What issues are young people struggling with today?<\/p>\n
According to one Catholic school principal, \u201cloneliness, anxiety, identity confusion, and a loss of meaning and purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don’t know God nor seek Him, because they are bombarded with messages from social media that promise\u00a0fulfillment, happiness, and self-worth,\u201d said Christina Mehaffey, principal of Faustina Academy in Irving, Texas. \u201cMany are growing up in a culture that normalizes sin,\u00a0broken relationships, encourages\u00a0self-indulgence, and often mocks faith, purity, and sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are also burdened by intense performance pressure\u2014to achieve, impress, and align themselves with influencers\u2014without a clear understanding of who they are before God,\u201d Mehaffey continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also see a great deal of moral and spiritual confusion: about what love truly is, what the human person is made for, and what leads to real freedom and happiness. The result is often discouragement, restlessness, and a sense of being alone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Faustina Academy limits screentime<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy reported that up to 95 percent of young people ages 13-17 use a social media platform. For those using social media for more than the average three hours per day, their risk of symptoms of depression and anxiety doubles.<\/p>\n What will be the long-term effects of smartphones, social media, and screen time on the youth of our country? Faustina Academy isn\u2019t waiting to find out.<\/p>\n Faustina Academy, a Newman Guide Recommended school focused on Catholic formation, is taking a proactive approach to technology. Students are not permitted to carry or access smartphones during the school day. They also may not have social media accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and other platforms.<\/p>\n This is a revolutionary approach, but Mehaffey believes it is critical to the mission of the school.<\/p>\n \u201cWe intentionally educate and inform families about the neurological, emotional, and spiritual effects of smartphone and social-media use, and parents commit\u2014through the enrollment contract\u2014to uphold these expectations consistently at home,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThis issue is vital because it connects directly to\u00a0our mission: leading souls to Heaven,\u201d Mehaffey said. \u201cIf we are truly committed to this mission, then social media and digital addiction cannot be part of our students\u2019 daily lives.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is impossible for young people to consistently seek\u00a0the Good, the True, and the Beautiful,\u00a0while being bombarded\u2014after school hours\u2014with conflicting, confusing, and often harmful messages on screens. Such exposure can quickly unravel the formation, clarity, and virtue we work so intentionally to cultivate during the school day.\u201d<\/p>\n The policy has had \u201ca\u00a0transformational impact\u201d on the school culture, Mehaffey said.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout smartphones or social-media distractions, students are more\u00a0present, focused, confident, and engaged. They form deeper friendships, participate more fully in academic and spiritual life, and experience noticeably reduced anxiety and comparison pressure,\u201d explained Mehaffey.<\/p>\n \u201cTeachers report richer discussions, stronger attention spans, and a more peaceful classroom environment, while parents express gratitude that their children are growing in a community grounded in real relationships and authentic formation.\u201d<\/p>\n St. Rita School\u2019s family pledge<\/strong><\/p>\n Another Newman Guide Recommended school that is devoted to the Catholic, integral formation of students in a tech-obsessed world is St. Rita Catholic School in Alexandria, Virginia.<\/p>\n As at St. Faustina\u2019s, there wasn\u2019t a problem with technology use during school hours. It was what was happening with technology outside<\/em> of school hours that was raising an alarm for the school\u2019s principal and teachers.<\/p>\n Teachers \u201cnoticed how many students were discussing social media, spoke about cyberbullying,\u201d explained Malia Busekrus, principal of St. Rita. Through her own research for her graduate school work, Busekrus learned more about the negative effects of smartphone use on young people\u2014and how little parents are educated on the topic.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough my research, I discovered that the \u2018gap in the literature\u2019 was that parents didn\u2019t understand the complexities of what their kids are dealing with when they are using devices.\u00a0 What’s missing? Parent information, formation, and the role of parental guidance in managing device use,\u201d Busekrus said.<\/p>\n Through the dedication of the school leadership, passionate teachers, and committed families, the school began educating families about the dangers of smartphone use and social media for young people:<\/p>\n An entirely new initiative at St. Rita\u2019s was born: \u201cReal Presence Collective: An Incarnational Approach to Friendship, Family, and the Good Life.\u201d The Collective is an optional community for St. Rita families who pledge that their children will not have smartphones or social media while a student at St. Rita School. The school pledges to continue guiding families on this topic and providing resources, activities, and events for the community. So far, 100 students and their families have pledged to the Real Presence Collective.<\/p>\n The Collective isn\u2019t simply a \u201crejection of smartphones\u201d but a \u201cjoyful affirmation of what it means to live the good life.\u201d Activities for students through the collective include a fall festival, pumpkin carving, laser tag, trivia, and book club.<\/p>\n \u201cThis initiative responds to a pressing cultural challenge that threatens the social, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our children, a challenge which undermines their innocence and contributes to scientifically evidenced mental health issues and social struggles,\u201d the philosophy statement states.<\/p>\n \u201cBy fostering a community of like-minded families committed to this goal, we aim to create an environment where students are free to develop authentic relationships with God and others, cultivate imagination, and focus on the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n Colleges address technology issues<\/strong><\/p>\n Newman Guide Recommended colleges also stand out for their courageous efforts to address modern challenges. For instance, many block pornography on campus wi-fi and provide resources to help students fight and heal from pornography addictions.<\/p>\n Wyoming Catholic College\u2019s no cell-phone policy frees students from virtual distractions and offers them the freedom for real, in-person connections in the classroom, cafeteria, and dorm room.<\/p>\n Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., recently launched a new Center for Technology and Human Dignity in response to Pope Leo XIV\u2019s call to address the rise of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Center offers a Catholic lens through which to evaluate emerging technologies,\u201d explained Dr. Mariele Courtois, the Center\u2019s director.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Catholic college is able to engage the unique resources of its faculty, staff, and programs to draw from the insights and rigor of various disciplines\u2014from computer science, to engineering, to philosophy and theology\u2014to grapple with how to direct technology to ethical practices while also determining when to limit technology use in light of higher goals for human life, namely to care for our relationships with God and other people,\u201d Courtois said.<\/p>\n While educating students about artificial intelligence, Benedictine College is also helping students foster a healthy relationship with technology.<\/p>\n \u201cBenedictine College values authentic human experiences: meaningful relationships, commitment to service, a pursuit of excellence, and a heart that seeks to love like Christ,\u201d Courtois said. \u201cThese values help to form consciences and avoid distractions and manipulations from technology that can interfere with living one\u2019s vocation.\u201d<\/p>\n Teaching family values<\/strong><\/p>\n Beyond the crisis of smartphone and technology addiction, Newman Guide Recommended colleges are addressing the collapse of a proper understanding of man, woman, marriage, family, and human sexuality.<\/p>\n For example, fewer high school girls than ever plan to marry and have children, according to the Pew Research Center. In 1993, 83 percent of 12th<\/sup> grade girls planned to get married someday, but today only 61 percent plan to do so. If they do get married, only about 50 percent of 12th<\/sup> grade girls and boys plan to have children.<\/p>\n Fortunately, there are efforts like the Institute for the Study of Man and Woman at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, which offers research and education from a Catholic perspective on the value of marriage and the blessing of children. The University of St. Thomas in Houston recently launched a Graduate Certificate in Sexuality and Gender that teaches the Catholic understanding of the human person for professionals in education, ministry, healthcare, and more.<\/p>\n Christendom College in Front Royal, Va., is offering a new free, online Theology of the Body course with Professor Mary Stanford in response to some of the most pressing cultural challenges, including gender ideology, sexual confusion, widespread loneliness, and moral uncertainty.<\/p>\n \u201cA young person who takes this course and discovers the Catholic view of theology of the body will come away with a deeper understanding of themselves as a man or woman, along with the anthropological and spiritual insights that lead to healthy relationships,\u201d explained Niall O\u2019Donnell, the College\u2019s vice president for communications and marketing. \u201cThey will grow in their ability to understand the opposite sex, cultivate authentic friendship, and prepare for their vocation\u2014whether that is marriage, priesthood, or religious life. The wisdom of John Paul II is a gift for anyone seeking clarity, confidence, and direction in a confusing world.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Donnell says free online courses and the College\u2019s commitment to the Catholic faith and liberal education can help many people beyond campus: \u201cThe Catholic intellectual tradition, expressed through the timeless liberal arts, offers profound beauty and wisdom to those asking life\u2019s deepest questions: Is there a better way to live? What is my purpose? Am I prepared for the future?\u201d<\/p>\n For students on campus, the impact is even greater.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough the study of philosophy, theology, literature, and history, students receive the principles and formation that sustain them throughout life,\u201d said O\u2019Donnell. Students thrive \u201cwhere a close-knit academic community and dedicated staff and faculty mentors walk with students during one of the most important stages of their growth.\u201d<\/p>\n Here is the wisdom in St. John Henry Cardinal Newman\u2019s insistence on education that embraces the truths of our Catholic faith. In faithful Catholic education, there is no separation between life and learning, morality and academics, or technology and humanity. Newman Guide Recommended education leads to greater joy in the hope of Christ and healthier lifestyles, changing the habits and priorities of its students.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Highlighting a few Newman Guide Recommended College Initiatives:<\/p>\n What issues are young people struggling with today? According to one Catholic school principal, \u201cloneliness, anxiety, identity confusion, and a loss of meaning and purpose.\u201d \u201cThey don’t know God nor seek Him, because they are bombarded with messages from social media that promise\u00a0fulfillment, happiness, and self-worth,\u201d said Christina Mehaffey, principal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"issue":[],"item_type":[53],"coauthors":[59],"class_list":["post-12742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","item_type-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n