I was reading again the the very good talk that John Allen gave at at the Pew Forum which was talking about what to expect from Pope Benedict on his USA Visit. Catholic Colleges will be on the agenda it appears. However I read this astonishing fact:
WEIGEL:........
The other thing that I have become very aware of in recent years – I’m sure John runs into this constantly as well – is the vitality of Catholic chaplaincies on non-Catholic campuses, three of the most extraordinary of which are at Columbia in New York, at Princeton – a chaplaincy which has just produced two out of Princeton’s three Rhodes scholars this year – and out of all places, Texas A&M. One-quarter of the student body of Texas A&M is Catholic. The Texas A&M Catholic chaplaincy has produced more priests and nuns than Notre Dame in the last 20 years. It’s an absolutely astonishing business, and it has to do with this vibrant Catholic chaplaincy. So when we’re talking about Catholic higher education, we’re not just talking about Georgetown and Catholic U. and whatnot. We’re talking about a Catholic leavening in the broader world American higher learning, including the elite world of American higher learning.
Good Grief the AGGIES are good at at something. However this is no aggie joke. First I think most people, I was, would be shocked to know that twenty five percent of Texas A @M is Catholic!!! I have run across stories before about the amazing Catholic Center there before. I think many Catholic bloggers might have had a glimpse of this when the popular young Catholic priest blogger that attended Texas A@M died sadly on that boating accident a couple of years back. That was Father Todd Reitmeyer .
What are they doing? To my Louisiana readers should we be asking ourselves and our local Catholic Leadership about this and ask if the the very Catholic Campuses of LSU, ULL, Mcneese and Loyala should perhaps take a look. Imagine the possible results. Other people from very Catholic areas insert your "school".
Again it is an example of how there are unexpected models where it appears the Holy Spirit is allowed to do it works.
I thought I would never say this but Geaux Aggies
Its not THAT much higher than the population as a whole. The difference is that Aggie Catholics seem to get it ... Its not like some places where we might have higher percentages of Catholics but who haven't the foggiest about their faith ...
ReplyDeletePraying for an increase of Parousians :)
Catholics love Texas A&M because it is conservative and has a very strong sense of tradition. They're drawn to it as they're drawn to the Church.
ReplyDeleteWell I would love to see ti duplicated. I ahve heard great things about Texas A@M and their Catholic Center for years
ReplyDeleteOne of our schola members has a son attending Texas A&M. He has said the Catholic Center and the support offered to the students is absolutely phenomenal. He also mentioned that there are 14 seminarians from the Texas A&M campus right now... more than more Catholic dioceses can claim, I would say...
ReplyDelete14 wow
ReplyDeleteI washed out at A&M because I wasn't made of the right stuff. I think most Aggies are made of the right stuff and that A&M probably also produces a lot of protestant clergy. It's a reflection of the type of student attracted by the Aggie culture.
ReplyDelete