Cardinal Newman Society: A gift to Catholic education

MANY YEARS AGO, I HEARD a talk by Patrick Reilly, the founder and president of the Cardinal Newman Society. He told of an in-depth study his organization (along with The Catholic World Report) had completed that analyzed survey data from UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute. The HERI had surveyed freshmen in 1997 and then surveyed the same students in 2001 (most of them graduating), including students at 38 Catholic colleges and universities.

To be clear, those 38 schools represented many of the most prominent Catholic institutions in America — many of them run by large religious orders — and other regional colleges that once faithfully served working-class Catholics.

This study focused on survey questions related to the faith and morals of Catholic students. Although it was already known that Catholics tended to fall away from the faith during college, they found that Catholic students’ support for abortion, homosexual unions, and casual sex increased at roughly the same dramatic rate regardless of whether the students enrolled at a Catholic, secular, or other religious college.

I could not believe it! This study confirmed my conviction that I should focus my philanthropy on Catholic higher education and thus my ongoing efforts to build Ave Maria University and Ave Maria School of Law.

During this time, there were also numerous books published that confirmed the difficulties facing Catholic colleges and universities. These included The Dying of the Light, by Father James Tunstead Burtchaell, C.S.C.; God on the Quad, by Naomi Schaefer Riley; and Status Envy, by Anne Hendershott, to name a few.

The battle for the hearts and minds of the rising generation of Catholics is taking place not only in our families but also in our schools, and especially on college campuses. I believe the work the Cardinal Newman Society is doing — as well as the work of the authors mentioned above — is incredibly important. I would venture to say that quite a few students, parents, donors, and even board members at many universities are not necessarily aware of the crisis of faith that exists in so many of these institutions that call themselves Catholic. I believe the work the Cardinal Newman Society does is a great service to the Church as they help Catholics grapple with these important matters and restore faithful Catholic education.

As the new academic year approaches, let us work to understand the challenges we are facing and pray for our schools, and especially for those in positions of educational leadership.

Tom Monaghan is Legatus' founder, chairman, and CEO.