We've spent some time looking at the good Catholic colleges around the nation. Naturally, we haven't seen these places in person (yet), but we can look around online and gain an initial impression based what on what we see. "The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College: What to Look For and Where to Find It" has been helpful in locating the cream of the crop and thus focusing our efforts. The guide has recommended the "top 21 Catholic colleges and universities which most faithfully live their Catholic identity and provide a quality undergraduate education."
Of all the recommended picks, Christendom College has stuck out to us. It's not all that large and it's fairly new (founded in 1977). Their proximity to Seton Home School (a large Catholic homeschool organization) has drawn many homeschooled students to enroll, and Christendom is more than happy to accept them.What's most impressive about the college is how firm they are in providing an authentic Catholic environment that isn't "watered down" in any way to make it seem more appealing. It appears that the students are drawn, in addition to the academics, to the college's fidelity to the Magisterium in much the same way that vocations to the religious life seem to be more plentiful in the religious orders that adhere more strictly to wearing religious habits and a deep spiritual life.
Christendom has really impressed us for many others reasons. For example, we recently read the news that Pope Benedict XVI warmly welcomed Christendom College during a Wednesday Papal Audience at the Vatican on March 5, 2008 and blessed a marble cornerstone for the planned addition to Christendom's Christ the King Chapel. Secondly, Francis Cardinal Arinze is also noted as being a good friend of the college.
Positive associations aside, their website points out that daily Mass is encouraged by all the students and faculty... no classes are scheduled during that time of day to assist everybody from having any time conflicts. Furthermore, the dorm rooms do not have internet access. That may seem like a negative to many, but it's not when you consider the amount of time people spend on the internet (rather than on their studies), not to mention the possible access to harmful content (i.e., pornography, illegal MP3 downloads, etc.).
In addition to their academic programs, they are also active during the summer months. For example, they have wonderful speakers come to give power-packed presentations at the "Summer Institute". I personally would have loved to have attended this year's Summer Institute titled "The Role of the Laity in the Catholic Church" (links to news release of the event). They had a wonderful lineup of speakers to address this important topic. More on this at a later time.
In addressing this post's subject line, allow me to close with some recent news regarding an evaluation of Christendom College.
Front Royal, VA (JULY 7, 2008) - Christendom College is “a conservative thorn in the side of our nation’s capital and nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley” according to the Free Congress Foundation’s (FCF) report What Makes an Excellent American College: “Liberal” Ideas Every Conservative Should Love, released July 3.
The report is a response to frequent requests for “a recommendation for good institutions of higher learning,” the FCF stated. Schools included in the report had to meet a demanding 11-point criterion developed by the FCF.
“Too many universities have either forgotten that human beings have souls or intentionally have set about wrecking them,” the report laments. Yet, “islands of sanity do exist.”
Christendom College “has its fair share of high-powered speakers, and the school ensures that their presentations are compatible with the mission of the school” and “one would be hard pressed to find a more faith-filled and politically active student body in the United States,” the report states.
“With 84 core credits required for graduation this school has perhaps the most demanding core curriculum of any college in the United States,” the report continues. “Christendom is committed to maintaining a wholesome, entertaining, genuinely Catholic environment for her students in unison with rigorous academic standards.”
“We are pleased that the Free Congress Foundation has included us in their short list of excellent American colleges,” says Director of Admissions Tom McFadden. “We strive to be the premier Roman Catholic college in the United States and based on the fact that we are having our best recruiting year ever, many high school aged students must be viewing us that way too.”
Other schools listed in the report include Hillsdale College, Thomas Aquinas College, Grove City College, and the Catholic University of America.
To read the full report visit http://www.freecongress.org/commentaries/2008/080703.aspx.
###
Contact: Christendom College
http://www.christendom.edu/ VA, US
Niall O'Donnell - Asst. Director of PR, 540-636-2900
Keywords: Christendom College Free Congress Foundtion Excellent American College
No comments:
Post a Comment