I READ Peter Mullins letter (CL 18/5/03) with interest.
I have been teaching in Catholic schools for nearly 25 years. For most of that time I have been responsible for religious education as either as a religious education co-ordinator or assistant principal for religious education.
I agree with much of what Mullins raises but I take issue with his gloom for the future.
At the synod here in Brisbane earlier this month, where I was a delegate, we were all hugely encouraged by the young people present. They spoke clearly and with passion of their faith. There is great hope for the Church!
Yes, many of our traditional ways of faith education seem to require replacement – though this is another complex issue.
For some time there has been a gap – but I would argue that this has now resulted in lay people – teachers in our Catholic schools stepping up and being that role model for their students. I certainly see it every day in many and varied ways!
Non-attendance at Mass is a problem. For many people, especially students in Catholic secondary schools their only experience of Church is the school. Hence there is a heightened responsibility on Catholic schools to be Church for these people. The response is sometimes limited by resources and availability of priests.
I currently work in a Catholic secondary school in Brisbane archdiocese which has no affiliation with a religious congregation – the school is just over 11 years old. We have struggled with our response to these issues.
Last year the school community funded a college chapel – a huge financial undertaking!
We have employed a chaplain, a Dominican priest, for two days a week. His function is to prepare and celebrate both Eucharist and Reconciliation with each RE class (33 classes across five year levels).
We celebrate a parish Mass in the chapel on Wednesday mornings at 8.15am to which we regularly have 40 or 50 people attend – teachers, students and some parishioners. We have a Mass at lunchtime each week that pastoral care teachers take responsibility for – their pastoral care groups attend and others are invited.
The local priests have been very generous in leading these celebrations.
The students experience a wide variety of liturgical forms. Our campus minister walks the journey of faith with our students. The struggling lunchtime meditation group has now expanded to two days a week.
Recently, we blessed our tabernacle and sacred vessels (chalice and ciborium) and are now reserving the Blessed Sacrament in the eucharistic chapel. And on it goes!
This is but one expression of how our school community is embracing the change in the Church yet holding on to traditional Catholic ways.
There are now numerous role models (teachers) – and not all go to Church each Sunday, but nevertheless they do provide a model for our students and they do walk the journey of faith with them.
With the current offerings in religious education, students are leaving our Catholic school much more literate in the faith than I was when I finished Year 12.
Our experiences at the synod clearly showed this.
Peter Mullins, don’t fear for the future. There is much energy for it. Young people are responding to the occasions of evangelisation that schools offer.
If we change our model, as you suggest, we will further distance the Church from our young people.
JOHN THOMAS
Assistant principal for religious education
Carmel College
Thornlands, Qld
