When Catholic Colleges Abandon Theology, They Sacrifice Souls on the Altar of the Market
National Catholic Register portal reports (June 4, 2026) that Fordham University, a Jesuit institution in New York, has reduced its core curriculum theology and philosophy requirements from two courses each to one, effective 2031. The author, Stephen G. Adubato, laments this decision as emblematic of a broader trend among Catholic universities to prioritize STEM funding and market demands over their Catholic mission. He cites declining theology credit-hour requirements across U.S. Catholic institutions and warns that such shifts reflect not merely “liberalization” but “neoliberalization”—the subordination of sacred mission to economic survival. Adubato appeals to a recent address by “Pope” Leo XIV urging Catholic colleges to ensure the Christian vision permeates every discipline. Yet the entire commentary, while well-intentioned, operates within the framework of the post-conciliar neo-church and fails to confront the root cause of Catholic higher education’s collapse: the systematic destruction of Catholic doctrine since Vatican II.



