Catholic School Formation in Catholic Discipleship Principal Window

Catholic School Formation in Catholic Discipleship

‘Principal Window’ n n We always have many motives What would be missing if Church did not educate? Bishop’s story about the ‘Centre’ Archers aim for the prize n The traveller who does not know where he is going has all the weariness of the journey but never gets there. (Cassian)

Importance of the top Goal n n Clarifies identity n Provides a direction n Gives meaning to individual actions Unifies actions n n Enables us to evaluate actions Frees us from false goals Empowers us Helps us to educate and form others

Intermediate Goals n n Learning in a Catholic environment n n ‘Educational excellence’ Gospel Values n Personal relationship with Jesus n My version of Catholicism Justice, Reconciliation, Peace The study of religion Parental expectations

Discipleship The fundamental differences between religious and other forms of education is that its aim is commitment of one’s whole person to the person of Jesus Christ.

Catholic Discipleship is the Top Goal ‘Catholic Schools are a means to provide the Catholic community with a forum to educate and form their children in the faith, and offer them an experience of following Jesus as members of the Catholic Community. ’ Bishop David Walker

Being a Catholic is not just belief in particular doctrines, though it does have a particular doctrinal dimension. a particular set of rituals, though it does express itself in particular rituals. a particular set of behaviours, though it does express itself in particular behaviours. adherence to a particular set of values, though it does involve values. It involves all these things, lived with the context of a personal and communal faith relationship with God. It is a unique way of being a disciple of Jesus.

‘Being Catholic is a personal and communal response to the love which God has manifested in Jesus, as it is perceived, proclaimed and lived by the Catholic Community in the light of its scriptural and historical traditions and its contemporary interpretation of them’ Bishop David Walker

Behaviour Intellect Will There is an interplay between these elements. Each must be in equilibrium.

Intellectual Cognitive/Understanding It is ‘taught’, not caught Story and beliefs: a reflective interaction between the tradition and its contemporary experience Outcome: Intellectual acceptance

Intellectual The rational, without the behavioural or the affective, can make our journey to God - become abstract, hard and shallow - be replaced with philosophy or science, a study of religions - be lost to indifference and rationalism - be impersonal, not owned or appropriated - just a head trip.

Will Affective/Emotional It is ‘caught’ (by example), not taught Choice/decision/commitment A response to live within the life of the Church Outcome: a sense of belonging

Affective The affective without the cognitive and the behavioral can make our journey - mere subjectivity and sentimentality, even verging on delusion - a tyranny of mood or fancy - fanaticism - an emotional trip

Behavioural Actions It is ‘lived’ Worship, service, evangelisation Outcome: living personally and communally within the life of the Catholic community

Behavioural The behavioural, without the cognitive and the affective, can make our journey to God - limited, - routine, habit, ritualism, - superstitious, - be seen in terms of law or politics, - a rigid behaviourism.

School staff who truly live their faith will be agents of a new evangelisation in creating a positive climate for the Christian faith to grow in spiritually nourishing the students entrusted to their care. Pope John Paul II (2001), Ecclesia in Oceania, 33

Staff n n n Appreciate Catholic discipleship Recognise the mission of the Church in education Committed to the goals of our schools n n n Willing to carry through our prepared programs Willing and courageous enough to take stands on key issues Willing to be educated and formed to do the job well

What is classroom Religious Do I have a role in Religious Education? ? n n Catholic school: formation in Catholic discipleship Catholic school: a web of formative religious experiences in which all teachers contribute in varying ways RE: an educational focus with educational purposes and outcomes RE: a compelling invitation to faith and discipleship