And, colleges and universities in Massachusetts attract more federal research dollars than in any other state. I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that colleges and universities in Greater Boston, in particular, make our metropolitan area the intellectual capital of the United States. Not surprisingly, Boston College has been affected by these changes. We are a national university today, we emphasize both teaching and research, and we have graduate and professional programs in Law, Social Work, Education, and Nursing, and they rank in the top 30 of their respective disciplines. We also operate in the context of the Catholic Church, which has changed dramatically during the 20 th century.
Catholics are mainstream in American culture today.
One interesting manifestation of that is the presence of three Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court, something that would have caused great consternation in the early part of the 20th century. Like their fellow Americans, Catholic feel free to voice their opinions about a range of issues, including Church matters. Differences about ordination of women, authority, and moral teachings are commonplace in the Church today. Boston College exists in the context of contemporary American society and Catholicism, where change and pluralism are so evident. Such a context requires that the mission of Boston College be clear to internal and external audiences.