What makes a college Catholic?

National Catholic Reporter, Oct 28, 2005 by William C. Graham

      Since the objective of a
   Catholic university is to assure in
   an institutional manner a Christian
   presence in the university
   world confronting the great problems
   of society and culture, every
   Catholic university, as Catholic,
   must have the following essential
   characteristics:

      1) a Christian inspiration not
   only of individuals but of the university
   community as such;

      2) a continuing reflection in the
   light of the Catholic faith upon
   the growing treasury of human
   knowledge, to which it seeks to
   contribute by its own research;

      3) fidelity to the Christian message
   as it comes to us through the
   church;

      4) an institutional commitment
   to the service of the people of God
   and of the human family in their
   pilgrimage to the transcendent
   goal, which gives meaning to life.

Those who cannot in good conscience share or enthusiastically support such a mission, tenured or not, should seek employment elsewhere. Such a thrust would not violate but rather promote diversity.

[Fr. William C. Graham is a priest of the Duluth, Minn., diocese, where he holds an endowed chair in Catholic studies at the College of St. Scholastica.]