An ethnographic study of a primary and secondary Australian Catholic boys school--the Christian Brothers College (CBC)--examined the historical relationship between Catholic schools, Catholic religious formation, and social mobility in Australia. The methodology used includes classroom observation, interviews, participation in social and religious activities, and analysis of documents. Results include the following: religious education at CBC competes unfavorably with academic priorities; the overwhelming academic emphasis of the school, coupled with a restrictive entrance policy and the historical emphasis on social mobility, denies an absolute priority for religious formation; coordination of religious education is vague and remote; religion is regarded as a discrete subject unit. The historical task of educating Catholic youth for social mobility is seen as part of the apostolate of the Christian Brothers to serve the needy. However, this mission of service has become a conservative reproductive mission--one of equipping middle class Catholics to take their places in a predominantly middle class society. Students are not taught to question the social order. (RM)