Re-imagining the Catholic School – What is it all about?
04 March 2004
1
Thank you for your invitation to be with you today. I must admit to feeling a little hesitant since I know some of you and I am aware you know more than I do about the every day running of our schools and the requirements of education law.
2
So I admit, I do not come as a specialist in education and schooling. Instead I come as a Diocesan Bishop who has a number of schools in the diocese and who has a care for them. I see them as an important part of our ministry and mission to young people.
3
My second confession is that after the age of 10, I didn’t go to a Catholic school – much to the concern of the nuns who taught me at primary school. I was due to go to the Jesuits, but didn’t make it – that’s a story which I will tell you about at coffee if you are interested.
4
My memories of primary school are still vivid and are on the whole happy. Part of that memory is the singing of ‘God bless our Pope’ every Friday morning; processions for Our Lady; Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart; Benediction on Friday and what seemed never ending recitations of the Rosary during May. It was a relief that there was none of this at my next school.
5
What I think was happening was not indoctrination but an introduction into Catholic culture. We were being inculturated into Catholicism, or at least Catholicism at the time. The question was, ‘What is it to be a Catholic?’ What was our identity? And that inculturation into Catholicism was not just for Catholics. My friend Michael was an Anglican who went home one day in tears because Sister Margarita had drawn a line on the blackboard which represented life. When we died we fell below the line, heading straight for Hell. If we were Catholics we might fall on a ledge which was Purgatory and be pulled up to Heaven. If we weren’t Catholics then we missed the ledge and consequently Heaven. Michael’s parents complained and Sister was reprimanded.
6
That was all some time ago and things have changed. But the questions about identity, which were being addressed then, are still important. What is it to be a Catholic today - in a very changed Church and society from the 1950s? And perhaps more importantly, ‘What is it to be a human being?’ ‘What is to be truly human?’ That involves us in a search not only to understand ourselves but to try and make sense and give meaning to our culture.
7
These questions about “being human” are for the whole community but I think they are especially important for our educational institutions. I like the definition of education given by the Pope’s letter ‘In Verbo Tuo’ – ‘New Vocations for a New Europe’, when the Pope reminds us that education – e-ducere- is a drawing out from the person his or her truth, what he or she has in the heart, especially about themselves.
8
I know a lot of discussion, prayer and thought has gone into the purpose of our Catholic schools over the last number of years. Much of this has been very valuable and has placed most of our schools in a favourable light. Faith schools are very popular with a large number of people.
9
But I think the conversation about the place of the Catholic school needs to be addressed more broadly, not just within the Catholic educational community but in the Catholic community as a whole. Do we still see our schools as an essential part of the mission of the Church? Do we believe that? Do we still “own” our schools in the same way as in the past or do we see them just as one choice out of many. And who are they for?
10
The question “Who are they for?” is currently exercising our mind in Clifton. We have a school situated in an area where the Catholic population has fallen and consequently the number of students from other traditions is very high. We also have another area of the city where the Catholic population has grown and will probably continue to grow due to new housing but there is no Catholic Secondary school. Four years ago the Diocesan Trustees decided that the Catholic Secondary school should close and be re-located to the growing population area. This move would also facilitate the Local Authority to develop its schooling provision. As you can imagine there are complications. However, the reason we are being criticised is because it appears we are closing a school which is situated in a materially deprived area that has a high ethnic population. The local community uses our school to a great extent, and the school is regarded as “successful” while the new school has still not been agreed upon by the DfES.
11
The question arises ‘are our schools for the Catholic population or are our schools part of the Church’s contribution to the wider community and for the building up of the common good?’ In many church documents concerning education there is a great stress on ‘option for the poor’ and by that it doesn’t mean “Catholic poor” but all who are poor and those who suffer oppression , racism and injustice. I think there are some important questions here. They need to be addressed realistically and with an acknowledgement of the resources we have at hand, not the least of which is the supply of Catholic teachers especially, but not only, at senior management level.
12
In trying to answer the question, ‘What is the Catholic School about?’ I think we must see it within our understanding of the Church as a communion with a mission. That mission is to enable “communion”.
13
The Catholic School should have a sense of mission and not simply be regarded as a provision for people. The mission of the School is the same as that of the Church which is the proclamation, the celebration and the living of the Gospel which enables people to walk in the truth of their lives, because our belief is that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Our schools are about the pursuit of truth which is more than intellectual knowledge - it is that drawing out from the person of their unique truth which is enriching not only for the person but also for others. As the Vatican Document “The Catholic School on the threshold of the new millennium” says “The person is at the heart of Christ’s teaching. That is why the promotion of the human person is the goal of the Catholic School”.
14
The “human person” who comes into our Catholic School does not come with a “tabula rasa”. Whether student, teacher, parent, governor or ancillary staff - they all come from somewhere and have a story to their lives already. Some come from supportive and happy backgrounds. Others come from broken backgrounds and can already be hardened by life. There are influences at work which we may take for granted as being “the norm” but actually they need challenging by the Gospel. Without consciously being aware, we are often influenced in making our value judgments by consumerism, materialism and individualism. Though parents may have chosen a Faith School for their children, both parents and children can be indifferent and apathetic to the Church and be initially more attracted by the discipline of the school or its academic achievement.
15
The School can reflect the society of which we are all part – a society that is often restless, lost and hurt, living without hope. A society that believes if I increase my income or have a good job the inner truth of “Who I am” will be made clear. We know that is not true.
16
The challenge then is to draw out of the individual the truth of his or her heart and to help them understand that we can only know that truth in relationship to others. We are made in the image and likeness of God who is relationship and we are called by God in our uniqueness into community. In our diversity our “oneness” is rich.
17
To achieve that “communion” is a challenge and it can never be fully achieved on earth. Life is a process of coming into communion with God and others. In that process we have to face self-interest, ignorance, injustice, individualism, brokenness in relationship, illness and death. But the power of God to heal is stronger than all of this. “Communion” is about loving one another into life. Communion is not an idea but a way of living life – a way in which we discover the meaning of life and make connections with one another, with the wisdom of the present and with the wisdom of the past, so we can live wisely now and for the future. Our schools can become “communions” if we live with this vision and celebrate the presence of God who calls us and enables us to live in communion. Our schools don’t achieve communion in its fullness but are instruments of communion.
18
In that process our school communities are not only in conversation with the Catholic community but also the wider community of which they are part, sharing resources and the insight into the meaning of life which is brought by the Gospel. When I was at primary school, perhaps I was being encouraged to live within a Catholic ghetto, finding my identity as a Catholic in isolation from others. Now we recognise that being a Catholic today is recognising the responsibility Catholics have for creating a just environment in which the dignity of all is upheld and bonds of co-operation forged. Catholic schools are about helping to form citizens who act for the common good. As Martin Luther King said: We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.
19
I believe our Catholic Schools can make a very valuable contribution not only to the Catholic community but to society as a whole, if they are places where people experience “communion” and are thus able to grow in their uniqueness’. If they are only places of good discipline, good academic results, enabling people to get good jobs, then they may be successful in an understanding of life based on individualism and consumerism, but they have failed in their mission to proclaim the Gospel which enables people to live peacefully in communion with self, others and earth.
20
Thank you for your time and your listening.
1
Thank you for your invitation to be with you today. I must admit to feeling a little hesitant since I know some of you and I am aware you know more than I do about the every day running of our schools and the requirements of education law.
2
So I admit, I do not come as a specialist in education and schooling. Instead I come as a Diocesan Bishop who has a number of schools in the diocese and who has a care for them. I see them as an important part of our ministry and mission to young people.
3
My second confession is that after the age of 10, I didn’t go to a Catholic school – much to the concern of the nuns who taught me at primary school. I was due to go to the Jesuits, but didn’t make it – that’s a story which I will tell you about at coffee if you are interested.
4
My memories of primary school are still vivid and are on the whole happy. Part of that memory is the singing of ‘God bless our Pope’ every Friday morning; processions for Our Lady; Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart; Benediction on Friday and what seemed never ending recitations of the Rosary during May. It was a relief that there was none of this at my next school.
5
What I think was happening was not indoctrination but an introduction into Catholic culture. We were being inculturated into Catholicism, or at least Catholicism at the time. The question was, ‘What is it to be a Catholic?’ What was our identity? And that inculturation into Catholicism was not just for Catholics. My friend Michael was an Anglican who went home one day in tears because Sister Margarita had drawn a line on the blackboard which represented life. When we died we fell below the line, heading straight for Hell. If we were Catholics we might fall on a ledge which was Purgatory and be pulled up to Heaven. If we weren’t Catholics then we missed the ledge and consequently Heaven. Michael’s parents complained and Sister was reprimanded.
6
That was all some time ago and things have changed. But the questions about identity, which were being addressed then, are still important. What is it to be a Catholic today - in a very changed Church and society from the 1950s? And perhaps more importantly, ‘What is it to be a human being?’ ‘What is to be truly human?’ That involves us in a search not only to understand ourselves but to try and make sense and give meaning to our culture.
7
These questions about “being human” are for the whole community but I think they are especially important for our educational institutions. I like the definition of education given by the Pope’s letter ‘In Verbo Tuo’ – ‘New Vocations for a New Europe’, when the Pope reminds us that education – e-ducere- is a drawing out from the person his or her truth, what he or she has in the heart, especially about themselves.
8
I know a lot of discussion, prayer and thought has gone into the purpose of our Catholic schools over the last number of years. Much of this has been very valuable and has placed most of our schools in a favourable light. Faith schools are very popular with a large number of people.
9
But I think the conversation about the place of the Catholic school needs to be addressed more broadly, not just within the Catholic educational community but in the Catholic community as a whole. Do we still see our schools as an essential part of the mission of the Church? Do we believe that? Do we still “own” our schools in the same way as in the past or do we see them just as one choice out of many. And who are they for?
10
The question “Who are they for?” is currently exercising our mind in Clifton. We have a school situated in an area where the Catholic population has fallen and consequently the number of students from other traditions is very high. We also have another area of the city where the Catholic population has grown and will probably continue to grow due to new housing but there is no Catholic Secondary school. Four years ago the Diocesan Trustees decided that the Catholic Secondary school should close and be re-located to the growing population area. This move would also facilitate the Local Authority to develop its schooling provision. As you can imagine there are complications. However, the reason we are being criticised is because it appears we are closing a school which is situated in a materially deprived area that has a high ethnic population. The local community uses our school to a great extent, and the school is regarded as “successful” while the new school has still not been agreed upon by the DfES.
11
The question arises ‘are our schools for the Catholic population or are our schools part of the Church’s contribution to the wider community and for the building up of the common good?’ In many church documents concerning education there is a great stress on ‘option for the poor’ and by that it doesn’t mean “Catholic poor” but all who are poor and those who suffer oppression , racism and injustice. I think there are some important questions here. They need to be addressed realistically and with an acknowledgement of the resources we have at hand, not the least of which is the supply of Catholic teachers especially, but not only, at senior management level.
12
In trying to answer the question, ‘What is the Catholic School about?’ I think we must see it within our understanding of the Church as a communion with a mission. That mission is to enable “communion”.
13
The Catholic School should have a sense of mission and not simply be regarded as a provision for people. The mission of the School is the same as that of the Church which is the proclamation, the celebration and the living of the Gospel which enables people to walk in the truth of their lives, because our belief is that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Our schools are about the pursuit of truth which is more than intellectual knowledge - it is that drawing out from the person of their unique truth which is enriching not only for the person but also for others. As the Vatican Document “The Catholic School on the threshold of the new millennium” says “The person is at the heart of Christ’s teaching. That is why the promotion of the human person is the goal of the Catholic School”.
14
The “human person” who comes into our Catholic School does not come with a “tabula rasa”. Whether student, teacher, parent, governor or ancillary staff - they all come from somewhere and have a story to their lives already. Some come from supportive and happy backgrounds. Others come from broken backgrounds and can already be hardened by life. There are influences at work which we may take for granted as being “the norm” but actually they need challenging by the Gospel. Without consciously being aware, we are often influenced in making our value judgments by consumerism, materialism and individualism. Though parents may have chosen a Faith School for their children, both parents and children can be indifferent and apathetic to the Church and be initially more attracted by the discipline of the school or its academic achievement.
15
The School can reflect the society of which we are all part – a society that is often restless, lost and hurt, living without hope. A society that believes if I increase my income or have a good job the inner truth of “Who I am” will be made clear. We know that is not true.
16
The challenge then is to draw out of the individual the truth of his or her heart and to help them understand that we can only know that truth in relationship to others. We are made in the image and likeness of God who is relationship and we are called by God in our uniqueness into community. In our diversity our “oneness” is rich.
17
To achieve that “communion” is a challenge and it can never be fully achieved on earth. Life is a process of coming into communion with God and others. In that process we have to face self-interest, ignorance, injustice, individualism, brokenness in relationship, illness and death. But the power of God to heal is stronger than all of this. “Communion” is about loving one another into life. Communion is not an idea but a way of living life – a way in which we discover the meaning of life and make connections with one another, with the wisdom of the present and with the wisdom of the past, so we can live wisely now and for the future. Our schools can become “communions” if we live with this vision and celebrate the presence of God who calls us and enables us to live in communion. Our schools don’t achieve communion in its fullness but are instruments of communion.
18
In that process our school communities are not only in conversation with the Catholic community but also the wider community of which they are part, sharing resources and the insight into the meaning of life which is brought by the Gospel. When I was at primary school, perhaps I was being encouraged to live within a Catholic ghetto, finding my identity as a Catholic in isolation from others. Now we recognise that being a Catholic today is recognising the responsibility Catholics have for creating a just environment in which the dignity of all is upheld and bonds of co-operation forged. Catholic schools are about helping to form citizens who act for the common good. As Martin Luther King said: We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.
19
I believe our Catholic Schools can make a very valuable contribution not only to the Catholic community but to society as a whole, if they are places where people experience “communion” and are thus able to grow in their uniqueness’. If they are only places of good discipline, good academic results, enabling people to get good jobs, then they may be successful in an understanding of life based on individualism and consumerism, but they have failed in their mission to proclaim the Gospel which enables people to live peacefully in communion with self, others and earth.
20
Thank you for your time and your listening.
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