Letters

Catholic schools

Kevin McBride

Contents - Jun 2005 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Corpus Christi - the Body of Christ Habemus Papam: Benedict XVI charts course as successor to John Paul II - Michael Gilchrist He was my Pope, too: a Lutheran's appreciation of John Paul II - Uwe Siemon-Netto News: The Church Around the World The Catholic Church's dissenters miss the boat - Chris Hilder Benedict XVI and liturgical reform - Dom Alcuin Reid OSB Mother Teresa's legacy continued at Georgetown University - Peter Reynolds Papal awards for WA Catholic politicians - Hugh Ryan The previous Pope Benedict and his quest for world peace - R.J. Stove Letters: John Paul the Great? - Patrick Ryan Letters: Papal election - Frank Bellet Letters: New Pope - Deidre Lyra Letters: Unchanging teachings - Greg O'Regan Letters: A true shepherd - Lynn Wise Letters: Another Parish - Peter Gilet Letters: Pre-Vatican II myths - Douglas V. Boyle Letters: Chavagnes College - Pascale Cotterill Letters: Outstanding education at Chavagnes College - Br John Moylan CFC, MA, MEd Letters: Revolt manifesto - P. Gartland Letters: Sanity? - Tom King Letters: Catholic schools - Kevin McBride Letters: Sponsorship request from Uganda - Joise Nasuna Letters: Kathmandu school - John E.J. Fetz Events: Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul - Fraternity of St Peter Events: Juventutem WYD 2005 Cologne Pilgrimage - FSP Books: John Paul the Great, edited by William Oddie - John R. Barich (reviewer) Events: Catholic Doctors' Association Mass and Dinner Poetry: Sonnet on the Election of Pope Benedict XVI - Bruce Dawe Books: More Good Reading from AD Books Reflection: Cardinal Nguyen van Thuan: witness to the priesthood and Eucharist - Fr Dennis Byrnes

I refer to an interesting article (May AD2000) by Shannon Donahoo, "Religious Education: Catholic youth have their say ".

Shannon has pinpointed the morass that pervades Catholic Education today - within my personal view and knowledge. The article is wide-ranging in scope with positive comments as well as much food for thought for those Catholics who are dissatisfied with the status-quo but meekly apathetic in accepting that "all must be alright really".

Unfortunately Shannon Donahoo would lack the influence required to bring about long-overdue changes to Catholic religious education throughout Australia. But nobody else seems to be in this position either - other than, of course, the bishops of Australia if they were to act in a united way in addressing the problems.

Until all the Australian bishops address the inadequacies of our children's religious education in Catholic schools they, and they alone, must bear a major share of responsibility for the statistics which continue to inform us that 90 per cent or more of young Catholics attending Catholic schools abandon their Faith upon leaving these schools.

Shannon deserves our thanks for this provocative but helpful analysis of our dire circumstances.

KEVIN McBRIDE
Aberfoyle Park, SA

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 18 No 5 (June 2005), p. 16