Why have Catholic Schools and Colleges?

 Umm…. to demonstrate that all faiths are one really? That we're all members of the same club? To provide for pupils of all faith backgrounds?

A few extracts from the website of a Diocese that has integrity and truth
 at its heart….

“Teachers in Catholic schools have the privilege of leading pupils in the faith, nurturing them to a fuller knowledge and love of God working in the Church.  This is or course no easy task, but there are many resources that can be of help”.

and….

“In a Catholic school the following will be integrated into the induction standards:

·        The distinctive nature of the Catholic school;

·        Provision for spiritual and moral development across the curriculum;

·        Curriculum religious education in the Catholic school;

·        Worship in the Catholic school;

·        The teaching of the Catholic Church.”

….and also….

“The Church as always promoted education.  God made the world, and everything and everybody in it; and the more we understand the world, its history, and our place in it as human beings, the better equipped

we are to increase our faith and hope in God, our love for God and our neighbour, and our love for the Church on earth, in and through which God invites us all to come to know, love and serve him.

As the Catechism says, “Parents are the principal and first educators of their children”.  So all schools exist to help parents to fulfil this duty and privilege of providing education.  A short answer to the question “Why have Catholic schools and colleges?”  is, “So that Catholic parents can have the best opportunities for enabling their children to grow to responsible adulthood in the knowledge and love of God and neighbour”, or putting it another way, “the best opportunities for helping their children to develop a deeply-rooted and fully mature Catholic faith and life”.

This means that the schools and colleges must be good schools and colleges – they must do their best to provide competent or even excellent teaching through a full and well-balanced curriculum, in a good atmosphere which encourages achievement.  And they must be Catholic schools and colleges: not in theory or in name only, but by way of a readiness to promote understanding of and commitment to the fullness of Catholic truth and sacramental life, even in the face of the increasing rejection of Catholic values (which are truly human values, to be embraced by everybody, not only Catholics) by people with power and influence in today’s world.

It is a great blessing that there are many Catholic schools and colleges in England and Wales.  The majority of these schools are “maintained schools” and most are classed as voluntary aided schools which since 1944 have been able to provide education for Catholic pupils and other pupils without school fees, as all the recurring expenses of the schools are paid by Government”.

Now, could you please hazard a guess as to which Diocese in England and Wales has these aspirations and standards?

Answers in the comment box please, no prizes, sorry.