March 2009
Table of Contents
Editor's Comments (p. 293)
Michael James, Joseph M. O'Keefe, S.J., & Lorraine Ozar
Articles
The Religious Dimension of Lay Leadership in Catholic Schools:
Preserving Catholic Culture in an Era of Change
Angelo Belmonte & Neil Cranston
(pp. 294-319)
This article is a qualitative study of the practice of leadership in Catholic schools in Australia. Within an interpretivist framework, a multiple case study of six lay principals was employed. Findings suggest that successful leadership in Catholic schools is highly influenced by the cultural and spiritual capital that a principal brings to a school, signifying a fundamental importance of appointing principals who are not only professionally competent, but who are spiritually competent as well. The relationship between the lay Catholic principal in the parish and the parish priest emerged as a challenging issue in many contexts. Indeed, it was highly problematic for some principals.
The Evolution of "Association" as a Model for Lay/Religious Collaboration in Catholic Education, Part I: From "One and Only Masters" to the Lasallian Family, 1719-1986
Kevin M. Tidd, O.S.B.
(pp. 320-338)
Maintaining Catholic identity is a struggle that takes on many forms. For schools with historical ties to founding religious communities, this question often takes the form of how to preserve and grow the charisms of the religious community in the absence of any members of that community on the school faculty or staff. This article, first of a two-part series, explores how one community, the Brothers of the Christian Schools, came to answer that question.
Attaining Moral Knowledge in the Church and Models of Adult Learning
Richard Shields
(pp. 339-359)
For the Holy See this signifies a loss of a sense of sin and reconciliation, rightly connecting moral consciousness and faith in salvation with sacramental celebration. Cultural studies underscore the importance of ritual practices as an essential element of religion’s ability to deal with the experience of moral evil. However, decline in the frequency of confession may also be complicated by indifference among North American Catholics to current roles and power relations in the Church. In light of moral individualism in society and new ways of envisioning the Church fostered by Vatican II, the challenge of moral education in the Church is complex, but hopeful. Effective religious education, responsive to the situation of contemporary Catholics, will seek innovative approaches that are rooted in the tradition and developed in communities of living faith. The essay suggests that theories of transformative learning and communities of practice offer helpful models for responding to the crisis of sin and reconciliation in Roman Catholicism.
Focus Section - Catholic Studies and Catholic Higher Education
The Development of Catholic Studies Programs in American Catholic Universities
Anthony J. Dosen, C.M.
(pp. 360-367)
Almost No Generalizations: Reflections on Catholic Studies
James L. Heft, S.M.
(pp. 368-383)
Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas
Don J. Briel
(pp. 384-398)
Review of Research
A Research-Based Approach to the President-Principal Model: Problems, Dynamics, and High Performance Through Administrative Alignment
John T. James
(pp. 399-422)
Many Catholic high schools have transitioned to a president-principal administrative structure. This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the model, revealing pertinent issues that must be addressed while operationalizing the model. Recent research supports some aspects of the model, but it is no panacea. Clear job descriptions, role expectations, and administrative alignment can help the model succeed.
Book Reviews
The Future of Christian Learning: An Evangelical and Catholic Dialogue
By Mark Noll & James Turner, edited by Thomas Howard
Reviewed by Jeffrey Gros, FSC
Educating Leaders for Ministry: Issues and Responses
By Victor J. Klimonski, Kevin J. O'Neil, & Katarina M. Schuth
Reviewed by Timothy Jarotkiewicz
Secularity and the Gospel: Being Missionaries to Our Children
Edited by Ronald Rolheiser
Reviewed by Barbara Kane, O.P.