This work investigates the complex tension between the religious mission of Catholic schools and the increasing pressure of market-driven educational policies. Gerald Grace, a prominent scholar in the sociology of education, utilizes extensive empirical research and interviews with school leaders to analyze how these institutions navigate the conflicting demands of spiritual formation and secular academic performance. The book provides a critical framework for understanding the institutional identity of Catholic schooling in a contemporary global context.

Scholars in the sociology of religion and education frequently cite this text as a foundational analysis of the institutional challenges facing faith-based schools. Experts highlight the author's balanced approach in addressing both the spiritual mission and the pragmatic administrative realities of modern schooling.