Kaczor deals with a variety of topics in just a few short pages of text. He touches on how to be prepared for History courses, to be aware of materialistic assumptions in Science classes and relativism in the Humanities. He make a point of saying that the most important choice in college is not where you live, what classes you take, not even your major - but the most important choice will be your friends; with whom will you choose to spend time? He encourages students to learn their faith by reading Catholic classics, the Gospels and the Catechism. Since students' questions about their faith will vary, instead of pointing them to various books, he directs them to Catholic Answers website. Kaczor also reminds students what they should be doing in order to stay Catholic (regardless of the college they attend).
I will be sure to have my current college sophomore and high school senior read How to Stay Catholic in College.
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on How to Stay Catholic in College and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there.
5 comments:
Does he give any figures about when college kids leave the faith? I guess what I remember isn't so much kids going to class and hearing XXX and then deciding to quit going to mass so much as kids who were finally out from under Mom and Dad's thumb just didn't choose to go to mass any more--or kids who started hanging with religious kids of other faiths started going to those churches for social reasons.
He didn't give statistics; I suppose that would be in a book for parents. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the numbers aren't different in public vs CAtholic colleges
Actually, according to a UCLA study in the early part of the century, odds are that you are less likely to keep your faith going to the average Catholic college/university than if you attend a secular institution. At least at the secular school, you know what you're getting. Whereas when the faith is undermined at a Catholic institution, the average poorly formed student only knows that the school is teaching it, the school is Catholic: Ergo, what I'm learning (even if it's abject heresy) is a-OK for me as a Catholic.
Incidentally, there's another new book for college kids titled, "DisOrientation: How to go to college without losing your mind." With authors like Fr. Rutler, Fr. Zuhlsdorf, Donna Steichen, Peter Kreeft, and others, it goes through things such as relativism, feminism, hedonism, etc., and tells you how to avoid having those things cause you to lose your faith.
Keep up the good work!
Brian
I'm thinking it might be a good idea for my Army Cpt. son. He survived college well. He survived the south- but he is struggling without a community in Tacoma.
I know, as long as he marries a Catholic, he will return without a problem. That has intensified now that his sister has found a good Catholic community in Maryland and tells him that Church is a good place for families.
Janette, if he ever swings by Columbus MS I know a sweet 19yo Catholic girl :)
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