“A Catholic school, if it were to be biased at all, would share the bias of Christ; the weak, the poor, the disadvantaged” the bishop said.
“Catholic schools are inclusive, serve their communities, are appreciated and, in many cases, over-subscribed. That statement is true and can be verified independently. Yet, if one was to read some reports and listen to some reporters, Catholic schools are grim places of indoctrination. It seems that others accept this narrative simply because others say it. Many who say it have not visited a Catholic school or have not been in one since they left themselves.”
The bishop insisted that all those involved in Catholic schools should be proud of what they do. “Their teachers and their Board Members can be proud of the service that they offer to the local community, can be proud of how they have adapted to a changing demographic and can be proud of the vision and care that they offer their students. I would further argue that the commitment of these people comes from their Catholic Ethos, that all their students are made in the image and likeness of God and yet, if you read some reporting, it is as if they are doing a disservice to society.”
Bishop Deenihan asked why would anyone oppose a vision that brings well-being, resilience and a holistic education.
“I have approximately seventy Confirmation ceremonies each Spring and I am always moved by the faith and sincerity of the students. That is facilitated by the school and the teacher and, of course, the local priest, has a role in that too. That faith is important and will, I believe, help the student as they make their way through post-primary school, further training and life itself. Why would anyone oppose that vision and that opportunity for those who wish it. It is ironic that many who talk of well-being, resilience and a holistic education seem to wish to remove faith from the curriculum and the school day. It is faith in Jesus Christ and the knowledge that Jesus is with us and loves us that helps many to face the struggles of daily life and it is hope in eternal life that gives meaning to many in the face of difficulty. In promoting well-being, it seems strange to want to remove the voice of faith.”
And he added: “The difficulty is that the quest for multi-denominationalism is often no more than non-denominationalism and secularism.”
There must be a place for faith he argued: “Even in purely political terms, and that is not my main reasoning, in a pluralistic Europe, there must be a place for faith. If there is not, one risks compromising the aim of integration and, thereby, creating isolated communes and allowing more radical religious voices emerge. Catholic and other faith based schools who teach about faith and respect difference provide the best opportunity for this to happen.
There are those who would wish not to go to a Catholic school and that must be respected too.”
“I am really proud of how our Catholic schools cater for children in our country from different faiths and cultures, different ethnic backgrounds and abilities, different socio-economic backgrounds and nationalities. I appreciate the challenges that this can pose to teachers and Boards but it is a huge contribution to our country, community and parish. The level of volunteerism that the Board Members give is without precedent in terms of time, expertise and the acceptance of responsibility. My defence of Catholic schools involves defending that contribution from those who, for whatever, reason portray such volunteerism and Catholic schools themselves as a negative. Would that they would visit their local Catholic school and spend a day. I have also seen that contribution mirrored in the Catholic Post-primary sector, a sector that can be forgotten when we talk of Catholic Schools” he added.