Two major real-world problems prompted this study: maintaining the Catholic identity of the Catholic schools, and increasing interest in character education. Traditionally, Catholic schools in the United States were staffed exclusively by priests, sisters, and brothers. Today, they are predominately staffed by laypersons. This change has influenced the essential religious character and culture of Catholic schools. While Religious filter their teachings through their own religious training and emphasize the mission and charisma of Catholic education, lay staff often lack the same intensely religious experiences to bring to the teaching/learning environment. This qualitative interview study explored the influence that a series of spirituality and virtue seminars had on lay teachers’ perceptions of the Catholic school and character education.

A volume in Research on Religion and Education Series Editors Stephen J. Denig, Niagara University and Lyndon G. Furst, Andrews University Two major real-world problems prompted this study: maintaining the Catholic identity of the Catholic schools, and increasing interest in character education. Traditionally, Catholic schools in the United States were staffed exclusively by priests, sisters, and brothers. Today, they are predominately staffed by laypersons. This change has influenced the essential religious character and culture of Catholic schools. While Religious filter their teachings through their own religious training and emphasize the mission and charisma of Catholic education, lay staff often lack the same intensely religious experiences to bring to the teaching/learning environment. This qualitative interview study explored the influence that a series of spirituality and virtue seminars had on lay teachers' perceptions of the Catholic school and character education.

This book arose from commissioned research by the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) on the alignment and effectiveness of 'A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education' (NCEC, 2017). It articulates contemporary best practice, and traces the experience of the Catholic Church in pursuing formation as integral to mission. This book also reviews and reports on formation within the context of the Catholic school. Its research validates ‘The Framework’ in Catholic education, and provides a complementary narrative for enhancing formation alignment and effectiveness, specifically with a focus on the Catholic school, but also with implications for formation in the wider context of ministry applications. This book is developed based on three questions, which also serve as thematic chapters that structure the narrative: what is the context and culture in which formation occurs; how is formation presented and enacted within the Australian context; and how can the understanding and practice of formation be advanced beyond its context and culture, policy, programs and ‘The Framework’ principles.

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This book highlights the model of contemplative Catholic school leadership as an influence on faith-formation cultures within the Catholic school, and it demonstrates the impact of cultural factors on Catholic identity formation. By integrating reflection and Catholic values with a leader’s decision-making process, the model described in this volume seeks coherence between the leader’s faith beliefs and their behaviors. Including five unique, international case studies, this research emphasizes the character of the school leader—including faith identity—as the principal architect of the school’s culture.

Discussion on contemporary Catholic education is caught up in the larger debate over whether the Church has lived up to the options the Second Vatican Council offered for the future of Catholic education." "The Catholic Character of Catholic Schools provides a look at the issues that Catholic schools face today in order to fulfill their religious as well as their academic mission."--BOOK JACKET.

This book aims to be a reference for understanding an educational system throughout Latin America aligned with the Catholic Church. In both public and private sectors, whether it’s in the secular or the religious sector, considering Catholic Education brings up a question regarding the relevance of religion in the public sector, where education is presented as another alternative of education. This volume allows the reader to take a closer look into the recent challenges of Catholic Education in Latin America, such as quality and excellence, its anthropological dimension, as well as the ongoing dialogue between faith and culture. These essential elements are reflected upon, developing an educational process that responds to the current needs. Deep reflection is made in a contemporary and regional context throughout the eleven chapters of this book, all written by Latin American authors. Translation from the Spanish language edition: EDUCACIÓN CATÓLICA EN LATINOAMÉRICA. Un proyecto en marcha by Patricia Imbarack and Cristóbal Madero © Ediciones Universidad Católica de Chile, 2019. Original Publication ISBN 978-956-14-2459-3. All rights reserved

Knowledge of Catholic educational scholarship and research has been largely confined to specific national settings. Now is the time to bring together this scholarship. This is the first international handbook on Catholic educational scholarship and research. The unifying theme of the Handbook is ‘Catholic Education: challenges and responses’ in a number of international settings. In addition to analyzing the largest faith-based educational system worldwide, the book also critically examines contemporary issues such as church-state relations and the impact of secularization and globalization.

"Offers the spiritual foundations that should define/suffuse Catholic education, at every level, to ensure that Catholic schools are providing the education that they promise"--