Who Will Lead the Fight to Catholicize the Summer Reading Lists at Catholic High Schools?

The Culture of Life Review ^ | 3/28/2014 | Brother Decan

[Diago]

Last summer, Carl E. Olson at Catholic World Report, exposed the horrendous state of Catholic high school summer reading lists by highlighting one particularly smutty and ludicrously vulgar novel assigned to incoming freshmen at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland.  And St. Ignatius wasn't alone - a quick google search revealed that dozens of other Catholic schools had assigned the same poorly written piece of garbage. 

We really don't want to revisit here all the gratuitously lewd, crude and lascivious passages in this very unfortunates selection for teen reading. But for purposes of background and so that others can grasp the gravity of the problem at hand, we encourage readers to review Carl Olsen's important article in Catholic World Report, Why do some Catholic schools require students to read lousy, vulgar books?, the Cardinal Newman Society Report on the situation,   "Jesus Burpeth" is Catholic School Required Reading?, and the College Fix article, Catholic Schools Assign Vulgar Books As Required Reading.    There is also an interesting insider's account at Est Quod Est, Eternal Vigilance.

It is simply a fact that most Catholic high school summer reading lists contain drivel and frequently anti-Catholic drivel.  So what do we do?  Olson's article last year created a minor stir in Catholic blogoshere last year (here, here, and here), but it is doubtful that many Catholic parents are aware of the problem and it is likely that Catholic students will once again be assigned to read garbage this summer. 

It is time to fight back.

Can one obscure Catholic blog like ours make a difference?  We don't really care.  We are simply fighting back because it is the right things to do.  If you would like to help as well, because it is the right thing to do, we have a couple of ideas.

One of the saddest and most mystifying aspects of this whole thing is that Catholic students are being assigned to read drivel when there is such a rich treasure trove of Catholic literature out there.  As Olson noted last summer:

If I was a parent whose child was required to read that book, I would have some questions for the English teacher, beginning with this one: "Have you never heard of Ignatius Press?" And, as a follow-up: "Or of the Ignatius Critical Editions?

Why would a Catholic school not assign a summer reading list chock full of inspirational books about the lives of Catholic saints and heroes?  In twenty lifetimes, one couldn't read all the great Catholic books out there.  Do Catholic schools really prefer books about cynical perverted punks over The Ear of the Heart: An Actess' Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows or Father Damien and the Bells?

If you have a child or grandchild at a Catholic high school, don't wait any longer.  Most high schools have their reading lists on their website.  Review the list for questionable material.  Contact their high school today with some suggestions.  Ask why more Catholic books are not included.  And it bears repeating, provide them directly with a list of wonderfully positive and inspirational books about Catholic saints and heroes. 


And how about adding a prolife book or two to Catholic school summer reading lists?  The Hand of God: A Journey from Death to Life by the Abortion doctor who changed his mind, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, is a gripping page turner that should be a must read for every high school student.

We at The Culture of Life Review would love to see  Priests for Life, Human Life International, American Life League, National Right to Life, Life Dynamics, or even Lila Rose and her great organization Live Action help promote this cause.  And how about the fast growing and tremendously energetic organization Students for Life ? What a great cause for them to pursue. We urge these outstanding prolife organizations to publish their own summer reading lists for students and to get these lists into the hands of decision makers at Catholic high schools.  A truly low cost way to win hearts and minds.

This battle will not be won over night.  Please pray that all Catholic schools will realize the importance of their mission and begin to pass on the Faith to our children.





 

[Diago]

One of the saddest and most mystifying aspects of this whole thing is that Catholic students are being assigned to read drivel when there is such a rich treasure trove of Catholic literature out there.

[Diago]

One of the saddest and most mystifying aspects of this whole thing is that Catholic students are being assigned to read drivel when there is such a rich treasure trove of Catholic literature out there.

[savagesusie]

Just reading G.K. Chesterton. Such a profound Catholic author!

A book, “Sex Education: the Final Plague” pretty much outlines who took over Catholic “education” after VII at the National Level in the USA-—to undermine and destroy the moral integrity of Catholic children and destroy their understanding of Catholic Theology.

It is intentional.....the corrupt curricula. We just have to return to the Classical Education prior to the 50s. Where Catholic schools are returning to the Classical curricula, excellence is returning in the “thinking” of our children.

Common Core and all the Progressive ideology (social justice) (Marxism) HAS to be ejected.

[taterjay]

I do not intend this to be a rant. In the interest of full disclosure I will say I do not have cable, I have little interest in modern movies and my children attended a Christian school. Why is it that Christians (Catholic or not) easily send their children to learn from a godless system, continue to use television which by and large mocks Christian values, do not discourage their children from attending or watching modern movies that disparage anything good or godly, or allow their children to be exposed intentionally to things they already know are damaging. How can we continue to put our hand in the fire and expect not to get burned? We know the defintion of insanity and are experiencing it.

[Salvation]

We have a couple of lame books on here, but this is the list from our Spiritual Book Club.

July 8, 2013 Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve and a Network of Miracles by Raymond Arroyo

August 12, 2013 Odd Thomas: An Odd Thomas Novel by Dean Koontz

September 9, 2013 The Harbinger by Jonathon Cahn

October 14, 2013 Saint Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton

November 11, 2013 The Father’s Tale by Michael O’Brien

December 9, 2013 How to Listen When God Is Speaking by Father Mitch Pacwa

January 13, 2014 Disciple by E. G. Lewis (book 2 of the Seeds of Christianity series)

February 10, 2014 For Greater Glory: The True Story of the Cristiada, The Cristero War and Mexico’s Struggle for Religious Freedom by Ruben Quezada

March 10, 2014 40 Days for Life: Discover What God Has Done…Imagine What He Can Do by David Bereit and Shawn Carney

April 14, 2014 Characters of the Passion by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

May 12, 2014 Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

June 9, 2014 Murder in the Vatican by Ann Margaret Louis

[Salvation]

Must confess that I did not read the Dean Koontz book.

[Diago]

How can we continue to put our hand in the fire and expect not to get burned?

Its even crazier when folks pay thousands of dollars to get their kids out of godless public schools and a rotting culture only to have their Catholic school peddling the same garbage. (There of course exceptions.)

[Ted Grant]

St Augustine rules it.

[Diago]

Just

Exactly. I went to Catholic schools for 16 years and didn't discover Chesterton until my mid-twenties. What a crime!

[GeronL]

Haven’t many catholic schools adopted common core ?

[Diago]

I know a few of the better bishops have come out against Common care, but then there is this from Cleveland.

From the Diocese of Cleveland website:

http://www.ocfecleveland.org/index.php/teachers/common-core-home

The Office of Catechetical Formation and Education (OCFE) supports the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Initiative adopted by Ohio, forty-four other states, the District of Columbia, four territories and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The mission of this initiative clearly states “the standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.”* The shift to the CCSS is motivated by the need to make sure that American students are better prepared to successfully compete in a world economy that affects the lives of all.

[17th Miss Regt]

The Confessions of St. Augustine is well within the grasp of any high school student. And there is some neat philosophy in it, too!

[miss marmelstein]

It’s a good question. Some parents are lazy and some parents are overworked and too tired to supervise properly.

You know, if you have tv and cable, you can watch many wonderful cultural things. TCM - the classic film network - is an education in culture, beauty and the American way. ME TV has the most wholesome and hilarious American sitcoms and westerns available. But you have to keep track of the best of cable and ignore the networks. Trouble is, the parents have no interest in black and white movies or films made before 1995. They have no interest in the Andy Griffith Show or F Troop or Leave it to Beaver. Sad.

[Ted Grant]

I first read it in high school. You’re 100% right. Augustine’s journey is extraordinary.

[17th Miss Regt]

Another thought might be Murder in the Cathedral. Gives dramatic insight as to the strains between a king (the state) and the bishop (the church).

[iowamark]

Summer reading list. What a quaint idea!

[Salvation]

Any Michael O’Brien books would be excellent too.

I’ve read Theophilus — story about St. Luke, written in a fiction format, but with lots of biblical back up.

Father Elijah gives you a peek into the end times.

[Salvation]

A Biblical Walk Through the Mass by Edward Sri (Book Review) [Ecumenical]

[Salvation]

Any Scott Hahn book.

[taterjay]

For some reason we Christians like to expose ourselves to the spiritual diseases of this world. Increasingly our Christian leaders are making sure to expose us.