Substantially Catholic Seminar at Marin Catholic High School 2013
The Challenge For Catholic High Schools
Students spend most of their time in high school taking courses in academic disciplines not directly related to theology or philosophy. All these courses play a role in preparing young students to become mature citizens with good critical faculties, so that they can appreciate and evaluate new developments in society.
Many issues in non-theology courses arise which challenge the religious beliefs of students. It is important for young people to have confidence that these issues can be resolved in a way that is reasonable and respectful of their religious belief.
The Substantially Catholic seminar seeks to achieve this goal by preparing faculty to address points where their discipline intersects with Catholic belief and practice. In the days when large numbers of sisters, brothers, and priests taught in Catholic high schools their education and formation in seminaries and motherhouses prepared them to make these connections. The Substantially Catholic Seminar offers an opportunity for laypeople to receive similar training.
Pope Benedict XVI has stressed the stewardship that Catholics should exercise over the environment. This seminar focuses on the religious environment in Catholic high schools and helps faculty members nurture that environment.