Archbishop J. Michael Miller distills the Church's teachings on Catholic education and explains the five marks of all good Catholic schools.

Gravissimus Educationis: Golden Opportunities in American Catholic Education 50 Years after Vatican II reviews the development of American Catholic schools since the promulgation of Gravissimus Educationis, the only document on education produced by the Ecumenical Council known as Vatican II. This document literally translated as “The Importance of Education,” addresses how extremely vital Catholic education, in particular, is in modern life. Cattaro and Russo also reflect on changes that have transpired since the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore of 1884. This council forever changed the shape of nonpublic education in the United States in its decree that all parishes in the United States were to construct Catholic schools for the education of children. This volume is also designed to benefit Catholic Educators in all at levels form primary to higher education. The chapters in this book, prepared by leading experts on various aspects of Catholic education or other forms of non-public education in the United States, provide a history as to the recent development on Catholic schools. Gravissimus Educationis: Golden Opportunities in American Catholic Education 50 Years after Vatican II provides the context of change and the current state of Catholic Schools in the United States and, in some sense, the global perspective. The scope of this book goes beyond the professional educator in Catholic Schools as it also address the stakeholders of Catholic education such as parents who are consumers, pastors, religious educators, and donors.

The Catholic school is unique because it is a religious community within an academic community. There is a dual purpose in a Catholic school--learning and believing. This handbook provides Catholic educators with an effective tool for understanding and articulating the distinct characteristics of the Catholic school. Chapter 1 discusses ways in which the teachings of Jesus Christ inform Catholic education. Chapter 2 discusses the dual goals of learning and believing in Catholic schools--how the Catholic school is both an academic community and a community of believers. The third chapter discusses the dignity of the human being and the inalienable right to an education, parents as the primary and principal educators of their children, and the obligation of the state and church to help parents educate their children. Chapter 4 describes how the goal of Catholic schools is to permeate every education experience with the message of love and the vitality of Christ's presence. Suggested readings accompany each chapter. The appendix contains suggested formats for teacher-orientation sessions. (Contains 184 endnotes). (LMI)

This comprehensive compendium of research focuses on key aspects of Catholic education in the United States. The volume includes reviews of research on topics ranging from church documents, spirituality, and the philosophy of Catholic education to parents, students, teachers, administration and governance, and curriculum and instruction. Benefit to many audiences--policy-makers, church leaders, educators, researchers, students, practitioners, patrons, and citizens--who are interested in these schools. The wealth of scholarly information provided here covers all areas of Catholic education, both school- and parish-based. The first volume of its kind ever published on Catholic learning and development, the handbook is an encyclopedia reference tool for the serious scholar as well as the committed Catholic educator.