Theologians
Receive too Much Attention, Says Bishop McHugh
By MICHAEL F. FLACH
HERALD EDITOR
HERNDON — The application of "Ex corde
Ecclesiae" in the United States has floundered on
the topic of theologians, said Camden Bishop James T.
McHugh.
"I have some concerns that this debate has
centered primarily on theologians," he said.
"It has become a stumbling block for administrators
and school officials."
"Ex corde Ecclesiae" ("From the Heart
of the Church") is the 1990 apostolic exhortation by
Pope John Paul II which described the norms for Catholic
higher education.
Bishop McHugh said too much attention has been given
to theologians and the role of theologians with the
bishop.
"Let’s go beyond the theology debate,"
he said. "The focus has been too narrow in this
debate. We’ve got to broaden it."
The papal document has a "larger vision," he
said. Canon 812 (which deals with bishops and
theologians) "is almost an afterthought."
"The bishops have focused too much on this part
of the document," he said. "Catholic
universities are much larger than just theologians. They
are larger than the theology faculty."
Bishop McHugh’s remarks were part of a July 18
conference on Catholic higher education sponsored by the
Cardinal Newman Society. Approximately 30 school
presidents, administrators and trustees from across the
nation took part in the daylong discussion.
The Cardinal Newman Society is an intercollegiate
organization of students, educators and alumni dedicated
to the preservation of Catholic higher education. It
promotes educational ideals espoused by Cardinal John
Henry Newman and further developed by Pope John Paul
II’s apostolic constitution, "Ex corde
Ecclesiae."
Other conference speakers included Dr. Jeffrey Wallin,
president of the American Academy for Liberal Education;
Keith Fournier, the new executive director of the
Catholic Alliance; and Connie Marshner, vice president
for student affairs at Christendom College in Front
Royal.
Mo Fung, the society’s executive director, said
the Holy See recognizes the great need for renewal in
Catholic higher education. Fung said it was appropriate
to hold a conference on higher education at this time
since 1997 marks the 30th anniversary of the
Land O’ Lakes statement — a document which has
loosely governed Catholic colleges and universities.
It is important to remember in any discussion of
"Ex corde Ecclesiae" that the document was
addressed to the universal Church, and not just the
Church in the United States, said Bishop McHugh.
"In America, we tend to have a myopic view of
this document."
The primary intent of "Ex corde Ecclesiae"
cannot be limited to colleges and universities, he added.
"Ex corde Ecclesiae" should immediately be
applied to Catholic high schools and prep schools,
whether owned by the diocese or a religious order, he
said.
Every bishop should have two concerns, even if his
diocese doesn’t have a Catholic university or
college, Bishop McHugh said.
"Young people from the diocese will attend a
Catholic college in other dioceses," he said. Also,
if Catholic identity is not maintained at the high school
level, an argument could be made to put the money into
nursing homes or hospitals, he said.
"The pastoral responsibility of a bishop is to
set the tone for Catholic education throughout the
diocese."
An increase in enrollment in Catholic high schools
across the country indicates that parents see a need for
values-based education, he said.
"The diocesan bishop should allocate resources to
maintain a strong Catholic presence at every high
school."
The bishop also stressed the need for every Catholic
high school to have a mission statement. "The
mission statement has implications on faculty hiring and
curriculum development."
Catholic identity is an ongoing problem for the
Church, he said. Secularism and pluralism are "major
obstacles" to Catholic identity. "Ex corde
Ecclesiae" can be a "major resource" in
promoting a discussion of Catholic identity.
Bishop McHugh said the key words in this debate are
"institutional commitment."
"You can have saints on campus," he said,
but they will suffer in silence if there’s no
institutional commitment.
"Catholic identity is an ecclesial concern,"
Bishop McHugh said, "because the Catholic university
has a very beneficial relationship to the Church
itself."
Bishop McHugh said the Catholic university can be very
helpful to local bishops, but, at the same time — as
the bishops’ conference struggles with "Ex
corde Ecclesiae" — it can be a difficult topic
to address because most bishops don’t know how to
"plug into the local Catholic university."
According to "Ex corde Ecclesiae," the
bishops should not be seen as "external
agents," but as collaborators in the education
process. The bishop has the "right and duty" to
watch over Catholic universities.
"The Catholic university can be helpful to the
bishop in his role as teacher," Bishop McHugh said.
It can be a great resource to the bishop in helping him
deal with current moral questions.
"Bishops need to assert themselves more," he
said. "If they want to be left out, they’re
out. If they want to stay involved, they can do that. If
bishops withdraw from the debate, they get what they ask
for."
At the national level, the bishops must center the
debate more on ecclesial issues, Bishop McHugh said.
"We haven’t always done that."
Copyright ©1997
Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
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