Dear Friend of The Magis Center,
Each year, as summer comes to a close and we prepare for a new school year, the Church, in her wisdom, calls us to venerate St. Gregory the Great, Doctor of the Church and one of the patron saints of teachers and students. St. Gregory worked tirelessly to evangelize the culture in which he lived.
At The Magis Center, we share this goal. And while our culture is more post-Christian than it is pagan, the work of evangelization remains as pressing as ever. Recent Pew studies show that nearly 50% of our young people will become unbelievers by the time they graduate college.
Even in Catholic schools, there is still much work to be done. A recent Assessment of Religious Knowledge in Catholic Schools Survey (ARK) indicated that Catholic school students’ belief level in the senior year is at a numeric grade of 67 (a letter grade of D+).
While this result is troubling, there is hope. This same ARK survey* also indicated that when students take The Magis Center’s one-semester senior-year course called The Catholic Faith and Science, their belief level moves from a grade of 67 (D+) to a numeric grade of 83 (a letter grade of “B”). This 16-point increase shifts the likelihood of maintaining belief throughout college from “low probability of maintaining faith” to “moderate to high probability of maintaining faith.” This is tremendous news and is due in large part to your generous support.
But our work is far from over. With this new evidence that our solution is effective in turning the rising tide of unbelief, we are emboldened to deepen our commitment to our mission. Our recent creation of the Faith and Science Video Series, along with our new All-Access Pass, reflects that commitment.
This back-to-school season, we invite you to renew your commitment to The Magis Center. Your gift—whether large or small—will have a lasting impact on the lives of Catholic students, helping them not just learn their faith but believe it.
Thank you for your generosity and for being an integral part of The Magis Center family.
With Christ’s blessing and peace,
Fr. Robert J. Spitzer S.J. PhD
*If you would like to learn more about the ARK Assessment, visit their website, https://arktest.org/.