ABSTRACT
The Franciscan University commitment to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church is reflected in the vision and mission statements of all the Catholic colleges cited. The Legionaries of Christ, a conservative Catholic movement active in twenty countries, opened a new university in Sacramento, California and is planning another one in Thornwood, New York. While these new conservative Catholic colleges have experienced tremendous success in terms of attracting students and faculty, this success has also raised the ire of the leaders of mainstream Catholic higher education–apparently angry that the new colleges have set themselves apart not just from secular colleges, but also from most Catholic ones too. The college maintains that a Christendom education "prepares students for their roles as faithful, informed, and articulate members of Christ's Church and society" and it asserts that Christendom's goal is "to restore all things in Christ by forming men and women to contribute to the Christian renovation of the temporal order.".
