Catholic Colleges or colleges with good CCM groups

[babochka]

Yes, the University of Dallas is a very good option and in good standing with the church. Also, Benedictine College in Kansas. They are small, but growing and very committed to their Catholic identity. They offer an excellent engineering program, which is rare for the smaller Catholic colleges.

 

[joeybaggz]

Footprints, you might find the Newman Guide for picking a Catholic College to be quite helpful. They basically poll all the Catholic colleges on how important their Catholic identity is.

I’ve read that Newman guide. It lists all the very conservative Catholic universities that are favored by the very traditional Catholic crowd. Had a friend’s daughter that went to Franciscan of Steubenville for a visit, and described it as “creepy Catholic” Of course that is just one girl’s opinion but she did feel uncomfortable in the atmosphere there. To each his/her own.
Newman doesn’t really rate Catholic colleges that, while offering everything Catholic on a daily basis, does not force the Catholic religion on its students. And with the number of Catholic colleges in the U.S. vis a vis the number of Catholic students, many Catholic colleges have student populations where the greatest number of students identifying with a faith tradition are Catholic, the Catholic population is not the majority as over 50% of the students don’t identify as Catholic. I think Newman takes that into account.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Neumann centers.

You mean “Newman centers”, named for Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman.

St. John Neumann was a great guy, but not the one who the centers are named for.

Don’t feel bad, I couldn’t tell them apart till I started spending a lot of time in Philadelphia where St. John Neumann was bishop and has a popular shrine.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Have you ever been to Steubenville, OH?

It’s the epitome of fast-fading, depressing, rust-belt America.

This is true, but it’s pretty much the hotbed of Catholic youth ministry. It’s also the birthplace of Dean Martin and they have an annual Dean Martin festival that I am hoping to attend sometime.

 

[jesucated]

My bachelors is from X. It was an amazing experience and turned me into a better Catholic.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

It’s also the birthplace of Dean Martin and they have an annual Dean Martin festival that I am hoping to attend sometime.

I had to check you on that! The native Hoosier in me only knew of Fairmount, Indiana as his “hometown” - but I guess not birthplace. Learned something today; I can sleep now. End of derailment for this thread (sorry, OP).

While I’m here, I might as well plug both Indiana Univ. and Purdue have growing phenomenal Newman Centers and FOCUS affiliation led by Dominicans. There are also a handful of Catholic institutions in the state, too, including that Irish one a handful of people may have heard of in South Bend.

 

[AndrewAxland]

Fairmount, Indiana

Fairmount is the hometown of James Dean, not Dean Martin. I used to live nearby in Portland.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

You’re correct! Serves me right for spending too many late hours online.

 

[commenter]

The colleges in the Newman guide are not “conservative”. They meet criteria specified as necessary by popes, including in Ex Corde Ecclesiae, and other documents. Other institutions fail. . For instance, state colleges, and Jesuit colleges in the US, don’t meet that standard. They are increasingly similar to each other.

 

[AndrewAxland]

Jesuit colleges in the US, don’t meet that standard.

… in the opinion of the Newman Society, which has a pronounced far-right conservative bias. The Newman society is a private organization, and not a church organization. Their opinions are their own, and have little significance outside of hard-right conservative circles.

 

[commenter]

No, there are objective criteria, not a matter of opinion. For just one thing, some colleges, the theology faculty take an oath of fidelity to the magisterium. At others, they do not. There are measurable criteria. Read Ex Corde Ecclesiae, for starters.

 

[AndrewAxland]

No, there are objective criteria, not a matter of opinion.

… and some of the criteria have nothing to do with Ex Corde or any other Church guidelines, but were chosen specifically to skew their ratings in the conservative direction. For example, schools get points for having a TLM on campus, which has nothing to do with their compliance with Ex Corde, but everything to do with compliance with the society’s own right-wing standards.

 

[commenter]

The local Jesuit college is almost same as the State college. The State one has courses on Religion. They are not answerable to any magisterium, like the Jesuit college.

The Jesuit college has Mass and confession on campus. Students at the state college go to Mass across the street, at Newman center. The Jesuit college tells students - but NOT parents or alumni - they are a Jesuit college, not a Catholic one. The parents and alunni get a different message.

People pay Catholic college tuition for public college education.

 

[phil19034]

So I’ve been looking at some Catholic colleges to possibly attend. First I’m looking at those and then I’ll take a look at secular ones. However, I’d like to find schools with good CCM if I could.

Currently, I’m looking at CUA, Franciscan, DeSales, Christendom (leaning farther away from this based on the majors they offer), and Mount Saint Mary’s. Has anyone heard of anything to be especially wary of at those schools?
Are there any other good, Catholic colleges you could recommend or colleges that have a good Catholic Campus Ministry?

I would stick to the college’s on the Cardinal Newman Society’s list and/or the National Catholic Register’s recommend college list.

Finally, you can use FOCUS too, as some public schools with good FOCUS ministries are better than most lukewarm “Catholic” colleges. For example, being Catholic at Texas A&M is most likely better than many lukewarm Catholic schools.

Also, SOME of these public schools have Catholic Dorms - either as public interest housing at the college or private dorms not owned by the college

God Bless!

Recognized Colleges - Cardinal Newman Society

http://m.ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-identity-college-guide-2017#.W1sbkRYpCEc

Campuses - FOCUS

 

[phil19034]

CUA, Franciscan, DeSales, Christendom (leaning farther away from this based on the majors they offer), and Mount Saint Mary’s

In regards to the 5 you listed, they are all good.

 

[phil19034]

Does anyone know if the University of Dallas is in good standing with the Church?

Also, thanks for the suggestions!

University of Dallas is great!

It’s on both the Newman Society College list and the list by the National Catholic Register. Us the links I provided in one of my posts above to check out each of the colleges on those lists.

God Bless

 

[phil19034]

Providence College in Rhode Island, I think, is run by the Dominicans- (one of their faculty was on a podcast I listen to…)

I’m not too familiar with the NE, though, sorry to say…

Providence College is going downhill fast.

 

[AndrewAxland]

The local Jesuit college is almost same as the State college.

My opinion, as an alumnus of a Jesuit university and the father of sons who graduated from Jesuit universities, is that Jesuit universities are the high point of Catholic education in the US. I was exceedingly satisfied with every aspect of my own and my sons’ education, and wholeheartedly recommend them without reservation.

As far as the Newman Society is concerned, I consider them bogus and their opinions unworthy of serious consideration.

Your mileage may vary, and apparently does.

 

[phil19034]

Do you have the finances and/or expect sufficient financial aid to go to a private school without ending up with $100K in debt? If not, I’d strongly suggest a state school with a good Catholic campus ministry. How are the public universities in your own state?

FYI - University of Mary is very affordable

 

[phil19034]

Not that a college’s absence from the list means they are a terrible school with a terrible Catholic identity. Perhaps some of the larger schools just don’t want to be bothered with the Newman Guide’s survey.

Well… I wouldn’t really say this.

The Cardinal Newman Society gives a great answer as to why Notre Dame isn’t on the list. This will apply to most (not all) that are not in the list.

I recommend reading this Newman Guide FAQ - Cardinal Newman Society

My personally rule of thumb: if the college is on the Cardinal Newman Society’s list and/or the National Catholic Register’s list, then you are good.

The National Catholic Register’s list has a couple additional schools not on the Cardinal Newman list.

I would stick to both of these 2 lists. (Or FOCUS for a public school)

God bless