When local Catholic school leaders were ready to update their science curriculum materials,
they turned to Dr. Kate Bulinski, a paleontologist and associate professor at Bellarmine University, for help.
According to the Archdiocese of Louisville's newspaper, The Record, the Office of Catholic Schools has developed a new document that explains how teachers can “meld and integrate” faith into instruction in a way
that remains true to science standards.
Bulinski's role among a small team of consultants was to review and greatly expand
what is now a 10-page master list of books, websites, articles, videos and other resources
that teachers in local Catholic schools can draw upon for classroom instruction. As
part of that work, she edited a list of important Catholic scientists throughout history.
"I was asked last academic year if I would look over their faith and science resources
as the Archdiocese was revising their science standards and wanted to intentionally
integrate faith and science into the curriculum," said Bulinski.
According to The Record, the new curriculum demonstrates that the study of Catholic
faith and science are compatible, rather than in opposition to each other. The curriculum
reflects Kentucky’s state standards for science instruction.
Bulinski also wrote a recent column in The Record about her attendance at the Society of Catholic Scientists annual conference. In
that column, she writes: "Anyone educating our young people in the Church needs to
know that faith and science do not need to be kept in separate religion and science
classes but that they actually can enhance one another in a way that provides clarity
to our children."