Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2013 15:29:55 GMT
I believe this matter is crucial to the future of Catholicism in Ireland it deserves its own thread.
Archbishop Martin, please copy:
www.omearaferguson.com/newsletter/tquid/printable/2012/TQ-121412-v3i3-2.pdf
www.omearaferguson.com/newsletter/tquid/printable/2012/TQ-121412-v3i3-2.pdf
I would urge everyone that has an interest in the future of Catholicism in Ireland to take a little time to study the above article. It is excellent. Thank you hibernicus for posting it.
I would also urge everyone reading this to post a hardcopy of the article to their local Bishop.
Regardless as to how many Catholic schools are eventually transferred over to the state to become non denominational schools, we must return our full attention to those that remain, consolidate them, and ensure they are fit for purpose.
Those that wish to remove Catholic schools from education all together, always insist that religion should be taught only at home by the parents. This is said knowing full well that many current Irish Catholic parents were so poorly catechised in our Cathollic schools in their time there, that they now see it as an unnecessary and fruitless endeavor to attend mass weekly, never mind have a correct and solid enough understanding of Catholicism to pass it onto their children.
New Evangelisation is now being called for by Pope Benedict XVI. As you may know, the New Evangelization is “new” in three ways: in methods, in ardor, and in expression.
As part of this New Evangelisation, we must at the very least "hold what we have" and build the future on it. Our Catholic schools, and how our Catholic Children are taught there, will be the future of Catholicism in Ireland.
As the article explains, the most basic qualities a Catholic school must seeks to inculcate in its students are:
1. a conviction about the truth
2. a sense of order
3. a sense of one’s purpose or mission in life
"We need to help our students to be world-wise without being worldly, to see clearly the good and the evil elements of the culture and yet to see them with innocent eyes, so that they may withstand the inevitable temptations they will face and persevere in the faith we have taught them long after they leave the classroom."
"We need to be very clear about what we are offering to families as Catholic educators: a thoroughly Catholic environment in which all students will be offered a privileged opportunity to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ in the community of the Church and to achieve excellence in a range of academic disciplines and extra-curricular activities."
"In the Sciences, we must be sure that our students leave our schools with an understanding that the order discovered by science is guaranteed by God’s authorship of creation. Science is not an enemy of religion, but rather leads—when done properly—to a deeper piety and to the glorification of God. To repeat what I said earlier: faith and science are complementary, and we need to help our students not only to “parrot” this truth, but to understand it so that they can defend it"
"In the area of Catechesis, we want to form young Catholic men and women who can offer to their society the Church’s confession of faith and who are able to articulate that faith in persuasive terms. Our catechesis needs to be as intellectually rigorous as the most rigorous elements in our curricula."
"In athletics and other extra-curricular activities, we need to seize upon the natural enthusiasm of our students and families for these activities and foster them as schools of virtue. Sports, in a particular way, but also other extra- curricular activities, provide a significant analogue for moral action, and we cannot afford to lose these opportunities to inculcate the Christian way of life."
"With regard to Vocations, we need to be attentive to what our students choose to do with their lives. . . . we need to pay close attention to what they are doing in college and beyond, and to think carefully about what we can do to help them know God’s will and say a wholehearted “yes” to his will as it is made known to them. This “yes” to God’s call has both to do with the professions our students take up and with their state in life, whether God calls them to Marriage and family life, to the priesthood, or to consecrated life."
I firmly believe it is the duty of each and every generation of Catholic to ensure the younger generation equals and then excels our own knowledge and practice of faith.
It is our responsibility to initially guide and then support admirable young adults that will “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. - St. Francis of Assisi "
Life Vocations, both lay and religious, and support for them, are born and fostered in our Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools.
The quality and standard of catechesis and all round life education in our remaining Schools will absolutely determine the future of Catholicism in Ireland, and along with Parish catechesis for existing Catholics, it should be at the core of New Evangelism in Ireland.
Not much point sending Catholics out as examples into the world until they know and live their faith.
What is also absolutely critical for this New Evangelisation, is New Evangelisation in our teacher training, and regular and continued support and regular refresher courses for the continuous development, renewal and re-invigoration of our existing teachers.
Please keep your local schools and teachers, and all our schools and teachers, continuously in your prayers.
Vigneron of Detroit on why Catholic schools are indispensable instruments of the New Evangelisation.
Archbishop Martin, please copy:
www.omearaferguson.com/newsletter/tquid/printable/2012/TQ-121412-v3i3-2.pdf
www.omearaferguson.com/newsletter/tquid/printable/2012/TQ-121412-v3i3-2.pdf
I would urge everyone that has an interest in the future of Catholicism in Ireland to take a little time to study the above article. It is excellent. Thank you hibernicus for posting it.
I would also urge everyone reading this to post a hardcopy of the article to their local Bishop.
Regardless as to how many Catholic schools are eventually transferred over to the state to become non denominational schools, we must return our full attention to those that remain, consolidate them, and ensure they are fit for purpose.
Those that wish to remove Catholic schools from education all together, always insist that religion should be taught only at home by the parents. This is said knowing full well that many current Irish Catholic parents were so poorly catechised in our Cathollic schools in their time there, that they now see it as an unnecessary and fruitless endeavor to attend mass weekly, never mind have a correct and solid enough understanding of Catholicism to pass it onto their children.
New Evangelisation is now being called for by Pope Benedict XVI. As you may know, the New Evangelization is “new” in three ways: in methods, in ardor, and in expression.
As part of this New Evangelisation, we must at the very least "hold what we have" and build the future on it. Our Catholic schools, and how our Catholic Children are taught there, will be the future of Catholicism in Ireland.
As the article explains, the most basic qualities a Catholic school must seeks to inculcate in its students are:
1. a conviction about the truth
2. a sense of order
3. a sense of one’s purpose or mission in life
"We need to help our students to be world-wise without being worldly, to see clearly the good and the evil elements of the culture and yet to see them with innocent eyes, so that they may withstand the inevitable temptations they will face and persevere in the faith we have taught them long after they leave the classroom."
"We need to be very clear about what we are offering to families as Catholic educators: a thoroughly Catholic environment in which all students will be offered a privileged opportunity to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ in the community of the Church and to achieve excellence in a range of academic disciplines and extra-curricular activities."
"In the Sciences, we must be sure that our students leave our schools with an understanding that the order discovered by science is guaranteed by God’s authorship of creation. Science is not an enemy of religion, but rather leads—when done properly—to a deeper piety and to the glorification of God. To repeat what I said earlier: faith and science are complementary, and we need to help our students not only to “parrot” this truth, but to understand it so that they can defend it"
"In the area of Catechesis, we want to form young Catholic men and women who can offer to their society the Church’s confession of faith and who are able to articulate that faith in persuasive terms. Our catechesis needs to be as intellectually rigorous as the most rigorous elements in our curricula."
"In athletics and other extra-curricular activities, we need to seize upon the natural enthusiasm of our students and families for these activities and foster them as schools of virtue. Sports, in a particular way, but also other extra- curricular activities, provide a significant analogue for moral action, and we cannot afford to lose these opportunities to inculcate the Christian way of life."
"With regard to Vocations, we need to be attentive to what our students choose to do with their lives. . . . we need to pay close attention to what they are doing in college and beyond, and to think carefully about what we can do to help them know God’s will and say a wholehearted “yes” to his will as it is made known to them. This “yes” to God’s call has both to do with the professions our students take up and with their state in life, whether God calls them to Marriage and family life, to the priesthood, or to consecrated life."
I firmly believe it is the duty of each and every generation of Catholic to ensure the younger generation equals and then excels our own knowledge and practice of faith.
It is our responsibility to initially guide and then support admirable young adults that will “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. - St. Francis of Assisi "
Life Vocations, both lay and religious, and support for them, are born and fostered in our Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools.
The quality and standard of catechesis and all round life education in our remaining Schools will absolutely determine the future of Catholicism in Ireland, and along with Parish catechesis for existing Catholics, it should be at the core of New Evangelism in Ireland.
Not much point sending Catholics out as examples into the world until they know and live their faith.
What is also absolutely critical for this New Evangelisation, is New Evangelisation in our teacher training, and regular and continued support and regular refresher courses for the continuous development, renewal and re-invigoration of our existing teachers.
Please keep your local schools and teachers, and all our schools and teachers, continuously in your prayers.