Bernie*, a typical Catholic Lasallian, is having doubts with his faith. His friends, technically Catholics and Christians like him, invite him to go on drinking binges periodically, tell him in detail about their sexual encounters, and laugh at him whenever he mentions something so sensitive as prayer.
When asked about his personal beliefs, Bernie admits that faith has been a matter of passive obedience for him since childhood. He has been receiving Sacraments without an active, deliberate understanding of its value, and looks at Mass as an interruption to an otherwise lazy Sunday morning.
Bernie’s condition of relative detachment from the religious sentiments of the Church is not an uncommon thing. The way that Lasallians are exposed to the Church in the Catholic environment and the end result of such exposure (including authentic religious commitment) may not be achieving the desired effects of formation.
“They are not too expressive of their faith,” shares Andylyn Simeon, director of the Lasallian Pastoral Office (LSPO). “It is uncool to express being Catholic in the University. Inside the classroom, the sentiment is generally anti-Catholic. [A passionate Catholic] feels that he is alone, unable to defend his faith [upon encountering anti-religious sentiments].”
Religiosity and authenticity
While the University is in the precarious position of upholding in its students the core value of religio, or Faith, it is not something that falls under the direct responsibility of the University, by the nature of its social function.
“Faith is not the monopoly of the University,” clarifies Dr. Eduardo Domingo, chairperson of the Theology and Religious Education (TRED) Department. “In fact, the University or any Catholic school is only one of the support groups that help individuals and families form, develop and mature in their faith.”
Given this, Domingo explains that the family is the unit with a direct responsibility over the faith, growth and maturity of the individual. “The real challenge on the part of the University is when parents do not fulfill their roles in terms of their responsibility to the faith life of their children, as it becomes difficult for the University to fashion an appropriate solution.”
Brittle pillars
Even if a Lasallian Catholic should have an authentic faith, it comes under fire from many influences. In the University, beyond peer pressure of vices, the academic environment plays its own role in breaking often weak moral foundations.
A research paper written by DLSU students for an international academic forum last January (last academic year) conducted an analysis of DLSU Catholic students on their awareness of basic Catholic foundation and morals, and the application of said foundation. Around 65.6 percent of respondents in the said research said that they could explain their faith, signifying an awareness of basic theological concepts and Church tradition.
Interviews conducted with these respondents, however, showed that such ‘basic understanding’ was not thorough, although ‘backed by a self-proclaimed prescription to Catholic moral values’. Discrepancies between results showed that DLSU students may also adhere to viewpoints contrary to the Church’s, especially with regard to contraception and death penalty.
Possible repercussions of otherwise shallow exposure to Catholic intellectual life in the University includes a conscious reversion in attitude towards the Church due to an inability to stand for Church arguments or hold fast in faith.
Since his Introductory Philosophy (INTFILO) class last term, Matthew’s* personal ideals in religion were understandably shaken. “Being in [that philosophy class] last term, I have come to form some serious doubts and questions towards my religion.”
Matthew testifies that the questioning phase brought on by INTFILO naturally sways Lasallians, often receiving their first exposure of philosophy in college.
Lost in exegesis
One of the possible reasons for these paradigm shifts may be attributed to a shallow understanding of Church teaching, where not all sources in the University may be teaching uniform interpretations of doctrine.
Hence, uniformity in Catholic education becomes questionable in a liberal academic setting, where Theologians may be responsible for instilling beliefs, which in the end contribute to detachment from the Church.
For instance, some classes are told that virgin birth, referring to the virgin birth of Christ through Mary, may actually have been a common phenomenon during Jesus’ milieu, and that the Resurrection, similar to the Creation, may have been symbolic and fictitious. Such beliefs often are not in line with traditional Catholic theology.
To contribute to the unity of effort in Catholic education, Simeon shares that the LSPO is working towards making Lasallian Formation mandatory for DLSU faculty.
But even if Catholic Lasallians, exposed to numerous influences besides different philosophies, media and peers, turn to say, agnosticism or atheism, Simeon affirms that the grounding in faith should be the testament of a true Lasallian formation more than apparent religiosity.
*Student’s names were changed upon their discretion.