Summer 2023One Lifetime

img1One Lifetime
By John GalvanI was born in the mid-1960s. I’m at an age now where I say things like, “When I was young...” or “Back when I was in school…” The Progressive Insurance commercials are correct. I’ve become my parents.In my lifetime, there is perhaps no greater innovation and advancement than in the communications arena. When I was young, we had hardline phones bolted to the wall and TVs that got only a handful of channels. Our only access to music was through LPs on the turntable or cassette decks. We followed the printed and spiral-bound Thomas Bros. maps to get us where we needed to go. If we wanted to get a hold of our friends after a Friday night football game, we’d go to the nearest 7-11 and use the pay phone. We always had extra quarters in the ashtrays of our cars.Fast forward…Since the time of my undergraduate studies, we have seen the invention, innovation and ubiquitous use of personal computers, the internet, mobile phones, GPS, digital cameras, email, social media, AI Chat, streamed music, etc. With all these modern advents in connecting humanity to one another, why are so many people disconnecting from practice of the faith? In the span of my lifetime, consider these sobering statistics, provided by Georgetown’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA, 1965-2022):

Catholics who attend Mass every week in the U.S. fell from 55 to 17 percent.

Infant baptisms fell from 1.2 million to just under 438,000.

There are now almost half the number of priests in the U.S. and five times fewer religious women.

There are six times the number of parishes in the U.S. without a resident pastor.

There are nearly half of the number of students enrolled in our Catholic schools.

Interestingly, Catholics praying at least once a week and those who say their religious affiliation is “strong” have seen a much slower decline. Why is this? It tells us that there is still a pulse regarding cultural affiliation, but not an adherence to communal practice of the faith. We are made in the image and likeness of a Triune God, which is to say that we are communal creatures by virtue of our Creator. Faith is born and nurtured in community, and without this context, just how exactly is our faith being passed along to the next generation? Sound doctrinal formation is essential — and so is accompaniment on the faith journey. Both the head and the heart must be formed.While factors such as individual beliefs, family background and peer influences can play a role in shaping a student’s religious practice, a study by the National Center for Education Statistics (2018) found that Catholic school students are more likely to attend religious services regularly, pray daily and participate in religious activities than public school students. The Catholic school advantage can be experienced in multiple ways. Through it all, the key word here is “experience.” Ultimately, one must have an experience, a genuine encounter with the Living God, for meaningful engagement with the community of faith to be solidified. Catholic schools unlock both the intellectual potential of the young people they serve while forming them for a personal and living encounter with Jesus Christ. The USCCB cites the following examples of the Catholic school advantage:

Catholic school students are more likely to pray daily, attend church more often, retain a Catholic identity as an adult and donate more to the Church.

Catholic schools tend to operate as communities rather than bureaucracies, which links to higher levels of teacher commitment, student engagement and student achievement.

A faith-based orientation builds coherence and integration of schools and school community.

The Catholic school climate, mission and purpose positively impact student achievement and attendance.

Catholic school graduates are more civically engaged, more tolerant of diverse views and more committed to service as adults than their public school peers.

Catholic school students, Catholic and non-Catholic, score higher on faith knowledge than do students from parish programs.

In Catholic schools, the student achievement gap is smaller than in public schools.

Latino and African American students in Catholic schools are more likely to graduate from high school and college.

Students with multiple disadvantages benefit most from Catholic schools.

The poorer and more at-risk a student is, the greater the relative achievement gains in Catholic schools.

Neighborhood social cohesion decreases and disorder increases following the closure of a Catholic elementary school.

The Catholic school experience in a mission-oriented climate and culture is about connections. In my life, I’ve learned that all people are needy of two things: to be understood and to be loved. These essential connections happen every day in Catholic school communities, and it is a gift to both the church and to the nation.I recently had the honor of proclaiming the first reading at a funeral Mass for my sister’s mother-in-law, Phyllis Murphy. Phyllis was a former Catholic school and music teacher. She was also one of the most gracious, joyful and humble persons I’ve ever known. In retirement, she taught piano, and some of her piano students were also my students at the local Catholic high school. Hers was a life well lived. The reading from the Book of Revelation was a perfect selection, not just for this penultimate moment in celebrating Phyllis’ life, but for every moment. Like you, I’ve seen and experienced much in my lifetime, but some things are eternal and immutable. The sacred words from Revelation were a summary reminder of my experience of God throughout life:“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people, and God himself will always be with them as their God …. The One who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.”With so many changes we see in a lifetime, it is important to take stock every once in a while. In prayer, I reflect on my relationship with God and with His holy Church. We are called to be disciples and saints. This is no short order. As Catholic educational leaders, it’s equally difficult to get your arms around an entire community. Do we know how our students, faculty and staff are doing in their own faith journeys? With the many modern modes of communication we have at our fingertips, let’s recommit to reconnecting. To get a measure on how your school members are faring with faith in the face of life’s fast-moving traffic, NCEA Rise can help. We have one shot at getting it right in this life. Find out more at www.ncearise.org.
John Galvan
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