Catholic Religious Education, Uniqueness of

Introduction

The Catholic Church has traditionally maintained that its educational method is adapted to address the deepest needs of the human person. As such, it is intended to prepare its students for a fruitful and fulfilling life in time and eternity. Nothing authentically human is excluded from its “program.” Perhaps this can best be described in terms of the classic transcendental properties of being – a Catholic education is one that is based on an integrated pursuit of all that is true, all that is beautiful, and all that is good. To these human elements are added important further claims. By being truly human, students are prepared for a dimension that elevates them to higher, spiritual levels of reality. The pursuit of truth is the foundation for understanding truths beyond the limits of natural human understanding – the divinely revealed reality referred to as faith. The attractive power of beauty also works on a higher level than the aesthetic sense. It is meant to lead to...