Letters

Fixing the schools

G. Brian Bibby

Contents - Aug 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Census 2006: 'No religion' up, Christians down Lex orandi: Benedict XVI's liturgical armistice: 'Summorum Pontificum' - Fr Glen Tattersall Events: LATIN MASS CELEBRATIONS - Melbourne and Sydney University: Australian Catholic students' conference: 'an inspiring experience' - Br Barry Coldrey News: The Church Around the World World Congress of Families: grass roots ecumenism at work - Babette Francis Society: Defending faith and reason in public life - Eamonn Keane Catholics and the pornography epidemic - Bishop Robert Finn Why Catholic parents choose home-schooling - Leslie Sammut Obituary: Death of distinguished Australian philosopher John Ziegler - John Young Catholic students' joyful encounter with the Church's sacred music treasury - Gabrielle Walsh Letters: Vatican II infallible? - Frank Mobbs Letters: Stem cell 'debate' - Chris Hilder Letters: Breath of hope - Terry and Rosemary McDonnell Letters: Catholic politicians - Patricia Halligan Letters: Truth and courage - Errol P. Duke Letters: 'Staunch' Catholics? - Frank Bellet Letters: Study leave - Eamonn Keane Poetry: Shrapnel - Bruce Dawe Letters: Combating AIDS - Franklin J. Wood Letters: Education campaign - Henry Erftemeyer Letters: Fixing the schools - G. Brian Bibby DOES YOUR PARISH STOCK AD2000? Books: Jesus of Nazareth: Baptism to Transfiguration, by Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: The World's First Love, by Fulton J. Sheen - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality - Michael E. Daniel (reviewer) Books: AD2000 Books Reflection: The Assumption: how the Christian arts honour the Virgin Mary

I refer to Brother Barry Coldrey's article (May AD2000) and to the secularisation of our so-called Catholic schools.

Br Coldrey's definition of the 'new Catholics' summarises perfectly what my friends Blind Freddy and Snowy on the trams have been telling me for years.

Br Coldrey set out three preconditions that must exist before we can even start the process of change.

The first was, 'The Bishops need to issue a strong, confident statement on the purpose of Catholic schools and colleges'.

Even if this were possible it would only apply to diocesan schools. The bishops have little or no authority over many of the 'Order' schools, including Brother Coldrey's own Christian Brothers order.

The first precondition is really THE precondition since without it the second and third preconditions will not eventuate. No matter how efficacious the eight steps of the solution might be, they will be stillborn.

The reasons for this belief, while being in basic agreement with Br Coldrey's article, are set out below.

1. My children's generation who went to Catholic schools did not receive a Catholic education.

2. My grandchildren's generation who are going to Catholic schools are not receiving a Catholic education.

3. The number of religious teaching in Catholic schools is negligible.

4. Lay teachers in Catholic schools who are of my children's generation have not received a Catholic education and therefore are not equipped to provide a Catholic education for the students in their care.

5. Government financial aid has had strings attached.

6. There has been considerable pressure from society at large and some teachers within the Catholic system to push for the values of the post- modern, secular society.

7. Teachers who have a commitment to a truly Catholic education are pressured to conform or suffer the consequences. For some this means depression; others just leave.

8. There are very few male teachers in primary schools. Feminist thinking predominates.

9. Genuine Catholic parents who want a Catholic education for their children do not know how to measure the value of what is currently being offered as Catholic education, because they did not receive one themselves.

For these reasons and those listed in Br Coldrey's article, I do not believe that the existing Catholic schools and colleges can be fixed.

I do, however, believe that we can provide a truly Catholic education for those Catholics who seek it.

G. BRIAN BIBBY
Forest Hill, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 7 (August 2007), p. 16