How come two of the “Top Catholic” high schools aren’t even Catholic?

After a reader checked out this post from earlier in the week, the following e-mail landed arrived this morning:

Wanted to point out that two of the schools on this list are not even Catholic – that is, recognized as such by their local ordinaries. Having lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and having never heard of these institutions (the area has a number of respected schools run by the Ursulines, Jesuits, Hungarian Cistercians (Cistercian Prep is recognized by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as the best boys school in the Metroplex), Dominicans and Legion of Christ), I went to their websites. St. Ignatius College Prep in Fort Worth and Faustina Academy in Irving state explicitly on their websites that they are not affiliated or recognized as Catholic or even “in the Catholic tradition” by the Dioceses of Fort Worth and Dallas, respectively. They further are not authorized in sacramental preparation of their students.

Faustina Academy’s site states:

“However, Faustina Academy is a private and independent school and is not affiliated with any church or other religious organization including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. Therefore Faustina Academy does not offer Sacramental preparation for its students who must be initiated into the Sacraments through a parish. Moreover, in full accordance with Canon Law 803.3, Faustina Academy does not bear the title of “Catholic School,” nor does it represent itself as a “Catholic School,” and affirmatively disclaims any assertions to the contrary.”

As for the absence of Jesuit schools from the list – the Cardinal Newman Society has an established axe to grind against Jesuit higher education (it seems Georgetown in particular) and it’s perceived heterodoxy (which on balance may be justified).

The list is of dubious provenance, indeed.

Indeed.  I’d be curious to hear more, and find out why the Cardinal Newman Society elected to include institutions that aren’t formally affiliated with the Catholic Church on its list of “Top Catholic” schools.