The Smoke of Satan in the Temple of God

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSmyNHKMYB4 As a High School Teacher I must insist all Teachers and Parents watch this critical film if they are at all worried about the health of their children!

  In a deeply concerning trend that has become all too familiar in recent years, 55 Catholic schools closed during the 2023-24 school year, following 71 closures in 2021-22 and over 200 in 2020-21. This issue is not new, as I learned by reading Archbishop J. Michael Miller, former secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, who detailed these stats in his book, The Holy See's Teaching on Catholic Schools .  In 1930, the United States had a population of 123 million, with 20.2 million identifying as Catholic. Then, 2.4 million students attended 7,225 Catholic schools. The peak occurred in 1965, when the population was approximately 190 million, and 5.5 million Catholics were enrolled in Catholic schools. However, by 2024, with a national population exceeding 340 million and a Catholic demographic of 62 million, only 1.69 million Catholics were enrolled in 5,905 Catholic schools. This contrast highlights a troubling reality: despite a larger population, the number of ...

R ecently, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, who focuses on Catholic issues, authored a collection of opinion articles titled “How Catholics Became Prisoners of Vatican II” and “How Vatican II Failed Catholics. ” In the time following their publication, the contentious debate surrounding the interpretation of Vatican II has resurfaced within the Catholic blogging community. In response, the Jesuit  America magazine released an article asserting that “Vatican II didn’t fail. It’s just getting started.”  Taking this as an invitation to reignite my former pastime as a small-time blogger, I offer this blog dedicated current discussion of The Second Vatican Council in the United States, having written a book on the topic. H aving taught High School Theology courses from 1978-2000,  I wrote for those Catholics born and perhaps catechized before Vatican II or immediately thereafter who as yet are unaware of the true teaching of the Council. I contend that as a result of thi...

  Working from the principle  that schools who truly live their Catholic mission approach all of education from a distinctly Christian anthropology, Salkeld leverages Part I of “Educating for Eternity” to delineate the core aspects of Christian anthropology as it applies to the Catholic classroom. He specifically explores the concept of “educating the whole person” within the context of a Catholic school. Although this phrase may have become clichéd and somewhat diluted in meaning, Salkeld effectively clarifies what it genuinely involves. In contrast to the utilitarian focus often found in secular education, Catholic schools aim to cultivate the whole individual by intentionally guiding students in their lifelong pursuit of joy and the quest for truth—two interconnected ideas. On the topic of joy, Salkeld explains that “a Catholic education aims to shape a student into someone capable of living well … for becoming who God calls us to be is where eternity intersects...

    Meet Brett Salkeld, author of a timely new book,  Educating for Eternity: A Teacher's Companion for Making Every Class Catholic.     Prospective families frequently inquire about the Catholic identity of my school. Responders typically highlight the specific Catholic traditions we practice, such as monthly Mass, seasonal confession opportunities, homeroom Rosaries, and, the most often cited numerous "outreach" initiatives. Participating in the sacraments and actively engaging with the Faith in these meaningful ways are integral to a genuine Catholic education. These elements not only contribute to reinforcing and promoting the school’s Catholic identity but, more importantly, play a crucial role in nurturing the hearts, minds, and souls of our students.  But-- Brett Salkeld aptly points out in his book that the visible symbols of a Catholic school’s identity should not be the sole indicators of its mission. Salkeld emphasizes that the essence of a t...

  Today I attended a much needed conference in the Archdiocese of Detroit  centered around making disciples of our Catholic School Students! I was moved by the Keynote address by Fr. Mike Schmitz and the homily by our New Archbishop!