Cardinal Newman Society releases college guide with expanded resources

Oct 25, 2012 / 01:30 am

The Cardinal Newman Society has published its 2012-2013 edition of "The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College," along with a companion magazine to help high school students and their parents pursue faithful higher education.

Patrick J. Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, explained that it is "not enough that our Catholic sons and daughters survive college with their faith intact."

"Catholic college graduates should be wise, pure, and ready to serve with distinction in any career and vocation," he said. "The colleges and universities in The Newman Guide provide this preparation for life."

First published in 2007, the Newman Guide evaluates the Catholic identity of colleges to identify those that exhibit fidelity and excellence.

The latest edition of the guide includes thorough profiles of the 28 recommended colleges, offering facts on each institution's academics, spiritual life, student activities and residence life.

The profiles have been updated to incorporate information from recent campus visits and interviews with students and employees. They include financial aid statistics and letters from college presidents to parents and students.

Also included are completed questionnaires from each college providing in-depth information about topics including accreditation, student clubs, Mass times and majors offered.

Twenty-two of the recommended institutions are four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. Most of them have been recognized by the Cardinal Newman Society in previous years, although two new colleges have been added since the last edition: University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. and Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio.

Among the recommended institutions are Ave Maria University, Benedictine College, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Christendom College and The Catholic University of America.

Other colleges on the list include Wyoming Catholic College, University of Dallas, Belmont Abbey College, DeSales University, Aquinas College and St. Gregory's University.

The list also includes four institutions offering English classes in Canada, Australia and Italy, as well as two online programs, Catholic Distance University and Ignatius-Angelicum Liberal Studies Program.

The Cardinal Newman Society chose not to include one institution that it had previously recommended – Providence College in Rhode Island – due to inadequate information.

In addition, this year the Cardinal Newman Society has released a companion magazine, entitled, "My Future, My Faith," which offers over a dozen articles to aid students and parents in the college search and transition.

A few of these articles were included in previous editions of The Newman Guide, but most are new this year. Authors include Peter Kreeft, Fr. C. John McCloskey, Kathryn Jean Lopez and two U.S. bishops.

The articles offer advice on choosing a college, applications, financial considerations and campus visits, as well as suggestions about dorm life, camping dating and the pursuit of sobriety and chastity during the college years.

All of the content from The Newman Guide and "My Future, My Faith" is available free on the Cardinal Newman Society website.