This edition of the NAPCIS newsletter is dedicated to one subject...of sole importance to NAPCIS and its member schools...that is, the implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae in elementary and secondary private Catholic and independent schools.

"Wait a minute", you say, this instruction of Pope John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (From the Heart of the Church), issued a decade ago, applies to colleges and universities. Isn't it enough that the recent National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB)'s almost unanimous vote, 223-31, to implement the apostolic constitution's most essential provisions will take effect next year, that is, if the bishops' recent "Draft--Ex Corde Ecclesiae: An Application to the United States" is approved by the Vatican? Won't we finally have the Catholic identity, thought lost after these last thirty years of renegade administration and undisciplined academicians, restored to our Catholic colleges and universities?

Depending on whom you ask, or what sources you read, the response to that question seems to be either one of cautious optimism, "It looks good on paper. Let's wait and see. The college boards and administrations have one year to plan their execution of the norms." ; or one of complete pessimism holding out no hope of any change in the status quo because the pessimist's perspective belief is so entrenched in the belief that the bishops have abdicated their pastoral responsibility to preserve the Deposit of Faith and have allowed their authority to be usurped by the heads of institutions bent on enabling Hell's gates to prevail.

No one is celebrating victory, except NAPCIS.

In fact, our celebration began five and one half years ago when the founding members of NAPCIS defined the association's mission and purpose. It was Ex Corde Ecclesiae that dictated our marching orders to secure the future of Catholic education by securing the future of Catholic education at its roots: in elementary and secondary schools. The founders of NAPCIS were well aware of the "Land O' Lakes Statement". This statement was issued by an international panel of Catholic educators at a 1967 conference held in Land O'Lakes Wisconsin, presided over by the Reverend Theodore Hesburgh, then President of the University of Notre Dame. The statement read, "To perform its teaching and research functions effectively the Catholic university must have true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself."

This statement was in effect a declaration of divorce from the Pope and Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. It not only became the blueprint for the secularization and modernization for Catholic institutions of higher learning, it became the mantra of Catholic education on every level, including elementary and secondary school levels. This single statement effectively stripped the Catholic identity from all areas of Catholic education and catechesis in this country and around the world.

When you put the loss of Catholic identity in our Catholic learning institutions in the time frame of thirty years it would seem to be a gradual changing of the guard from Catholicism to secularism. But in the context of five hundred centuries of Catholic education, such as that of Ignatian education, based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the change has been overnight and most dramatic in its contrast to before and after.

So what is NAPCIS celebrating?

The activity of the Holy Spirit in the Church today! We know and participate in a very personal way in His activity. We celebrate Pope John Paul's call to the laity to restore the vitality of the Church in the world today. We celebrate the ever-growing numbers of Catholic families that are home schooling their children and the explosion of private Catholic and independent schools across the country. These paradigms of the hope-filled future of the Church and our society are ample cause for celebration!

NAPCIS made its own public statement, the "Sweet Water Manifesto" named after the retreat center (Agua Dulce del Sagrado de Jesus, translated, Sweet Water of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) where the representatives of the charter member schools of NAPCIS met for its annual retreat and formed the association. The statement reads, "We hereby declare the institution of the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools predicated in fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium of the Holy Roman Catholic Church to secure the education of youth in the Catholic Faith."

Since that meeting in the summer of 1995, NAPCIS has been on a course focused to insure and preserve the Catholic identity of elementary and secondary schools by establishing services and programs to individuals starting schools and schools in operation (one for twenty-seven years) that support and promote academic excellence in the Catholic tradition. NAPCIS provides a national accreditation program as its banner activity. NAPCIS is the only national accrediting agency specifically designed for private Catholic and independent schools to identify and protect the integrity of their vital mission of salvation of souls and academic excellence. Fundamental to the preservation and protection of the Catholic identity requires that administration and faculty be practicing Catholics and sign a Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium.

NAPCIS is not among the naysayers and hand-wringers who speculate that after all these years and terrible losses of ground in Catholic education that Ex Corde Ecclesiae, even if it had been implemented in 1990 when it was first published, is too much too late; too much being the sweeping changes it would involve and the possible legal entanglements; too late because the bishops don't have the stamina or thick skin that it will take to stand up to school presidents to implement its norms, especially the mandatum required in Canon 812 and reiterated in Ex Corde Ecclesiae ("those who teach theological disciplines in any institute (of higher studies) have a mandate from the competent ecclesiastical authority") and the enforcement of the requirement that administrators and faculty publicly profess their loyalty and obedience to the teachings and authority of the Church.

NAPCIS is not naïve to think that Ex Corde Ecclesiae will be implemented smoothly and across the board in our Catholic colleges and universities. But NAPCIS is convinced that when the norms of Ex Corde Ecclesiae are exercised in the basics of Catholic education, that is in its elementary and secondary institutions, then the products of this education will demand "truth in labelling", that is to say that any college or university that calls itself Catholic will have to be Ex Corde Ecclesiae compliant! The Catholic student consumer will accept no less and the Catholic formed and informed student will recognize Truth when he/she sees it.

NAPCIS acknowledges the Catholic colleges and universities that would declare that their institution was founded on the same principles that Pope John II spelled out in Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Colleges and universities such as Thomas Aquinas College of Santa Paula, California; Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio; Magdalen College of Warner New Hampshire; Christendom College of Front Royal, Virginia; University of Dallas of Irving, Texas. In 1993 The Cardinal Newman Society was founded to reform Catholic colleges and universities throughout the United States. According to Cardinal Newman in his Idea of a University, a university is "a place that teaches universal knowledge." Since knowledge is limited only by truth, "If the Catholic faith is true, a university cannot exist externally to the Catholic place, for it cannot teach universal knowledge, if it does not teach Catholic theology. Hence a direct and active jurisdiction of the Church over it and in it is necessary, lest it should become the rival of the Church."

NAPCIS has established Standards of Excellence that are applied to a set of criteria for the purposes of accreditation of private Catholic and independent schools. An essential standard states, "The administration and faculty demonstrate the practice of the Catholic Faith in their daily lives and have signed a profession of Faith to the Holy Roman Catholic Church and an Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium."

Consider the first half of this standard as it applies to the Board of Trustees, the body entrusted to set the policies of the school, especially with regard to the selection of staff, selection of curriculum, establishment of admission and discipline policies -- the very policies meant to insure the mission and purpose of the school not be compromised or lost. It should be noted that the designation of the Board as "Trustees" is significant. It labels the role of the board more accurately than "Directors" as one of responsibility not power, ego checked at the door. No matter how well intentioned or professionally qualified, a non-Catholic serving on the Board of Trustees can not provide the vigilance or experience that comes from total faith submission and dedicated prayer life absolutely necessary for the board members as their foundation for any policy decisions. The selection of a non-Catholic board member because that person is a lawyer, an accountant, or benefactor and the school "needs" their area of expertise or advantage seriously imperils the future well being of the school. It's like planting a seedling in a planter box. It grows for a season or two, but it eventually succumbs to its compromised environment. It is recommended that the Board of Trustees be made up of the founders of the school whenever possible and that they appoint an advisory board to involve respected clergy and professionals from the Church and secular community to provide for the areas of expertise desired by the Trustees for the benefit and operation of the school.

Applying the same standard to the administrator, principal, headmaster, faculty, and other professional members of the school staff allows for some flexibility only in the faculty and auxiliary members of the school staff, but with an advisory note of caution. One of NAPCIS' member schools has hired non-Catholic teachers over the years in areas, such as math, science, music, P.E. The non-Catholic applicant must, however, agree to and sign a statement of their willingness to abide by a set of stipulations that include:

they have never been a Catholic;

their lifestyle is consistent with Catholic moral standards (they are in a valid marriage; if single, not cohabitating, etc.);

they do not advocate a position contrary to Catholic teaching (contraception, abortion, "gay" rights. etc.);

they are willing to promote the Catholic Faith with their students;

they are willing to participate in the prayer and liturgical activities of the school.

NAPCIS recognizes and accepts that its standards are not for everyone. We heard from one school president who disqualified his school's pursuit of NAPCIS membership in a letter stating, "It appears that (school) does not meet Standard Two of your Standards of excellence, nor is it likely that we shall meet it in the future... Our approach with faculty, administration, and Directors has been to assess a person's committment (sic) to the Catholic faith... We have found that in any organization as small as ours, this personal approach has worked well, and we do not consider it necessary or prudent in our situation to rely upon signed professions of faith or oaths."

Maybe before 1967 a signed Profession of Faith or public Oath of Fidelity wasn't necessary for administration and faculty of Catholic institutions of learning. It is today; and, as of 1990, and Pope John Paul's dictation, it is not only necessary, it is required. If it is required of institutions of higher learning, can we in private Catholic and independent schools exempt ourselves because we are not verbally included in this historic document?

NAPCIS contends that NAPCIS member schools can be the standard bearer of Catholic education; that, rather than be "prudent", we can be the beacon, visible and bold in our brightness. That we can set the example for the enthusiastic and resounding. "Yes!" to obedience and allegiance to the Pope and Magisterium; that we can proudly declare the Truths of our Faith from the mountain tops of our heart and from within the humble walls of our small schools.

From the heart of the Church to the heart of our schools --this can be the only way. The cross shows us most powerfully the vertical dimension to the task and challenge that lies ahead for Catholic education in the world today. Ex Corde Ecclesiae shoulders the cross and casts its shadow in which we all of our successes (and failures) are judged. We can do no less than help carry that cross and celebrate its ultimate victory. The celebration has indeed begun!

Time Table of Historical Events

1967
Land O' Lakes Statement: declaration of divorce from the Pope and Magisterium by leading Catholic university administrators.

1990
Ex Corde Ecclesiae: Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities by Pope John Paul II.

1993
Cardinal Newman Society: founded to reform Catholic colleges and universities throughout the United States, Patrick J. Reilly, President (703-536-9585).

1995
NAPCIS: founded to restore the Catholic identity to private Catholic and independent elementary and secondary schools. Francis Crotty, President (707-256-4306, ext. 32); Eileen Cubanski, Executive Director (734-930-4535, NAPCIS Headquarters).

1996
NCCB plan for "Ex Corde Ecclesiae: An Application to the United States" denied approval by Pio Cardinal Laghi, Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education. Applicationm contained no reference to Canon 812.

1998
Ad hoc committee led by Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua produces norms based on the Code of Canon Law and provisions of Ex Corde Ecclesiae.

1999
NCCB vote 223-31 to approve the compromise document drafted by Bevilacqua's committee. The "recognotio" is expected from Rome with its application requiring force of law one year later when "Ex Corde Ecclesiae: An Application to the United States" would then go into effect.

To View the entire text of Ex Corde Ecclesiae click on this highlighted link.