Well here is a very sore topic for any parent with kids in school here.
The amount of time and money and effort wasted in making Catalan the first language in schools is mind numbing.

I reckon it is a secret Social Engineering plot to keep people here. If you have had your schooling in Catalan and have learnt maths and science etc. in Catalan, where else are you going to go to work or study??

Apart from the fact that the education dept. here is purposely trying to discourage people from further education and steer them towards a trade. They reckon there are too many qualified people here already!!

The "enthusiasm" for English is more to do with it being forced on them by the Generalitat to replace Spanish, as well as the fact that most of their pop music is in English. English is the 'PARTY' language - just take a look at the English media and tell me any different.
If you read the tourist write up on GenCat, they go on about being on the Iberian peninsula and not once is Spain mentioned anywhere! If I were american, I would certainly believe they share the Iberian peninsula with Portugal!
As far spreading the word abroad is concerned, you are right in one respect only, they treat Catalan like a religion.

Unfortunately my experience says that if you are english, they might treat you with slightly less animosity than the Spanish, but you are still 2nd class!
It was summed up nicely by a Catalan guy in the Hospital where my wife gave birth recently, (where only the Catalan woman had baby's nappy changed for them by the nurses - foreigners, with ceseareans, had to hobble along and do it themselves) - He said "You will not find Spanish hospitality in catalunya" - If you follow the well known ancient tradition of Catalan "subtle rebellion", that is saying: if you want us to be nice P..s off!

Well, there is also a well known English saying - "cutting off your nose to spite your face"! The spiteful denial of Spanish is almost suicidal.

The irony is that many young catalan kids are turning to talking spanish to be cool, as there are many cool Latin American stars and idols! Are they going to subtly censure Latin American musicians soon and pretend Shakira is Catalan or doesn't exist?? Who knows what goes on in the halls of power??
Unfortunately the Zapatero government is turning a blind eye to it and ignoring the fact that there is a law that makes bilingualism compulsory in public places.