What is Success for a Catholic, Jesuit School?

"We couldn't reach a consensus on any particular criteria, but we did agree that whatever "success" was, it couldn't be quantified or distilled into survey questions." Nope, but "success" could possibly be recognized in graduates (or associated Jesuits) : Mev Puleo (graduate of SLU), Fr. Gregory Boyle, Archbishop Romero, Pope Francis, ...

First, the main criteria should be that graduates leave as committed Catholics or Christians. If that is not accomplished, then Catholic education was a failure. Under this criteria, nearly all Catholic education in the United States has been a failure in the last 25 years. One father lamented here a couple years ago that he sent his child to Fordham and spent over $100,000 only to have her loose her religion. I have witnessed innumerable examples of people leaving Catholic schools and not practicing their religion but leading good Christian lives without the trappings of religious observance. This is the sophisticated meme that they believe is a better way of life. They believe they can pass on this way of life to their children by their example without the sacraments and for some it may work for a generation or two. But for most, their children will have no grounding in why one should be a Christian or just what a Christian way of life is. They will do what is politically correct at the moment justifying it on mass approval and no long lasting standard. It took Bill Murray probably about 3000 days in Groundhog Day to come to what is a fulfilling way of life. Unfortunately that is not an option for anyone but hopefully a lot less than 3000 days of Catholic education will lead to a realization that the sacraments are a necessity for any lasting moral life.

Jesuit secondary schools might take a look at the "outcomes assessments" that a number of colleges have constructed. While the structuring of such assessment surveys is always tricky and never quite "objective," it is fruitless to take just one picture of the Jesuit high school graduate's "success" at one moment in time. For openers, one might query them at graduation, again after college, and yet again ten years out. These evaluations, or "after action reports," as the military for whom I now work, calls them, might well be based on the Ignatian values often found in the institution's mission statement. One of the benefits of the social media available today, is that former students from twenty years ago contact me that something they thought little of in one of my classes has now become central to their lives as they grow. If you just want one snapshot, use the yearbook….

I wrote an article along the lines of this blog post (Redefining Success, 5/12/14). I was ministering and teaching in a Jesuit high school at the time and was surprised that I did not receive any response about the piece from the leadership of the place. I don't think the vision I presented resonated with them. Someone said to me, "Parents DON'T send their kids to these schools to do good; they send them here to do well." It seems that the mentality of mid 20th century immigrants still dominates most Catholic schools, including the Jesuit ones, i.e. prepare students to excel and climb to the top of the American socio-economic ladder, not seriously challenge the status quo. And you know you've made it when your school head and students are photographed ringing the closing bell of the NYSE. Let us contemplate that scene alongside the image of Jesus and the rich young man above. But the course these schools have charted for themselves requires that graduates go forth to…earn a lot of money and then give some of it to the school. How can this cycle be broken? This post says it well: "Success on the terms of the Gospel could look like failure to the eyes of the world." That nails it; but I don't know of any Catholic school which would dare put that ethos into practice. We're just not spiritually mature enough for that, and not ready to live with the consequences.

My husband and many of his close friends are Fairfield Prep grads. Most are happily married men and devoted fathers. As friends they look out for and support each other with a depth and emotional complexity that rises far above our culture's crude stereotypes of modern adult male friendship. They are some of the nicest guys I know. I think they are successes. I wouldn't argue with Brian that there is also a focus on "doing well" at Jesuit schools, and Catholic Schools in general - but I don't think that necessarily always contradicts also "doing good." There is certainly a tension between the two. But they don't have to contradict. Part of Jesuit education is finding God in all things, including Wall Street and KPMG. Since I've worked at Fordham, I've had accounting and finance students and alum come drop by my office in Career Services, not just for job postings or interview tips, but to ask about good books for spiritual reading. I keep Augustine's Confessions and Merton's Seven Story Mountain in the office. They get loaned out. They aren't perfect kids, and I'm sure there are some graduates out in the world that embody doing well without doing good, but overall working at a Jesuit college has given me a lot of hope for the next generation.

“Determining success would have to be a case-by-case study, a narrative approach that took into consideration the ways that discipleship can shatter all conventional norms.” I agree. Most of the work of building the world that Pope Francis wants will be done beyond the boundaries of the parish or the campus, by leaders in the arenas of business, politics, and other messy places, and by consumers, voters, shareholders, managers, etc. The ability to make an impact in those places requires knowledge of worldly skills as well as commitment to a faith that does justice. I am struck by how quickly the Comments moved to imply a contradiction between doing well and doing good. In "Seven Story Mountain", Thomas Merton recognized “that special class of men (today, I’m sure Merton would also acknowledge women) raised up by God to support orphanages and convents and monasteries and build hospitals and feed the poor.” In the next sentence he wrote, “On the whole, it is a way of sanctity that is sometimes much despised.” (p. 358). Apparently, the stereotype of the successful person (the one-percenter) as incapable of good work was already widely held in the 1940s. It is good to maintain contact with graduates over the decades, at least to learn what made an impact and what might be improved. But only One can judge “Success on the terms of the Gospel” in any particular life.

This is an important and difficult question. The case-by-case answer is inadequate. Parents are spending about $20,000 a year to send a child to a Jesuit prep school. This may be followed by about $50,000 a year for a Jesuit college. Additionally, the SJ is using a significant portion of its resources in this endeavor. Wouldn't Ignatius of Loyola wanted a clearer and more robust answer?

This is not only an important question but a highly complex one. I sent my children to Catholic elementary and high schools. My son went to a very prestigious Catholic high school that today cost parents $30,000 per year in tuition. Both of my children went on and graduated from great universities and are doing well. If you asked me why I spent so much money to send my son to this high school, I would tell you that it was not for the academics. There were other private high schools that had similar academic quality. I would tell you I sent my son to this high school because I believed it would help him to acquire a good Catholic moral character. During this time my wife and I also took both of my children to Mass each week with us, and we tried to be good parents. My wife and I have been married for 42 years now and we are proud of both of our children. Fast forward to today. Well, both of my children don't go to Mass. One decided to become a member of the Jewish faith. The other has not decided upon a Christian faith yet. I could call him, spiritual but not religious. Both of my children have significant problems in how the Catholic Church is governed, and does not think the Church listens to the people. They both disagree with certain moral teachings of the Catholic Church, especially sexual ethics. I cannot tell you all the reasons they are Catholic-in-name only, or don't believe that the Catholic Church is the sole and only means to their salvation. I cannot tell you all the reasons for their perspectives because I do not know them. I only see a partial view of their opinions, and do not push myself on them for a comprehensive explanation. I believe in guiding them by example. What I can tell you is that many young Catholics today are like my children. It would not be unreasonable to say that they believe that the Catholic Church seems to more focused on obedience to rules, and not upon how one can become more like Christ. Our salvation is not about obedience to the magisterium, and following small-minded rules as some measure of our Catholicity, but obedience to Christ and His Gospel. For me, I have stayed faithful to the Catholic Church, participate in many ministries, attend weekly Mass, pray and receive the sacraments. I also disagree with many moral teachings of the Church and work to move the conversation forward to a better understanding of truth. I have never expressed my disagreement with certain teachings of the Church with my children. I was not, in any way, influencing their thinking. If anything, I have always taught them to pray and follow Christ. By example, my wife and I have done a reasonably good job because both of my children are wonderful, loving persons. They minister to the poor and less fortunate and are compassionate and generous. In my opinion, the criteria for knowing if the Church or a Catholic education is successful, is by the character of one's personality. However, what is often never discussed is that the Church is part of the problem. The Church needs a convincing moral theory in support of its moral teachings that is understandable to average Catholics and is not in profound tension with human experience and reason. It is not all about faith, but about faith and reason because a faith without reason is blind, and reason without faith is to deny the transcendental. If we cannot accept what is proclaimed by the Church as truth by faith and reason, then we should ask God for a stronger faith. Nevertheless, we should never doubt the Holy Spirit or ourselves under His divine light. We are not a victim of self-deception merely because we disagree with certain moral teachings for good reasons based on our informed consciences. If my daughter wants to become a member of the Jewish faith, good for her. I truth that God will lead her to eternal life. We need a better way to teach average Catholics about our faith and what is truth. Unfortunately, I do not have any answers how this should be achieved.

Having taught in Catholic primary and secondary schools, I have a certain perception of students as they traveled along the way. I am convinced that students need to learn the basics of their Faith before they leave junior high school. The books and curriculum in primary schools leave a lot to be desired though. When I taught in high school, I was shocked to find how poorly students are educated in the Faith - it was truly incredible what they didn't know. The Jesuit high school program was heavy on social justice but did not account for the lack of the basics that were lacking and the students were truly lost. As the years proceeded, it only got worse as young teachers seemed to be most prevalent in teaching religion (most of whom were not well versed in Catholicism themselves). Obviously, when these students graduate and go on to many (most?) Catholic colleges where there is likely to be only one required Catholic course, they have no idea what the Faith really is and what it teaches and they will probably lose what remains of their Faith as adults.

Matt -- Thanks for following up. Let me begin by saying that I think Jesuit schools are wonderful. That is not the issue. Nor is the precise cost. And, I am well aware of the opportunities for financial aid. The issues I am trying to get at concern the value received in return for the use of limited resources, both by parents and by the Society of Jesus. Re parents, except for the very well to do, sending a child to a Jesuit prep school or college usually involves a significant financial sacrifice. Certainly, the student will have the opportunity to receive a fine education. However, are we not asking "what is the distinguishing benefit of a Jesuit school." Re the SJ, first a point about Catolic schools in the US. They developed to meet the needs of an immigrant community against which the surrounding society was discriminating. Except for new immigrant groups, this is no longer the case. Furthermore, these newer Catholic immigrant groups are under-represented at universities like Georgetown (purely an anecdotal observation). Re Jesuit schools specifically, I stand to be corrected but I think that Ignatius and his near term successors saw and used educational institutions as a very important leverage point from which to promote the Gospel and Catholicism. I wonder whether this is still the case in the US. The problem with the case-by-case approach is that it impedes strategic thinking on this type of question. I will not offer some simplistic personal answer to the question you raised. It is a very important and difficult question -- perhaps more than you realized when you wrote your piece.