ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Patricia (Patti) Hershwitzky, Ed.S., is the author of two books: The Third Millennium Woman, CMJ Catholic Books and West Las Vegas, Arcadia Publications; past magazine articles in Hearts Aflame Magazine, Canticle, Hearth, and Crisis; and numerous published communications.
Preceded by a childhood as an Army dependent who traveled the world and during some of its worst post World War II crises, the author of Teaching the City of God in the City of Man brings a varied and sometimes conflicting background that spans over fifty years in political science, journalism-writing, and education. Her journey has taken her from being a Young Democrat in San Francisco’s Moscone-Milk-Feinstein era to campaigning for conservative candidates in several states on both coasts. While her initial career was initiated by working for a tourist magazine and then as a public relations and advertising account executive, disillusionment with the world, turned her back to the one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and an entry into education. Yet, even in the late 1980’s that field was already being contaminated by agnostic, at best, influences that nearly derailed her credential program.
It was also a period of realization that Catholic schools, while employing good hearted and capable teachers, were being misdirected and unduly affected by unChristian concepts. Following ten years in Catholic schools in California and Maryland, the author ventured into the public system for twelve years, candidly necessitated by economic factors but also in the hopes of being a Catholic presence albeit subtly. Even more startling realities about the state of education, overall awaited her. In twelve years, despite numerous endeavors and community interaction, some in leadership roles, the author concluded that American culture had so far deteriorated that nothing short of an almost miraculous intervention would alter the downward trajectory.
Afterwards, re-entering Catholic schooling as a principal, she experienced a deep fissure in attitude towards both the Faith and its role in education among parents and teachers. Within one generation, the situation had grown more perilous. Even some well intentioned, good hearted educators seemed more intent on accommodating parents— “consumer satisfaction” dilemma —and appearing democratic than contemplating students’ souls and the Kingdom of God.
It would be the culmination of a life that had went down a wrong path for well over a decade, followed by the rediscovery of Catholic identity, and then sorrow and stark dread of so many lost people that compelled the author to first envision better texts. Ultimately, an entirely different approach to preparing Catholic educators became the mission as so many, through no fault of their own, had been descendants of diluted teaching for several generations. Yet, it had to be an enterprise that had its footing in the world but its head directed by Heaven.
Thus ultimately arose Teaching the City of God in the City of Man.