What to Do When My Catholic School Isn’t Catholic

A Guide to Restoring Catholic Identity in Catholic Schools

Introduction: Is Your Catholic School Truly Catholic?

You chose a Catholic school because you wanted more for your child than academics. You wanted them to grow in faith, truth, and virtue in an environment rooted in Christ. But now, something feels wrong.

The prayer corners are gone, the Sacraments are rare, and the faith that should define the school is overshadowed by secular ideologies and vague “values” without Catholic substance. You're not imagining it: many Catholic schools today are facing a growing crisis of identity.

This isn’t a problem you can ignore. It threatens the spiritual formation of children, the integrity of teachers, and the mission of Catholic education itself. But here’s the good news: you’re not powerless—and you’re not alone.

This guide will empower you to:

1. Identify whether your Catholic school is truly living up to its mission.
2. Take practical steps as a parent or teacher to advocate for reform.
3. Discern whether it’s time to leave—and what faithful alternatives exist.

The stakes are eternal , but hope is alive. By acting in faith and charity, you can help restore what is lost . Let’s get started.

I. Understanding the Crisis: What’s at Stake?

Parents: Why the Stakes Are High for Your Child’s Faith

You chose Catholic education to protect your child’s soul. But is the school forming your child into a disciple of Christ—or leading them down a road of confusion and indifference?

Start asking tough questions:

• Is your child being taught authentic Church teachings, or watered-down “feel-good” spirituality?
• Are prayer, the Sacraments, and discussions about virtue central to the school’s daily life?
• Is your child exposed to secular ideologies that contradict Church teaching on issues like morality, family, and gender?

The consequences of a weak Catholic education go far beyond academics; your child’s worldview and eternal destiny are being shaped right now.

Teachers: Living Your Vocation in a Broken System

For faithful Catholic teachers, these are difficult times. Many of you entered this profession to pass on the treasures of the faith, but instead, you face systems that discourage truth, downplay doctrine, and cater to cultural trends.

Consider these red flags:

• Are school policies pushing you to avoid teaching essential aspects of the faith?
• Do you feel pressure to conform to “diversity” agendas that conflict with Catholic truth?
• Are you isolated in your efforts to uphold Catholic traditions and teachings?

Teaching the truth shouldn’t feel like a risk in a Catholic school—but for many of you, it does.

II. The Signs of a Broken School

Even if you sense that your Catholic school has lost its identity, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly where and how this has happened. Below are the most common red flags for parents and teachers.

Signs for Parents to Watch For

1. Weak Religious Instruction:
   • Catechesis is watered-down, promotes moral relativism, or misrepresents Church teachings.
   • Religion classes avoid deeper topics like the Sacraments, sin, or the moral law.
2. Absence of Catholic Culture:
   • Daily prayer, Confession, Adoration, or other devotions are minimal or missing.
   • Classrooms and common areas lack overt signs of Catholic identity (e.g., crucifixes, Marian statues).
3. Secular Ideologies Creep into Lesson Plans or Policies:
   • Classroom discussions prioritize political trends over eternal truths.
   • Gender ideology, relativism, and distorted "social justice" ideas replace the beauty of Church teachings on life, family, and human dignity.
4. Faculty Out of Step With the Church:
   • Leaders or teachers openly dissent from core Church doctrines.
   • Catholic teaching is undermined by a focus on “authenticity” without submission to the truth of the Gospel.

Signs for Teachers to Recognize

1. Pressure to Compromise the Truth:
   • Leadership encourages you to avoid “controversial” topics, weakening catechesis.
   • Classrooms are reduced to “inclusive” messages that ignore the Church’s moral clarity.
2. Secularized Curriculum and Practice:
   • Lesson materials present a worldview incompatible with Catholic teaching.
   • Catholic perspectives are removed or marginalized from subjects like science, literature, or history.
3. Loss of Sacramental Life at the Institutional Level:
   • Eucharistic theology is ignored; students aren’t regularly exposed to the Sacraments.
   • Holy Days or traditions are replaced by “inclusive” but faithless celebrations.

III. How Parents and Teachers Can Respond

Step 1: Pray for Guidance

Before anything else, turn to prayer. Ask God for wisdom, patience, and courage. Seek the intercession of saints who championed Catholic education: St. John Bosco , St. Thomas Aquinas , and St. Charles Borromeo . Frequent Confession, prayer, and reception of the Eucharist will ground you in grace.

Step 2: Gather the Facts, Not Assumptions

Parents: Closely review religion textbooks, class assignments, and your child’s understanding of the faith. Ask them pointed questions: “What did you learn about the Sacraments in class? What virtues are you studying?”

Teachers: Document specific incidents when leadership discouraged you from teaching the truth or promoted problematic policies.

Step 3: Build Alliances

Parents: Quietly connect with other parents who share your concerns. Avoid gossip, but form a small, like-minded group to begin advocating for change together.

Teachers: Seek similarly faithful colleagues to discuss shared struggles. Collaborative witness strengthens your ability to effect change.

Step 4: Engage Leadership with Prudence and Charity

Parents: Meet with school administrators or pastors and present specific, evidence-based concerns. Use language that invites collaboration. For example:

“I’ve noticed that we’re not seeing frequent opportunities for Confession or Adoration. How can we work together to make these central to the school’s routine?”

Teachers: Engage leadership constructively. Instead of saying, “The school is abandoning its Catholic identity,” try:

“We can strengthen our Catholic mission by introducing more professional development in faithful catechesis. Here are some resources I’ve found helpful.”

Step 5: Advocate With Others

Organize joint efforts between parents and teachers to promote faithful mission-driven ideas, such as:

• Hosting family retreats, prayer nights, or Catholic speaker series.
• Creating a faith-focused parent-teacher committee to provide leadership with practical solutions.

IV. When to Leave—and How to Find Alternatives

Sometimes reform isn’t possible. When leadership refuses to engage in change, or when the environment actively undermines Catholic truth, you may need to discern whether it’s time to move on.

For Parents:

1. Is your child’s faith at risk? Are they confused about the Church’s teachings because of the school? Is the school substituting vague “values” for Catholic formation?
2. Is the Sacramental life absent? Without frequent exposure to the Eucharist and Confession, your child is missing the foundation of Catholic discipleship.
3. Do alternatives exist? Consider partnering with faithful Catholic schools (e.g., Chesterton Academies), homeschooling networks, or co-ops.

For Teachers:

1. Are you being asked to compromise the faith? If leadership forces you to teach contrary to doctrine, your ability to witness Christ is being undercut.
2. Can you remain a witness? If teaching faithful Catholic truth feels impossible, prayerfully discern whether God is calling you elsewhere.
3. Explore Faithful Roles Elsewhere: Look for opportunities at faithful Catholic schools, homeschool co-ops, diocesan programs, or even Catholic-based nonprofits. Your vocation extends far beyond one school.

Conclusion: Faithfulness Requires Courage

The crisis in Catholic education is real, but your role—parent or teacher—is irreplaceable. By refusing to compromise, united in prayer and action, you can help restore the mission of Catholic schools.

Remember: you’re not alone. The saints who came before you fought similar battles, and God’s grace will sustain you. Step forward boldly and act—because the stakes aren’t just academic, they’re eternal.