In this article, the author, a professor and an academic administrator at a Catholic college, discusses the topics of academic freedom and intellectual debate within the context of Catholic schools operating under guidelines of the Vatican document "Ex Corde Ecclesiae." Under these guidelines, there are fundamental moral questions that are not open for debate. Positions on issues such as reproductive rights, extramarital sexual relations, and same-sex marriage are clearly defined in the teaching of the Catholic church; to be Catholic is fundamentally to uphold these positions. Still, even with this caveat, the Catholic intellectual tradition invites debate, discussion, and exploration regarding these matters and others, such as capital punishment, human rights, and global peace and justice. In the classroom, opposing views can be aired, dialogue can be initiated, and discussion can be encouraged so that students can understand the church's positions and be better prepared for a diverse world that does not hold any fixed, single position about fundamental issues of life.