When the Sisters Said Farewell
The Transition of Leadership in Catholic Elementary Schools
By (author) Michael P. Caruso Foreword by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop of New York
Publication date:
05 March 2012Length of book:
170 pagesPublisher
R&L EducationDimensions:
235x159mm6x9"
ISBN-13: 9781610486521
When the Sisters Said Farewell tells an important story of the contributions of Catholic elementary schools to the United States by chronicling the experiences and insights of religious women (nuns) who were the last members of their communities to serve in parish elementary schools, and of those lay men and women who were the first to serve in those roles traditionally filled by the sisters. The dramatic numerical transition from the preponderance of religious women to lay leadership from the 1960s to the 1980s has been documented; this book describes the how and why sisters left Catholic schools. This narrative also provides instructive insights about leadership, transitions, and current trends in religious life and Catholic education. As all educators in Catholic, private, and public schools grapple with questions of delivering an excellent education, this book offers a glimpse into the workings of one of the most amazing educational enterprises in the history of the United States.
Listen to a Sirius Radio interview with Fr. Michael P. Carus here.
Listen to a Sirius Radio interview with Fr. Michael P. Carus here.
As a short study, this delightful substantive book traces that nineteenth-century roots of Catholic education in the United States and demonstrates how both the influx of nearly eight million Catholic immigrants and the Nativist movement directed against them created the momentum for the establishment of Catholic schools. ... The author illustrates these points with carefully researched individual case stories. the cases are described in such clarity combined with simplicity that one gets the sense of almost having been there. ... The book is well-researched and contains two appendices, one of letters and another with titles of pertinent documents. It will have genuine appeal for anyone associated with Catholic elementary schools in the United States due to the rich variety of perspectives it offers.