WITH the beginning of the school year, the question is again being asked: How effective are our Catholic Schools in teaching the students how to live the faith, and how effective are they in encouraging them to live the Catholic faith?
I am a parish priest of a large parish.
I believe that we have a real problem in some of our schools.
We have many dedicated teachers of religion in our schools.
We also have some who show very little interest in the formal practice of the Catholic faith in their own life.
In my own parish we have some teachers who teach in Catholic schools, and teach religious education classes, but who show no interest in the formal practice of the faith.
I have not seen them at Sunday Mass for several years. They are not involved in any aspect of Church life in the parish.
I am confident that they would not be effective in encouraging their students to attend Sunday Mass regularly, and to take Jesus Christ’s teaching to heart and practice it.
I believe that religious education classes in Catholic schools should be taught by sincere practising Catholics.
They should be able to produce a reference from their parish priest – or the priest where they attend Sunday Mass – regarding the practice of the faith. And this should be renewed every few years.
If necessary, we should have fewer teachers of religious education, but with these teachers taking more classes.
They should also be required to teach the Catholic faith, not their own opinions about the teaching of the Church.
This is particularly relevant at secondary schools.
Catholic parents have a right to expect this when they send their child to a Catholic School.
Catholic schools were established in Australia to teach the students to live according to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
Faith is to be lived.
We are not simply teaching students about Jesus Christ. We need to teach them to follow his teaching, and how to follow his teaching.
There is an urgent need to address and overcome our failures.
So much can be achieved with God’s help.
A PARISH PRIEST
Name and address supplied.
