The Lynch School of Education and the Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry (IREPM) have launched a program for the education of Catholic educators and administrators. The program teaches graduate students in all levels of education, from kindergarten to the university level, and offers three degree options: Master of Arts degree in higher education with a concentration in catholic university leadership, an Master of Education degree in religious education with a concentration in catholic school leadership, and a Master of Education degree in Educational administration and catholic school leadership.
This program differs from other existing and religious degree programs in its interdisciplinary nature. Instead of having to obtain two degrees - one in education and a separate one in religious studies - this program combines the two disciplines into a single, comprehensive degree.
The program was initiated through the joint efforts of Thomas Groome, the director of IREPM, and Dean of the Lynch School of Education Rev. Joseph O'Keefe, S.J.
It aims to produce high-quality educators and administrators who have a deep understanding of Catholic identity and tradition.
Catholic schools have a history in America and their roots can be traced back to the very first Spanish settlements in Florida. Catholic schools came to have a special significance as larger numbers of Catholic immigrants moved to the United States. Faced with a Protestant-leaning public school system that was often unwelcoming to new Catholic citizens, they turned to the Catholic schools to be allowed to maintain their unique identities.
Catholic schools today, like their predecessors, endeavor to provide the best possible education within a Catholic-Christian paradigm. While staying true to this essential mission, Catholic schools today have problems to face that will not be remedied by nostalgic remembrances.
The character and quality of Catholic schools rest in the hands of the educators who staff them. When a Catholic educator does not have a working understanding of what it means to be Catholic, something foundational is lost in that school. In effect, it becomes little more than an overpriced public school with uniforms."A Catholic school is an expression of the Church's mission," Groome said.
On one level, the necessity for a program such as this within the Catholic community is directly related to the decline in vocations that the Church in the United States is experiencing. As the number of priests and other holy orders has decreased, lay people have stepped in to fill the vacancies as educators. The situation presents a unique opportunity to lay people in the Church, but the transition has not always been an easy one.
It used to be assumed that a Catholic educator was well-steeped in Catholic tradition, theology, and practice. Given the changing nature of Catholic school education, this can no longer be taken for granted. Groome discussed the need for Catholic educators to be in close contact with the local diocese, and generally involved in the larger Church community.
"A good theological training is imperative for a Catholic school principal," Groome said.
Echoing this sentiment, O'Keefe laid special stress on the importance of "bringing the Catholic dimension to education."
This program is intended not only to ensure that Catholic educators are well versed in the community they represent, but also that educators with extensive background in the Catholic tradition are well prepared to meet the administrative challenges that seem to plague the church in our time. From balancing a budget sheet to communicating with community leaders, running a Catholic school is not just about prayer cards and bake sales anymore.
Groome stressed that the increase in the number of lay people in Catholic education is an opportunity, not a crisis.
It is not surprising that Boston College should be at the forefront of this important Church issue. The Jesuit community has long offered some of the world's premiere educators, while maintaining its Catholic tradition.
This program addresses some of the most basic problems facing the Catholic Church in the United States today. Catholic educators are often called upon to answer questions of faith practice, and to otherwise act as representatives of the Church to the community. If the Church is to function effectively in today's world, the administrators and educators in her schools must be informed and prepared to face the difficulties these positions entail.
Catholic education is a foundational element of Catholic-American identity. It has long served the community well, providing a high-quality education as well as performing the important function of forming Catholic identity. The educators and administrators in today's Catholic schools must be prepared to serve dual functions as administrators and educators as in any school - with the additional function of being administrators to the Catholic community at large.
The new LSOE programs address these important issues, with the goal of working to better prepare the people who will represent the Catholic community, educators and administrators for the next generation of Catholic schools.
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