This study investigates the long-term impact and efficacy of Catholic schooling on the religious and social development of American Catholics. Authors Andrew M. Greeley and Peter H. Rossi, both prominent sociologists affiliated with the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, utilize extensive empirical data to evaluate whether Catholic education successfully fosters religious commitment and social integration. The work provides a rigorous sociological framework to assess the institutional influence of parochial schools within the broader context of American society.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational sociological study regarding the intersection of religious institutions and educational systems in the United States. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the historical significance of the data presented in this seminal text.