Why are non-Catholic places of worship provided at Catholic colleges?

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I recently heard a Catholic principal in our area say that if non-Christians or non-Catholics attend our Catholic elementary or high schools, they must take all classes that are required - including religion classes. Exceptions will not be granted if they are of a different religion.

This got me to wondering…a friend of mine’s daughter attends a non-Catholic Christian college. They have a chapel on their grounds, but do not provide a place for other religions to worship (Catholics, Hindus, etc. ) because they believe in whole-heartedly spreading their faith and don’t want their money spent in promoting other - especially non-Christian - religions, which they would be doing by supporting a facility for them.

This got me to wondering - if I’m not mistaken, don’t Catholic universities (Loyola, DePaul - maybe Notre Dame?) provide places of worship for other Christians and even non-Christians?
If so, why?
And, a second question - who actually has control over “Catholic” universities. Does “the Church” have to approve their curriciulum, etc. I’m realizing I’m very ignorant of how these institutions work.
 
Elzee,

I suggest you go to the web sites for some of these Universities you mentioned and see if indeed they do this. Perhaps they don’t but the non-Catholics have a place of Worship just off campus.

Just some thoughts.

Both of my daughter’s have attended a Catholic University and as far as I remember neither provided Worship space for non-Catholics (one was very orthodox, the other was not so).

I can say though, that for the most part the Curriculum is not approved by the Church. Each University or College is an entity unto itself and can choose to allow the local ordinary (Bishop, Arch-Bishop) to check into it.

Fransciscan U. of Steubenville is one of the Univ. that makes their staff take an oath of Fidelity. Saint Louis University on the other hand does not. Remember, I did say above that neither provided worship space for non-Catholics.

Brenda V.
 
This got me to wondering - if I’m not mistaken, don’t Catholic universities (Loyola, DePaul - maybe Notre Dame?) provide places of worship for other Christians and even non-Christians?
Mine didn’t (University of Detroit Mercy- we had daily Mass available in the campus chapel). I’m pretty sure that Franciscan University doesn’t (I didn’t attend there, but I think my friends would have been upset if there had been non-Catholic worship space on their campus). Often other denominations or faiths will set up shop near a university and call themselves things like “University Lutheran” or “Buddhist University Temple”. This does not mean that they are in any way officially affiliated with the university, merely that they have established themselves to serve university students who are not part of the majority faith community. This is also common in secular university towns, where you will see student parishes, etc. which are obviously not supported by the university itself.
 
Elzee,

I suggest you go to the web sites for some of these Universities you mentioned and see if indeed they do this. Perhaps they don’t but the non-Catholics have a place of Worship just off campus.

Just some thoughts.

Both of my daughter’s have attended a Catholic University and as far as I remember neither provided Worship space for non-Catholics (one was very orthodox, the other was not so).

I can say though, that for the most part the Curriculum is not approved by the Church. Each University or College is an entity unto itself and can choose to allow the local ordinary (Bishop, Arch-Bishop) to check into it.

Fransciscan U. of Steubenville is one of the Univ. that makes their staff take an oath of Fidelity. Saint Louis University on the other hand does not. Remember, I did say above that neither provided worship space for non-Catholics.

Brenda V.
Good idea. Thanks! Duh!!
I googled DePaul and found this…it looks like they provide space in their student center for a Muslim prayer room -
studentaffairs.depaul.edu/ministry/muslim.html
also looks like they do the same for Buddhists, etc.

If you go go to the University Ministry page (Department of Student Affairs) and go to the “Seeker- What’s for me?” section, it is very generic, but offers contact names. Most appear to be priests, but there is a woman ‘chaplain’ listed, also. I would have expected this to be more Catholic-oriented, something along the lines of: * “If you are a seeker and searching in your life, here at DePaul we invite you to learn more about the Catholic faith. For 2000 years… etc.” *
 
Do very many colleges really do that??? At my school we don’t provide worship space for non-Catholics, but we do provide a list of other places of worship. Providing worship space I agree would be wrong.
 
I recently heard a Catholic principal in our area say that if non-Christians or non-Catholics attend our Catholic elementary or high schools, they must take all classes that are required - including religion classes. Exceptions will not be granted if they are of a different religion.

This got me to wondering…a friend of mine’s daughter attends a non-Catholic Christian college. They have a chapel on their grounds, but do not provide a place for other religions to worship (Catholics, Hindus, etc. ) because they believe in whole-heartedly spreading their faith and don’t want their money spent in promoting other - especially non-Christian - religions, which they would be doing by supporting a facility for them.

This got me to wondering - if I’m not mistaken, don’t Catholic universities (Loyola, DePaul - maybe Notre Dame?) provide places of worship for other Christians and even non-Christians?
If so, why?
And, a second question - who actually has control over “Catholic” universities. Does “the Church” have to approve their curriciulum, etc. I’m realizing I’m very ignorant of how these institutions work.
$$$$$$ that is why.
 
i’m also wondering why nonCatholics or nonChristians study at Catholic institutions. if i were nonCatholic, i don’t think i would feel at home at a Catholic institution. i’d rather attend a secular one, don’t you think?
 
This got me to wondering - if I’m not mistaken, don’t Catholic universities (Loyola, DePaul - maybe Notre Dame?) provide places of worship for other Christians and even non-Christians?
If so, why?
common charity?
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Elzee:
And, a second question - who actually has control over “Catholic” universities. Does “the Church” have to approve their curriciulum, etc. I’m realizing I’m very ignorant of how these institutions work.
most historically Catholic colleges have deliberately, through action of their trustees or administration, separated themselves from the authority of their bishops or the auspices religious order under which they were founded. They have done this for the most part to avoid the inconvenciences of adhering to and teaching Catholic doctrine and morality. The bad thing is they are violating copyright, as it were, by continuing to present themselves as Catholic in their advertising to students and parents, and alumni, who shell out megabucks for a Catholic education.

i absolutely cannot make this quote wrap feature work right
 
i’m also wondering why nonCatholics or nonChristians study at Catholic institutions. if i were nonCatholic, i don’t think i would feel at home at a Catholic institution. i’d rather attend a secular one, don’t you think?
From my perspective, that’s a pretty bizarre sentiment. Why would a Christian prefer to go to an institution run by unbelievers rather than one run by other Christians?

What unites us is a lot more important than what separates us. Your hierarchy has figured this out, but alas, many of you want to be more Catholic than the Pope.

In Christ,

Edwin
 
i absolutely cannot make this quote wrap feature work right
“Common charity?” is your phrase, right? You want it to appear ouside of quotes?

Then before this phrase, put a close quote (type /quote in square brackets). And after this phrase, put an open quote (*the word ‘quote’ or ‘quote=elzee’ in square brackets). Leave the open quote bit you have at the very start of your msg as it is.

Edit - just realised that this was posted too long ago to be edited now.

Well in general just surround anything that you want to have in its own yellow box with quote ] at the start of the text and /quote ] at the end of the text.
 
i’m also wondering why nonCatholics or nonChristians study at Catholic institutions. if i were nonCatholic, i don’t think i would feel at home at a Catholic institution. i’d rather attend a secular one, don’t you think?
This reminds me of the time a Muslim acquitancee drove me to my sister all girls Catholic high school. He told me that some of the muslims that come to america will have their children attend private, mostly religious institutions, not because they agree wit their theology but because of the sepeartion of the sexes.
 
From my perspective, that’s a pretty bizarre sentiment. Why would a Christian prefer to go to an institution run by unbelievers rather than one run by other Christians?

What unites us is a lot more important than what separates us. Your hierarchy has figured this out, but alas, many of you want to be more Catholic than the Pope.

In Christ,

Edwin
My mother’s next door neighbour is Baptist and sends her daughters to a Catholic elementary school. The public school system is not very good. There are no nearby Baptist schools. She would rather send her daughters to a Catholic school than a school that cannot even mention God.
 
From my perspective, that’s a pretty bizarre sentiment. Why would a Christian prefer to go to an institution run by unbelievers rather than one run by other Christians?

What unites us is a lot more important than what separates us. Your hierarchy has figured this out, but alas, many of you want to be more Catholic than the Pope.

In Christ,

Edwin
i know what you mean. i’m Catholic, if i can’t find a good catholic school, then i’d go to a Christian one than a secular one.
that’s why i dunno why Muslims go to Catholic unis.
 
Possibly because the education is very good?

I went to a Catholic school before I turned Catholic, because the public schools in my neighborhood were horrible. I wasn’t from any religious background, though my mom was Protestant at the time.
 
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