Blog

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist A new report published by The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) is warning of the emotional and physical costs of casual sex among students at Catholic Universities.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist The Obama administration has issued new regulations that open the door to possible state intrusion into curriculum, student policies and hiring decisions in Catholic colleges and universities.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist A little more than a year after his controversial appearance at Notre Dame University, President Barack Obama has been invited to speak at Louisiana's Xavier University on August 29 to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Since the months-long scandal that surrounded the commencement address by President Barack Obama at the University of Notre Dame last spring, the number of controversial speakers at U.S. Catholic colleges and universities declined this year.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist   A new study has found that attending a Catholic college has little impact on a student’s faith life. According to Patrick J. Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, researchers at Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) found significant declines in students’ support for Catholic moral teaching on abortion, marriage and sexuality after four years at a Catholic college or university. These declines were generally greater at non-Catholic private and public institutions. The report found that 16 percent of students at Catholic colleges and universities became more pro-life and more convinced of traditional marriage, whereas 31 percent became more supportive of legal abortion and 39 percent embraced same-sex “marriage.” Only seven percent increased attendance at religious services, while 32 percent reduced attendance. Eight percent of Catholic students left the Catholic faith while attending a Catholic institution. Commenting on the study to InsideHigherEd.com, Richard Yanikoski, president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU)  argued that the loss of faith at Catholic colleges and elsewhere reflects societal trends. Despite CARA’s analysis showing that the choice of a Catholic college has little significant impact on a student’s faith practice and beliefs, Yanikoski pointed to the raw data indicating that “a typical Catholic undergraduate student attending a Catholic college or university emerges more spiritually intact than if she or he had attended a public or secular private institution, but not nearly as spiritually active as would have been the case a few decades ago.” “That’s hardly something to celebrate,” Reilly said. “If the ACCU thinks it a happy fact that Catholics lose their faith somewhat slower at Catholic colleges than elsewhere, then they fail to appreciate the concerns of faithful Catholic families.” Catholics should be alarmed by the significant declines in Catholic practice and fidelity at many of America’s Catholic institutions, he said. “Everyone expects a Catholic college to be markedly different from a secular one. Students should be inspired to embrace and deepen their Catholic faith, not negotiate around Catholic moral teaching.” © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace®  http://www.womenofgrace.com

Read the rest

by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist In spite of widespread criticism of his role in inviting pro-abortion President Obama to speak and receive an honorary law degree at Notre Dame’s commencement last year, the Notre Dame Board of Trustees has re-elected Fr. John Jenkins to a second five-year term as president of the university.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer   Administrators at Stonehill College, a Catholic institution, recently defended Church teaching when they stopped a student from distributing birth control on campus.

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer Crucifixes are once again adorning the walls of every classroom at Boston College but as the school tries to return to its Catholic roots, some professors and students claim the move is “offensive” and a break from the Jesuit tradition of “tolerance.”

Read the rest

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer A groundbreaking new study has found that most students on Catholic campuses reject key Catholic moral values and tenets of the faith, and significant numbers engage in pre-marital sexuality activity and the viewing of pornography.

Read the rest