Catholic Education Partners

An excellent interview from one of our board members, Bishop Daly of Spokane.

USCCB Catholic Education Chair Speaks Out on ‘Confused Catholic Schools’ Embracing ‘Sinful’ Gender Ideology A bishop warns against Catholic institutions’ misguided acceptance of gender ideology.

https://catholiced.us/catholic-education-partners-celebrates-victory-in-wv-hope-scholarship-case%EF%BF%BC/

Catholic Education Partners Celebrates Victory in WV Hope Scholarship Case - CEP STILLWATER, MN—Shawn Peterson, President of Catholic Education Partners (CEP), celebrated a landmark victory for West Virginia children and families today. In a surprise ruling, the West Virginia Supreme Court reversed a decision by the Kanawha County Circuit Court, and immediately lifted the inju...

Death of Saint René Goupil, S.J, who was martyred on this day in 1642. He was a missionary to the Native Americans. He was the first of the eight North American Martyrs of the Roman Catholic Church to receive the crown of martyrdom and the first canonized Catholic martyr in North America. n 1642 Goupil traveled to the Huron missions with about forty other persons, including several Huron chiefs and Jesuit Father Isaac Jogues. They were captured by the Mohawk and tortured. After teaching a Mohawk boy the sign of the cross, Goupil was killed on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, 29 September 1642, by a blow to the head with a tomahawk.

Death of Juan de Torquemada (not THAT Torquemada, but his uncle). Torquemada was a Spanish ecclesiastic, defender of Jewish conversos, has been described as the most articulate papal apologist of the fifteenth century. He was an uncle of Tomás de Torquemada, afterwards notorious as the persecuting Grand Inquisitor.Torquemada has been described as the most articulate papal apologist of the fifteenth century. The medieval papacy's supremacy was challenged both by Hussites (early Protestants) and by conciliarists (who held that an ecumenical council of the Church had more authority than a pope). The Council of Basel had attempted to depose Pope Eugenius IV. Torquemada attacked both these positions in his Summa de ecclesia

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, colloquially known as Little Flower of Jesus, or simply the Little Flower, professed her vows to become a Carmelite nun on this day in 1890. Thérèse felt an early call to religious life at the early age of 15, she became a nun and joined two of her older sisters in the cloistered Carmelite community of Lisieux, Normandy (yet another sister, Céline, also later joined the order). She dedicated her life to prayer especially for the fallen, including priests, prisoners, and people struggling with their faith. She had her own struggles as well, feeling tormented by her doubts. She died young at age 24 of tuberculosis. She is among the most revered saints for her steadfast dedication to redemption for all.

The W.Va. AG has filed an opening brief asking the state Supreme Court of Appeals to dissolve the permanent injunction against the Hope Scholarship Act and remand the case back to Kanawha County Circuit Court for dismissal.

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Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Yes. Every Kid. Americans for Prosperity EdChoice Foundation for Excellence in Education The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Catholic Education Partners Goldwater Institute

On this day in 1191 Richard I of England defeated Saladin at the Battle of Arsuf. The battle was a key victory in the Third Crusade, and led to the negotiation of a treaty that once again allowed Christians to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem, a right that had been denied them under the contemporaneous Muslim rule. This battle helped Richard I establish his reputation as a great military leader, and shortly after the victory he departed the crusade to shore up his shaky hold on the English throne. The Crusades themselves were a frequent phenomenon for 2 centuries and often dominated European politics. They were both a religious and political phenomenon, reflecting the fact that there was often no distinction between the two at the time.

Blaise Pascal, a French Philosopher and theologian rocked the world with his Provincial Letters (written under a pseudonym), diving straight into one of the hottest theological controversies of his time. The topic was so hot, and his entry so controversial, that on this day in 1657 his work was placed on the Vatican's Index of Prohibited Books. Pascal was highly critical of the Jesuits of his day, who were seen as morally lax. In his final letter he criticized the Pope himself. The prohibition didn't have a bit of impact on the book's popularity, though, and its influence spread far and wide in France among intellectuals. In one of the great ironies that so often occur in history, Pope Alexander VII who had placed his work on the list was generally persuaded by most of his arguments and implemented many reforms in the coming years addressing Pacal's criticisms. Pascal is well regarded for his wit and insight even today.

During the September Massacres of the French Revolution, rampaging mobs slaughter three Roman Catholic bishops, more than two hundred priests, and prisoners believed to be royalist sympathizers. The French Revolution kicked off the modern secularist rejection of Christianity's view of human nature. Communism and fascism both are rooted in the same vision of human malleability--the belief that human society can be perfected if the old way of doing things is eliminated. Along with that belief comes the necessity of eradicating all dissidents as standing in the way of realizing the new utopia based upon a vision of "The Rights of Man." Notably those rights so proudly declared during the Revolution were all suspended until the evil rot of the old Regime was destroyed, and by their lights that never happened. Instead, all rights for everybody were lost. Totalitarianism was the result.

Death of French Catholic priest Marin Mersenne, one of the leading lights of science and culture in the 1600s. For much of Western history the Catholic Church was the home of intellectual inquiry, and few exemplified this fact more than Mersenne. He has been described as "the center of the world of science and mathematics during the first half of the 1600s" His work on mathematics continues to be relevant; he invented modern music theory and is described as the "father of acoustics." In addition he was an authority on theology and philosophy. History is often taught as if there is a conflict between science, philosophy and religion. Mersenne and others convincingly demonstrate that science is yet one more method of approaching God's creation.

Pope Paul III issues a Papal Bull declaring the excommunication of Henry VIII of England. This came after a long-running dispute over the theological question of whether the King could divorce, and more generally over whether the ultimate authority for religious matters was the king or the Pope. The excommunication was suspended while negotiations continued with the King. Paul III was an extraordinarily consequential pope, kicking off the counter-reformation, addressing the moral issues of Spanish colonialism in the New World, approving the establishment of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), and patronizing the arts including Michaelangelo. Henry's excommunication came into effect Dec. 17, 1538

Feast day of St. Jeanne Jugan, founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Born during revolutionary France when Catholic worship was prosecuted, her faith formation took place in secret. Desperately poor she worked as a maid until she felt the call to Christ. She set to work for the poor in hospital, but one day she met a destitute and homeless woman and took her in. Soon others followed, and with them a new religious order. She served as Superior until she was displaced by an ambitious priest, and eventually fell into obscurity as the order expanded. Ever faithful, she continued her work until she was forced to retire. Even in death she continued her work through miracles, and she was eventually declared a saint.

Dedication and destruction by fire of the Mainz Cathedral in Germany. Construction began in 975-6, and it was completed in 1009. Unfortunately the church was nearly destroyed on the day of the dedication, requiring it to be rebuilt. It could not be used again until 1036. At the time the cathedral was one of the most impressive buildings in Europe. Since its construction it has been added to multiple times, and it is a standing historical example of the many architectural styles used over the centuries. It has suffered from fires at least 7 times.

The National Assembly of France, one of the many national political bodies that littered France during the French Revolution, expelled priests from France if they failed to perform an oath of loyalty to the French Revolutionary government. During the revolution--a time spanning numerous years--there was a revolving set of governing bodies all with "emergency" powers. While ostensibly based upon an idealistic notion of the "Rights of Man," citizens in fact had no inalienable rights during the time of the emergency. Priests were seen as agents of the old order and hence a threat to the revolution, so this order expelling them was a natural use of the emergency powers. Within a year the emergency powers were used to terrorize the population into total compliance.

Archbishop Stephen Langton sets the stage for the issuance of the Magna Carta by persuading English Barons to swear allegiance to King John of England. The barons were deeply upset by the tyrannical behavior of the king and presented a severe political threat to his rule. Langston arranged for the Barons to remain aligned with the king based upon an understanding that the king's power would be limited rather than absolute. This led to the development of the delimitation of the rights of Englishmen against the absolute power of the king, and the state as a whole. The Magna Carta is seen as the beginning of a long journey to the development of what we now know as liberal democracy.

St. Teresa of Avila founds the Discalced (shoeless) Carmelite nuns. Teresa is the favorite saint of countless Catholics. A Carmelite nun, mystic, religious reformer, author, and theologian. She earned the rare distinction of being declared a Doctor of the Church. Active during the Catholic Reformation, she reformed the Carmelite Orders of both women and men. During that time practice of Catholicism had become lax and perhaps corrupt, and Teresa led a revival of the true practice of the faith among the religious. She wrote books that are still studied today, and her influence on Catholics and Catholicism led to her being recognized as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.

Murder of Fr. John Anthony Kaiser, a Catholic missionary in Kenya, Africa. Fr. Kaiser became a priest after serving a stint in the military as a paratrooper. He became a "Mill Hill Father" (a member of the Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill) and was assigned to their missions in Kenya. The Catholic population was burgeoning, and only 48 priests were ministering to half a million Catholics. Political and tribal violence created a refugee crisis, and Fr. Kaiser was a vocal defender of his flock. Government leaders were spurring the violence, and themselves committed heinous acts against refugees. Kaiser spoke up, earning the enmity of the government leaders, and was eventually assassinated.

CEP President Shawn Peterson is featured along with many other great Catholic education leaders in this EWTN back to school feature on school choice.

Watch 2022-08-19 - Class is in session Class is in session. We break down the report card on school choice programs and Catholic school enrollment across the nation ahead of a new academic year. Plus, a program that gives teachers the tools to pass on the faith, and a new book that teache

Death of Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, writer, and Catholic theologian. A contemporary of Descartes, Pascal was both a strong proponent of the scientific method and a deeply religious man. Most famous for creating "Pascal's wager" in which he demonstrates the wisdom of believing in God. As a theologian he argued along with his sister for Jansenism, a position later declared a heresy, although his attachment to Jansenism waned over the yeas. Best known in modern times as a philosopher, he is held in high regard along with his contemporary Descartes.

Death of Saint Alberto Hurtado, who was a Chilean Jesuit priest, lawyer, social worker, and writer. He founded the Hogar de Cristo in 1944. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming his country's second saint. Chile, while nominally a Catholic country, had seen a significant decline in the number of people who went to mass. Fr. Hurtado worked diligently to foster a rebirth of Catholic worship, as well as dramatically expand the social work of the Church. He spurred controversy as he was regarded by many as left-wing, but his work touched as many as 850,000 children in need in only a 6 year period.

One month after Pope Clement XIII ordered that the Jesuit Order would be abolished, the decree went into effect on August 16, 1773. The Jesuits had become extremely controversial due to their opposition to the enslavement of the native peoples of America, and had been expelled by several countries. These otherwise Catholic countries were distancing themselves from the Church, and Clement XIII chose to abolish the order to repair relations. The order remained active in Prussia and Russia where they were protected, and were restored as an order in 1814 by Pope Pius VII. Jesuits remained banished from Switzerland until 1973.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola founds “the company of Jesus,” describing their organization as similar to that of fur traders but focused on God’s will, not beaver skins. In 1540 it will gain the approval of the pope, who will name it the Society of Jesus. More often they will be known as “Jesuits.” Ignatius was a soldier who had a spiritual revelation while recuperating from a wound. Jesuits have been incredibly active and equally controversial. They have been deeply involved in evangelism, in politics, and in education. It is difficult to find a serious Catholic who does not have a strong opinion about the Jesuits.

On command of Pope Alexander IV, Thomas Aquinas is reluctantly admitted as a doctor of theology by the University of Paris. The university had denied mendicant friars (Dominicans and Franciscans) the privilege of occupying university chairs because they had refused to take an oath relating to the autonomy of the university. School leaders had also opposed the friars on a number of other grounds. Aquinas went on to become one of the most important thinkers of the Millenium.

Death of Clare of Asissi, one of the earliest followers of St. Francis of Asissi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition, and wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman. Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honour as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the Poor Clares. Her feast day is on 11 August. Born into a wealthy family, as a teen she heard Francis preach during a Lenten service in the church of San Giorgio at Assisi and asked him to help her to live after the manner of the Gospel. She was known to some as a "another Francis" she was so like him. Santa Clara CA is named after her.

Pope Pius IX promulgates his encyclical Quanto Conficiamur Moerore, or On Promotion of False Doctrines, in which he addresses the challenges presented to the Church by the growing atheism and religious tension in the modern world. He particularly addresses the problem of Catholics drifting away from Catholic doctrine, including those at the heart of the Church. He stresses that charity must be given to those outside the Church and reproves the error of narcissism and materialism. The Pope condemns ecclesiastics and "certain condemnable societies" of clergy who were in open contempt against the Holy See and spreading false doctrine. Pius IX released a record number of encyclicals, many addressing the challenges of the modern world.

Death of Sister Mary Helen MacKillop RSJ, the first saint from Australia. MacKillop founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, a religious order. The "rule of life" developed by MacKillop for the community emphasized poverty, a dependence on divine providence, no ownership of personal belongings, and faith that God would provide and willingness to go where needed. The Sisters of St Joseph educated students, ran an orphanage; neglected children; girls in danger; the aged poor; a reformatory; and a home for the aged and incurably ill. Not always welcomed by the Church hierarchy, she eventually won them over. The sisters expanded throughout the region, and MacKillop led them until her own death.

Profession of the Virgin Martyr Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta. a Congolese Roman Catholic member of the Sisters of the Holy Family. Her mother had all her children along with her baptized in 1945. Anuarite ran away from home to join the convent, despite her mother's disapproval. Her short religious life was dedicated to teaching and serving as a cook and sacristan. Nengapeta was killed during the nation's civil war during the Simba revolt in 1964 when Colonel Pierre Olombe killed her after she warded off his r**e attempts.Nengapeta is the first Bantu woman elevated to the altars, with her beatification on 15 August 1985.

Feast Day of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and one of the elders of Jerusalem. He attended to the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. Mentioned only in the Gospel of John, Nicodemus, he is mentioned three times: once discussing Jesus' teachings, once insisting that Jesus could not be judged without allowing him to defend himself, and lastly as participating in the annointing of Jesus' body after crucifixion.

In the Gospel of John Jesus teaches about the necessity of being "born again" to enter the presence of God.