Catholic education in Australia

Catholic Edu

The mission of the Church is "to evangelize, for the interior transformation and the renewal of humanity" (Congregation for Catholic Education 1988, p. 53). For young people, the school is the hub of the process of evangelism. However, a school must also be understood as a civic institution. The dual nature of a Catholic school as both civic institution and a Christian community must be reconciled, and it is "not always easy to bring these two aspects into harmony," (Congregation for Catholic Education 1988, p. 54). This is especially true in light of the fact that many parents do not expect catechesis will be a part of their child's education. Graham (1994) notes, "Graham "teachers are so aware of the lack of family support for the religious development of their students," (p. 5). English (1992) also points out the social and political changes that are impacting the role and identities of Catholic schools and religious education.

One of the greatest challenges in Catholic education today is reconciling tradition with change. The key to the reconciliation is ironically a return to catechesis as a foundation of Catholic education. The Congregation for Catholic Education (1988) states, "The aim of catechesis, or handing on the Gospel message, is maturity: spiritual, liturgical, sacramental and apostolic; this happens most especially in a local Church community. The aim of the school however, is knowledge." Knowledge must be made thoroughly compatible with catechesis in an effective Catholic school. Students need both faith and knowledge development. The Catholic school also plays a central role in the community and in the society as a beacon of light.

One of the ways to reframe the issue of the role of Catholic education is to remember the distinction between religious education and catechesis. Religious education and catechesis are related, but are qualitatively different. Religious education can occur without catechesis, as in a secular school program. However, by definition catechesis can never occur outside of a religious context. Catechesis operates on the level of character development and spiritual progress. Religious education can be construed more as an intellectual pursuit.

According to Catholic6995, religious instruction should be "a scholastic discipline with the same systematic demands and the same rigour as other disciplines," (p. 74). The Catholic institution has an obligation to teach all subjects with equal academic rigor and that includes religious education. As English (1992) points out, parents and teachers are alike interested in incorporating a broader academic program even within the religious studies rubric.

Crotty, Fletcher & McGrath (1995) note that Catholic education must also have a firm scholastic foundation. However, there is a huge difference between a Catholic and a secular education. This difference is becoming increasingly glossed over, ignored, or forgotten by parents and even by teachers (English 1992). If the problem lies in the reduction of knowledge to secondary status, then schools certainly have an obligation to bolster academic programs. More often than not the Catholic instruction would be enhanced by a mutual strengthening of both knowledge and catechesis. Each should inform and empower the other.

The role of the Catholic school is to synthesize and fuse catechesis with religious education, and to imbue all subject areas with Catholic values. Faith becomes an integral part of student life. For example, the students will be given active time for prayer and spiritual -- not just religious -- studies (Crotty, Fletcher & McGrath 1995). Students at Catholic schools are learning how to integrate faith and culture, faith and personal life, faith and all other areas of life. A Catholic education offers a special primer with which to do so.

Graham (1994) points out that Catholic schools need to break free of the "isolationist paradigm that has been their practice and build a genuine catechetical partnership with families," (p. 4). One way of breaking free of isolationism is to recognize the "diverse scholastic contexts" in which the school operates, "(Catholic 6995 p. 74). The catechetical relationship does not stop with students; the role of the school extends into the community. If the role of the school is considered to be part of the evangelical process, as it is described by the Congregation for Catholic Education (1988), then the school needs to forge ties with families and members of the community. The Catholic school can provide opportunities for catechism that involve more than just students of the school but also parents and members of the community that do not have any practical ties with the school. As Crotty, Fletcher & McGrath (1995) state, the Catholic school can develop programs for Christian leadership, provide opportunities for community service, and develop other extracurricular activities that reflect Catholic ideals.