Letters

Catholic schools (letter)

Elizabeth Alderton

Contents - May 2004 - Buy a copy now Editorial: May: the month of Mary, Mother of God - Peter Westmore New liturgy document: Rome affirms right of laity to complain about abuses - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Australian Bishops' ad limina: strong leadership needed to confront secularism Ethics: Denial of food and water to patients is 'genuine euthanasia': John Paul II - Michael Casanova Church in UK welcomes abortion documentary - Anthony Cappello Priesthood: Pope's World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Fr Paul Stuart Events: Brisbane Corpus Christi Procession - Josie Mangano Education: The religious character of Catholic schools: how can it be enhanced? - Br Paul Macrossan CFC Poetry: Come As You Are (revised version) - Bruce Dawe Art: Beauty is very much an attribute of God - Sister Wendy - Sarah Macdonald Liturgy: Cardinal George of Chicago examines post-Vatican II liturgical reforms - Michael Gilchrist Letters: God's house (letter) - Melanie Costabile Letters: Timely article on reverence (letter) - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Reverence at Mass (letter) - Shirley Vaughan Letters: Eucharistic reverence (letter) - Carmel Strong Letters: Vocations guide (letter) - Patrick Ryan Letters: 'The Passion' (letter) - Bob Denahy Letters: Catholic schools (letter) - Elizabeth Alderton Letters: No laughing matter (letter) - Dr Lance Eccles Letters: Personhood (letter) - Dr Brian Pollard Letters: Darwinism (letter) - Michael Griffiths Events: Wagga Wagga Seminary Open Day 16 May Books: Marriage and Family in the Biblical World, edited by Ken Campbell - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Why Must I Suffer?, by Francis Remler - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: ANGLICANS AND ORTHODOX: Unity and Subversion (1559-1725), by Judith Pinnington - Tracey Rowland (reviewer) Books: AD Books - More new titles for 2004 - Anthony Cappello Reflection: Why the world needs Jesus Christ and Christian models - Fr Sebastian Camilleri OFM

Instead of sensationalising and bandwagonning about the supposed crisis in Catholic education, and "playing God" in your judgement of parents' motive in their sending of their children to Catholic schools, how about you pause for one moment and look at the power of the Holy Spirit at work in these microcosms of faith.

So parents don't give the "party line" for why they send their kids to Catholic schools; and yet of those specially baptised for entrance, significant numbers at secondary level respond to the teaching and the spirituality in the school with the desire to extend their sacramental participation.

Students retreat and experience [sic] some of the most profound faith experiences of their lives and staffs of almost exclusively "lost" post-Vatican II teachers carry on the mission and vision of the Church, many of them with post graduate qualifications in theology that would swamp those of the local parish priest.

Catholic schools have rigorous curriculum and opportunities for deepening of the Spirit. They are in every way living out the mission of the Church, often in circumstances of duress. Some support instead of sensationalism would be greatly appreciated by those of us at the chalk face.

ELIZABETH ALDERTON
elizabeth.alderton@schoolsnet.syd.catholic.edu.au

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 17 No 4 (May 2004), p. 16