Catholic Charities USA makes top 10 in Philanthropy 400

This week the Chronicle of Philanthropy published it annual Philanthropy 400, those U.S. organizations that raised the most money in the last year. According to reporters Noelle Barton and Holly Hall, who wrote the piece accompanying the list, “America’s big charities expect fundraising to rise in 2011, but the increase won’t come close to making up [...]

Rare voice: Flannery O’Connor reads from “Good Man”

Author Flannery O’Connor lingers long in Southern Catholic letters. One of the best-known and strongest Catholic apologists during the 20th century, along with fellow Southerner Walker Percy and only a handful of others, she remains today widely read and taught. She was a prodigious writer of novels, short stories and essays. Born in Savannah in [...]

Catholic universities, colleges rank well in 2012 US News annual best list

It seems that everyone is in the school-ranking games these days. Indeed, you can’t turn around without getting a top 10 list of everything from movies to animal acts. However, U.S. News and World Report remains the all-time champion of university and college ranking. Academicians love to hate them, but they all check it out. [...]

After the Arab dictators fall, will democracy follow?

A big question on everyone’s mind since the Arab Spring began  and dictators from North Africa to the Arabian peninsula began falling like dominos is “what will take their place?” In some places — Egypt, Tunisia and Libya the most recent — the rebels prevailed. Yet the opposition is unorganized. Who will fill the power [...]

Healing and teaching go hand-in-hand for Sister Diana

Religious orders of women are known far and wide for two important apostolates, education and healing. Teaching and nursing sisters and brothers are legendary around the world. Take a moment to meet a Dominican sister who unexpectedly found herself the lone medical practitioner in a community of teachers. Vanderbilt Medicine, the alumni publication of the [...]

Catholic colleges, universities among US schools with largest education endowments

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports in its annual Almanac Issue 2010-2011 that 16 Catholic colleges and universities hold some of the largest endowments in North America. The Chronicle ranked 217 schools who participated in the survey by the 2010 National Association of College and University Business Officers. Endowments are important to both public and [...]

Forbes cites Catholic colleges in top U.S. 100

Eight Catholic universities and colleges made Forbes’ top 100 in its annual list of America’s Top Colleges, published earlier this month.  The magazine lists 650 U.S. colleges and universities based on teaching quality, student career prospects, graduation rates and student debt levels, according to the magazine. The University of Notre Dame in Indiana ranked highest among [...]

St. Gregory’s University student calls being Miss Indian Oklahoma 2011 an ‘honor’

Devon Frazier, a sophomore at St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Okla., says she “felt completely honored” when she heard her name called for the “prestigious title” of Miss Indian Oklahoma 2011 at the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women’s annual pageant in McAlester, Okla. “My first reaction was to look at my mom – who made me stay up [...]

Confirmand raises bar for re-gifting

First communicants and confirmandi are often given the gift of cash from well-meaning (but gift-giving-challenged)  friends and family members. The recipients can then buy something for themselves — or they could follow the example of  Brianna Montecalvo   and donate the cash to a worthy cause. As the Rhode Island Catholic reports, Brianna recently gave $800 from her confirmation [...]

Catholic colleges join water bottle ban

Water may be everywhere but these days it’s not in plastic bottled form at Seattle University or the University of Portland. The two Catholic universities joined a group of eight colleges that have banned the sale of plastic water bottles on campus according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Jesuit-run Seattle [...]