David O'Brien, 23 October 1995

In its earliest stages, Catholic higher education in the United States helped the church survive by recruiting priests and religious and securing the loyalty of potentially successful laypeople. In its second, more dynamic stage, the schools assisted Catholics to move up the social and economic ladder. Today, in our work together, in church and on campus, we are defining a third stage in the history of Catholic higher education. Its outlines are far from clear.