The Mission of Mercy: Catholic High Schools, School Presidents, and Pope Francis
Abstract
The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the commitment of Catholic secondary schools to the poor, working, and middle class families of the New York City metropolitan area through the perception of the school president. This study sought to identify the socioeconomic class of students in the Catholic high school populations within three dioceses of the New York City metropolitan area and then to determine the Catholic secondary school’s dedication to the Catholic Church’s option for the poor as well as their identification of those responsible for the fulfillment of this mission. Additionally, the study explores whether the papacy of Pope Francis has influenced the commitment of Catholic secondary schools to those who cannot afford their tuition as well as his effect on their leadership. An internet questionnaire was distributed to the 45 Catholic secondary school presidents via email, and there were 28 participants. This study acknowledged the commitment of Catholic high schools and their presidents to the poor, working and middle class within the mission of their schools. Within their leadership, most school presidents are utilizing the language of Catholic Social Teaching by either using phrases such as the common good, the option for the poor, solidarity, Gospel message, and sacrifice, or using other language for such in their schools. The school presidents see Pope Francis as a leader and some identify that his impact has affected their actions as well as their leadership.
Subject Area
Educational leadership|Theology|Educational administration|Religious education|Secondary education
Recommended Citation
Moloney, Brendan Joseph, "The Mission of Mercy: Catholic High Schools, School Presidents, and Pope Francis" (2018). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI10977954.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI10977954
