Very insightful piece of history and analysis. I am aware of a neighborhood here in Philadelphia where there was a Polish, Irish and Italian Catholic Churches all within about 3 blocks. I think the Polish and Irish are still vibrant and the Italian is now gone, with the building becoming a protestant church.
Catholic schools have become a fraternity of sorts. I tell people the story of my first job interview during college where one of the interviewers jokingly mentioned that my Catholic high school was a point against me because she went to my rival Catholic high school. I got the job. Look at the alumni lists of these Catholic schools and you will see the record of success.
I was a city public school kid whose parents put me in Catholic school. Before 2020 and indoctrination, the cause was forced busing.
The Catholics had something that can't be replicated in Protestantism (and is just a pale shadow in present day Catholicism): the religious orders. These monks and nuns staffed the Catholic schools and they did not need to be paid a middle class salary nor did they require munificent benefits. So fees were kept quite low so most Catholic families could affords to send their kids to Catholic schools.
Very insightful piece of history and analysis. I am aware of a neighborhood here in Philadelphia where there was a Polish, Irish and Italian Catholic Churches all within about 3 blocks. I think the Polish and Irish are still vibrant and the Italian is now gone, with the building becoming a protestant church.
Catholic schools have become a fraternity of sorts. I tell people the story of my first job interview during college where one of the interviewers jokingly mentioned that my Catholic high school was a point against me because she went to my rival Catholic high school. I got the job. Look at the alumni lists of these Catholic schools and you will see the record of success.
I was a city public school kid whose parents put me in Catholic school. Before 2020 and indoctrination, the cause was forced busing.
The Catholics had something that can't be replicated in Protestantism (and is just a pale shadow in present day Catholicism): the religious orders. These monks and nuns staffed the Catholic schools and they did not need to be paid a middle class salary nor did they require munificent benefits. So fees were kept quite low so most Catholic families could affords to send their kids to Catholic schools.
Cool, how are those communities doing now?