from the Holy See before
they can be tenured.”
Oath: “The Catholic faculty recite the profession of faith
in the presence of and along with the local bishop/chancellor and president at
the opening Mass of each academic year. Catholic faculty have not been required
to take the oath of fidelity because of canonical mission/nihil obstat.”
Dorms: “We have both single-sex residence halls as well as
residence halls with floors segregated by gender.”
Mandatum: “The university did not publicly require that all
theology professors have the mandatum; they chose to do so on their own.”
Dorms: “Our residence halls and townhouse complex areas are
of two varieties: single-sex and gender-segregated by wing of the building,
considered co-institutional. All campus residence areas are governed by a
visitation policy.”
Oath: “The local bishop has conferred the mandatum through
an interview with proposed faculty members, conducted either by the bishop
personally or by his appointed vicar general.”
Faculty: “Most non-Catholics like our mission, love teaching
at a college that stands for something, and hold our mission in the deepest
respect. A couple have become Catholic here.”
Dorms: “We have freshman dorms exclusively for women and for
men. The other three years students are housed in the same buildings, but on
different floors.”
President: “The president is prepared to make the profession
of faith at any time. The oath is not required and has not been requested by
the local bishop.”
Mandatum: “The mandatum is a personal, not an institutional,
requirement. To the president’s knowledge, all Catholic theologians at UD hold
the mandatum.”
Oath: “Canon law calls for a profession of faith, not the
oath of fidelity.”
Dorms: “Some dorms are completely single-sex. Some dorms
have single-sex wings and/or floors. Some residence halls are four-person
apartments that are single-sex. As traditional residence halls are replaced
with new housing configurations, it is very difficult to merely answer Yes or
No.”
To be added to our list of Catholic colleges and
universities, a school must answer the survey questionnaire. N/A (not applicable) answers must be explained. If so desired, No answers may also be explained. (See The Guide for examples of explanations.) Send answers to:
Robyn Lee
RegisterCollege Survey
432 Washington Ave
North Haven, CT06473
RLee at
NCRegister.com
Fax:203 230 3838
The Survey
Questionnaire Sources
The Catholic Identity College Survey offers objective
questions about a university’s Catholic identity. We designed the survey so
that a “YES” answer reflects essential elements of the renewal of Catholic
identity called for by Pope John Paul II’s 1990 apostolic constitution on
higher education, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (Out of the Heart of the Church), its 2000
Application to the United States, canon law and other Church documents.
The Institution
President:Canon
833: The president of a Catholic university is personally bound to make a profession of faith, according to the formula approved by the Apostolic See, in the presence of the chancellor or diocesan bishop or a delegate at the beginning of the term of office. The Profession of Faith and the Oath of Fidelity, Acta Apostolicae Sedis 1989: The obligation of a special oath of fidelity has been extended to presidents of Catholic universities.
Board:U.S.
Application: “To the extent possible, the majority of the board of trustees
should be Catholics committed to the Church.”
Faculty: U.S.
Application: “The university should strive to recruit and appoint Catholics as
professors so that, to the extent possible, those committed to the witness of
the faith will constitute a majority of the faculty.”
The Mandatum:Canon 812: It is necessary that Catholic theologians have a mandatum from the diocesan bishop.
Pope John Paul II (to American bishops, 2004): “By their very nature, Catholic colleges and universities are called to offer an institutional witness of fidelity to Christ and to his word as it comes to us from the Church, a public witness expressed in the canonical requirement of the mandatum.
U.S. Application: “Catholic students have a right to receive from a university instruction in authentic Catholic doctrine and practice, especially from theologians.”
Mandatum text: “I hereby declare my role and responsibility as a teacher of a theological discipline within the full communion of the Church. As a teacher of a theological discipline, therefore, I am committed to teach authentic Catholic doctrine and to refrain from putting forth as Catholic teaching anything contrary to the Church’s magisterium.”
U.S. Application:
“If a particular professor lacks a mandatum and continues to teach a theological discipline, the university must determine what further action may be taken in accordance with its own mission and statutes.”
Theologians: Canon 833:
Catholic theologians are personally bound to make a profession of faith, according to the formula approved by the Apostolic See, in the presence of the university president if he is a priest, or the diocesan bishop or a delegate, at the beginning of their term of office. The Profession of Faith and the Oath of Fidelity, Acta Apostolicae Sedis 1989: The obligation of a special oath of fidelity has been extended to Catholic theology professors.
Campus Culture
Ministry: U.S.
Application: “Catholic students have a right to be provided with opportunities
to practice the faith through participation in Mass, the sacraments, religious
devotions, and other authentic forms of Catholic spirituality.” The university
“shall make provision for effective campus ministry programs, including the
celebration of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance, other
liturgical celebrations, and opportunities for prayer and spiritual
reflection.”
Honorees:The
U.S. Bishops’ 2004 Catholics in Political Life: “Catholic institutions should
not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They
should not be given awards, honors, or platforms that would suggest support for
their actions.”
Groups: U.S.
Application: “It is important for Catholic universities to implement in
practical terms their commitment to the essential elements of Catholic
identity, including activities of officially recognized student and faculty
organizations and associations.”
Dorms:U.S.
Application: “It is important for Catholic universities to implement in
practical terms their commitment to the essential elements of Catholic
identity, including the commitment to create a campus culture and environment
that is expressive and supportive of a Catholic way of life.”
Health: U.S.
Application: “It is important for Catholic universities to implement in
practical terms their commitment to the essential elements of Catholic identity,
including the commitment to provide health care in conformity with the Church’s
ethical and religious teaching and directives.”
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