Jun 20, 2008 / 02:20 am
The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) has announced the launch of the Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education with the stated goal of studying Catholic colleges and universities “in accordance with the guidelines of 'Ex corde Ecclesiae' and in a manner faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.”
A press release from the CNS says the Center will publish a quarterly Bulletin of Catholic Higher Education, produce research reports and analysis on what it believes are key issues, and sponsor conferences and workshops for education leaders.
The Cardinal Newman Society says the Center will provide “much-needed research and analysis about the critical issues and ‘best practices’ at the heart of the renewal of Catholic higher education.”
“On April 17, Pope Benedict XVI presented an exciting vision for the renewal of Catholic higher education and called on Catholic college presidents to ‘ensure that the power of God’s truth permeates every dimension of the institutions they serve,’” said CNS President Patrick J. Reilly.
“This new Center will enlist Catholic leaders and academics to take up key themes in the Holy Father’s address, including the ‘crisis of faith’ that lies at the root of the modern ‘crisis of truth,’ the ‘unity of knowledge’ as it relates to curricula and teaching, and the proper application of academic freedom,” Reilly continued.
According to the Cardinal Newman Society, the Center will assume responsibility for researching and writing the second edition of the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, which will be released next year.
The director of the Center is Joseph A. Esposito, editor of the Newman Guide and former CNS director of research. A former Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education, Esposito has also been a Catholic writer and an adjunct professor of history.
“We are looking forward to being a helpful resource to Catholic colleges and universities as they tackle some of the most important issues confronting Catholic higher education today,” Esposito said. “We expect the output of the Center to be prodigious as well as insightful.”
The new Center’s website is located at http://www.catholichighered.org/