Following my earlier post about Cardinal O’Malley’s boycotting of Boston College’s commencement in protest at BC’s honouring of a pro-abortion politician, I thought I would contrast BC’s abandonment of the Faith with the fidelity of Thomas More College, an hour north of Boston, the genuinely Catholic institution at which I am honoured to teach. The extent to which the students at TMC receive an authentic and bona dife Catholic education was epitomised in a letter handed to the college President by a student following her final exam. Here’s an extract from the student’s letter. It speaks for itself:
“When I arrived I was indifferent to the Catholic Faith into which I was baptized, but the great witness of friends and faculty has called me back. I cannot tell you how heartening it is to see you and all our professors at daily Mass. I cannot tell you how heartening it is to know that you believe in objective goods and desire them for your students.”
A truly wonderful witness to the value of authentic Catholic education! It is reminiscent of my own undergrad experience, which one could sum up as follows: “I came here with my parents’ faith [that is, an extrinsic faith given to me by the example of my family]; I am graduating with my own faith–one that has become truly intrinsic and part of the fabric of my being.” At an authentically-Catholic institution, one is able to take this journey along a path with clear guideposts and trustworthy travelling companions, and with a clear destination in mind!