Grace Thompson
Professors at Catholic colleges in the United States are expected to uphold a high Christian vocation, serving truth, others, and the apostolic impulse. They are encouraged to pursue a broad intellectual curiosity, transcending the narrow development of mind that can come from specialized knowledge. While some professors at secular universities may focus on their own career goals, Catholic college professors are expected to contribute to a common project, with a clear mission that goes beyond their personal ambitions. Catholic colleges attract a diverse student body, with only 43.4% of students identifying as Catholic, and many students and faculty share values such as honesty, integrity, and community responsibility. Professors at top-ranked Catholic colleges like Georgetown, Boston College, and Loyola Marymount University are known for their world-class expertise and scholarship opportunities, encouraging students to succeed and providing them with unlimited networking opportunities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Professors at Catholic colleges have a high calling | Service to truth |
| Service to others | |
| Apostolic impulse | |
| They are builders of the Kingdom | Charity |
| Zeal for God’s Kingdom | |
| They are part of a community grounded in a strict code of conduct | Honesty |
| Integrity | |
| Community responsibility | |
| Service to God | |
| They encourage students to succeed | --- |
| They are world-class | --- |
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What You'll Learn
Professors' attitudes and practices
Professors at Catholic colleges have a unique and challenging role that combines teaching with a Christian vocation. This vocation calls for an attitude of service to truth, service to others, and an apostolic impulse. It requires careful preparation and continued attention to the renewal of the mind, growth in charity, and zeal for God's Kingdom.
The role of professors at Catholic colleges is influenced by the specific doctrine or religious order with which the institution is affiliated. For example, schools that come from a Jesuit tradition, such as Georgetown, Boston College, and Holy Cross, emphasize scholarly excellence and service to others. In contrast, Saint Michael's College, as the world's only Edmundite College, emphasizes service, hospitality, and education.
Catholic colleges attract a diverse range of students, with only about 43-46% identifying as Catholic. This means that professors must cater to a varied audience with different beliefs and values. While some students are drawn to Catholic colleges for their spiritual growth and sense of community, others are attracted by academic standards, prestige, or career resources.
Professors at Catholic colleges should strive to avoid the pitfalls of modern academia, such as individualism and careerism, that can distract from the institution's common mission. Instead, they should foster an integrative approach to knowledge, pursuing specialty without losing sight of the larger meaning of the intellectual venture: the pursuit of truth. This calls for a broad-minded approach to teaching and a commitment to the renewal of the mind.
Overall, professors at Catholic colleges have a unique and demanding role that combines academic excellence with a Christian vocation. By embracing the specific doctrines and values of their institutions, professors can create a sense of community and foster spiritual growth in their students while providing a well-rounded education.
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Professors' career motivations
Teaching at a Catholic university is a career that is considered a high Christian vocation. It requires careful preparation and a continued focus on the renewal of the mind, growth in charity, and zeal for God's kingdom. This means that professors at Catholic universities are driven by a sense of service to truth and others, and an apostolic impulse.
While university teaching is a source of livelihood, it is more than just a career for professors at Catholic institutions. It is a calling that requires certain attitudes and virtues. Professors are expected to have a broad interest in a variety of subjects, even while pursuing their specialty, to avoid the "blunting effect" of specialized knowledge. They are also expected to integrate all known subjects toward an understanding of the whole of reality, rather than just focusing on their specific area of expertise. This is to avoid the individualistic mindset that can come with hyper-specialization, which can lead professors to focus solely on their own career advancement and a small community of like-minded scholars.
Catholic colleges and universities have a clear common mission that transcends the personal career ambitions of their faculty and administrators. Professors at these institutions are expected to see themselves as contributors to a common project, rather than just charting their own course. This means that their motivations may differ from those of professors at secular universities, who may be more focused on individual career goals and personal interests.
The Catholic intellectual tradition emphasizes the pursuit of truth and service to others. Professors at Catholic universities are driven by a desire to seek understanding and pass on knowledge, while also remaining committed to their faith and the values of the Catholic Church. This can include a focus on pastoral care and the development of intellectual virtues, such as wisdom and critical thinking.
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Student experience
The student experience at Catholic colleges is influenced by the role of faith and the specific Catholic doctrines that shape various aspects of the institution, including its mission statement, values, and course offerings. While the influence of religion varies across different Catholic colleges, it can impact everything from housing to the curriculum to the availability of religious services on campus.
Students choosing to attend Catholic colleges often seek to pursue both academic and spiritual growth, with faith intertwining with every aspect of college life. This integration of faith and academics is reflected in the attitudes and practices of professors at Catholic colleges, who see their role as a high Christian vocation that goes beyond a career. Professors are expected to have an attitude of service to truth, service to others, and an apostolic impulse, contributing to the common mission of the institution.
The student experience is also shaped by the unique intellectual, pastoral, and apostolic venture of Catholic education. Professors strive to avoid the narrow development of mind that can come from specialized knowledge and instead pursue an understanding of the whole of reality, staying interested in a variety of subjects. This approach to knowledge seeks to avoid the commodification of education and instead integrate all that is known toward a pursuit of truth.
In practice, this means that students at Catholic colleges can expect a challenging but manageable workload that encourages them to succeed. They have access to extracurricular activities, group organizations, and networking opportunities that provide a well-rounded college experience. The values and beliefs shared by students and faculty promote a sense of community on campus, grounded in a strict code of conduct emphasizing honesty, integrity, community responsibility, and service to God.
While the majority of students attending Catholic colleges are non-Catholics, the religious nature of these institutions can still appeal to students seeking to explore varied ideas and values during their college years. Catholic colleges often provide opportunities for service and volunteering, allowing students to put into practice the social teachings of the Church.
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Religious activities
The role of faith varies across Catholic colleges, influencing everything from housing to the curriculum to the availability of religious services on campus. Many students choose Catholic colleges to simultaneously pursue academic and spiritual growth in an environment where faith intertwines with every aspect of college life.
Catholic colleges have a clear common mission that transcends the personal career ambitions of any of its faculty or administrators. Professors at Catholic colleges are expected to have a high calling, requiring an attitude of service to truth, service to others, and an apostolic impulse. They are also expected to have a zeal for God's Kingdom, growth in charity, and a mindset that is interested in everything—in the entirety of things—even while pursuing a specialty.
The values and beliefs shared by students and faculty at Catholic colleges promote a sense of community grounded in a strict code of conduct, which promotes values like honesty, integrity, community responsibility, and service to God. The particular doctrine or religious order with which a Catholic college is affiliated will shape its mission statement, values, and course offerings. For instance, schools from the Jesuit tradition, such as Georgetown, Boston College, and Holy Cross, emphasize scholarly excellence and service to others. In contrast, Saint Michael's College, the world's only Edmundite College, emphasizes service, hospitality, and education.
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Catholic colleges in the US
There are numerous Catholic colleges in the United States, and they vary in terms of their religious character. Some institutions require students to sign a pledge to adhere to strict moral values, while others only require students to take a class on comparative religions and participate in community service. Most Catholic colleges in the US are nondenominational and accept anyone regardless of their religious affiliation, as long as admission requirements are met and rules are obeyed.
- Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC
- Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
- St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin
- DeSales University, Center Valley, Pennsylvania
- The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
- Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Saint Elizabeth University, Morristown, New Jersey
- Seton Hill University, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
The Society of Jesus has the highest number of universities worldwide, with 114 institutions. Catholic colleges in the US offer a wide range of academic programs, from the hard sciences to the performing and visual arts, as well as theology and religious studies.
The experiences of students at Catholic colleges in the US vary. Some encounter Catholic values primarily through campus ministry or required religion courses, while others find that the religious aspect is minimal and the school encourages diversity of religion within its community. Professors at Catholic colleges may include priests, but there are also lecturers who are not part of the order.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 163 Catholic-affiliated colleges in the US, according to CollegeVine's database. The role of faith varies across these institutions, influencing everything from housing to the curriculum. The majority of students attending Catholic-affiliated institutions are non-Catholics.
Professors at Catholic colleges are said to be world-class. They are encouraged to stay interested in everything, even while pursuing a specialty, to avoid the blunting effect of specialised knowledge.
Some examples of Catholic colleges in the US include Boston College, Georgetown University, and Holy Cross, which come from a Jesuit tradition emphasising scholarly excellence and service to others. Other Catholic colleges include Saint Michael's College, Loyola Marymount University, and Villanova University.
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