Boards of management of Catholic schools should spend far more time asking the question whether their school is truly Catholic [1].
That’s according to the bishops’ delegate on educational matters, Bishop Tom Deenihan.
Speaking at the AGM of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) in Athlone, the Bishop of Meath asked how would people recognise “that your school is Catholic without a saint’s name in the title?”.
Addressing Boards of Management in particular, he said: “How much time is given to real religious education, food that endures to eternal life in your school? It may be a difficult question and perhaps an unwelcome one but it is an important one and it is our business and our responsibility. What percentage of in-service time, of the annual budget is given to ethos and /or religious education by the Board? To paraphrase the gospel question, has faith now become the prophet not recognized in his own country, literally, the Board agenda?”
“Is your Catholic school the prophet not recognised in its own country or parish. If so, for God’s sake, will someone on the Board ask why?”