COLLOQUIUM 2017

Prayer

Sr Geraldine Larkins led those present in prayer.  “May we never boast in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For the word of the Cross is the power of God to us who have been saved.”  We prayed Psalm 39 together, listened to John 12:24-26 and in unison prayed ‘The Love of the Lord’

Welcome

Catholic Education
A Changing Landscape

2016 CRVEd Symposium Recommendations: -

•       That all stakeholders (Bishops, Directors of Catholic education, Members of CRVEd and governing bodies) collaborate to formulate a strategic vision for Catholic education, ensuring accessibility for all, particularly the poor and marginalised.

•       To prioritise Mission Leadership for current and future leaders, teachers and governing authorities. Leadership is really more important than governance.

The Royal Commission: -

•       Australian church leaders travel to the Vatican for talks amid sex abuse scandal (The Australian)

According to the communique, other topics covered during the meeting included the relationship between the Church and society as a whole, the re-establishment of trust following the abuse crisis and a call for greater participation of laypersons in decision-making roles in the Church in Australia.

•       Sexual Abuse Trials

•       85 Proposed changes to the country’s criminal justice system

•       State legislation changes re Child Safety / Reportable conduct

•       Impact on governance of schools – 15 December

Enrolment Market Share: -

•       Catholic education educates 1 in 5 children

•       Small increase (+200) nationally, decreases in half the jurisdictions

•       Enrolment decline in W.A., S.A. ACT

•       Under represented nationally in the lower SES

•       Victoria:

•       Small growth - .40% approx. 400 students

•       Changing enrolment patterns

•       Growth in new schools

•       Funding and fee increases

The Causes of decline in market share have been notes as: -

•       Fees

•       Improvement in Govt. schools

•       Community Focus in Govt schools

•       Report of Abuse provided to the Royal Commission

•       Governance of Schools

•       Demographics

Governance Transition: -

•       CRA

•       PJPs

•       Bodies representing leaders of RIs are undergoing a restructure with changes at CRA, which will no longer have State bodies, and the establishment of AMP

•       Diocesan

•       Mission Leadership

•       Systemic Funding

•       Understanding by Catholic Education Commissions / Offices of new governance arrangements

•       Need for coordination / support for CEO’s of PJPS / Religious Institutes

Desired Outcomes of the Colloquium: -

•       A shared Vision for Catholic education

            Luke 4:18

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

He has anointed me

To bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To let the oppressed go free,

•       Acknowledgement of Governance and collaboration –

            ‘Accompaniment’ Pope Francis

•       Action: critical issues identified, challenges acknowledged and purpose of our roles in collective governance / influence.

Sessions 1 & 2:

Human Formation through Encounters of Dialogue.

Gaudium et Spes 31 “We can justly consider that the future of humanity lies in the hands of those who are strong enough to provide coming generations with reasons for living and hoping.”

It has become more important for us to provide coming generations with reasons for living and hoping.

Australia – changing social contexts

There are three significant changes in Australian society:

• There has been a shift from the Christian mono-culture to religious pluralism (including no religious identification)

• From institutional transmission of religious identity to de-traditionalisation of identity

• From cultural belongings as Christian to individualisation of belief and practice styles

The 2016 Census provides information on the percentage of each age group identifying with any religious, no religion or Christianity.  The percentage of the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups identifying with No religion are between 35% and 40% and 0-14 age groups shows a percentage of approximately 35% identifying no religion.  Religious belief is more common among older Australians. 

With these changes individuals have to make decisions about their lives.  This also brings with it emotional stress. 

Socialisation is not evangelisation but we need socialisation to describe what is happening in the church, it describes the cultural factors that are at work.  You cannot talk about what is happening in the church without a socialisation analysis.

The data is reasonably helpful but does not tell the full story.  It needs to be followed up with qualitative information by asking people what helps them make meaning of their lives. 

Multi-Religious and Multi-Cultural Australia

• religious approaches, has each drawing predominately on a specific tradition, exploring and making sense of life through that tradition.

• alternative spiritual approaches, fashioning a personal spirituality that may draw selectively from various spiritual perspectives and practices

• mainly secular approaches, interpreting and making sense of life with little or no reference to religious or spiritual perspectives.

Practical secularity

• “For [many] religion and spirituality are not so much rejected as ignored. Life is lived in the present, in the world of the here and now…If religion and spirituality is there at all, it is there in the background…

• “The general feeling among the mostly secular is more one of uncertainty than rejection.

The ECSIP De-identified Secondary School Report 2015 provides data on the diversity of religions and philosophies of life for students in Years 7-8. 9-10 and 11-12, schools staff and parents.

Faith Formation in Catholic Schools?

Christian Smith et al, Young Catholic America: Emerging Adults in, Out of, and Gone from the Church. New York: OUP, 2014

Based on 41 interviews as part of a National Study of Youth and Religion 2007-08 there are

• emerging adult Catholic Types: -

  • apostates (7)

  • switches (5)

  • estranged (11)

  • nominal (6)

  • engaged (12)

  • devout (0)

From Teenagers to Emerging Adults

3 major domains of influence

• close relationship to religious adults (parents and other adult models, including grandparents)

• internalised religious beliefs and personal religious experiences. (Falling in love with the ‘transcendent’)

• positive experience of religious practice, going to church, prayer. A credible Christian presence. Presentation of the Catholic option in the current situation. Schools make their contribution if the other factors are present.

“When children perceive their relationship with parents as close, affirming and accepting, they are most likely to identify with their parents’ religious practice and belief, while relationships marked by coldness, ambivalence, or preoccupation are likely to result in religious in religious differences.” (p98)

” Children responded best to parents who were unconditionally supportive, who provided consistent role modelling of religious practices, and who did not force their beliefs or practices on their children.” (p186)

Vern Bengston et al. Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Across Generations (New York: OUP, 2013)

Schools make contributions here.

• warm, enquiring relationships with adult faith models for students and younger staff.

• Faith formation opportunities – personal encounters with Christ and internalisation of Christian world view

• Religious education – rigorous, enquiry, intellectually rich, aesthetically conditioning.

Hope and the Human Person

• Widely accepted rationale for Catholic education:

  • Integral development of the human person within a Christ centred educational community.

  • “The person of each individual human being is at the heart of Christ’s teaching: this is why the promotion of the human person is the goal of the Catholic school.”

Congregation for Catholic Education (197). The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium. N. 9: NCEC, A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education.  2916

What does Catholic Education say to a human person about hope?  The Dignity of the Human Person was the driving influence of Pope John Paul II’s pontificate.  This is reinforced in documents on Christian Education.

Gaudium et Spes, ch 2 refers to

• Growing awareness of the dignity of the human person and of the interdependence of persons in global society

• Greater urgency of practical engagement and dialogue

The dignity of the human person leads to respectful dialogue.  A dialogue of world views in search of meaning and truth.

• n 28: Respect and love should extend also to those who think or act differently from us in social, political and even religious matters. The more we understand with courtesy and love their ways of thinking, the more easily shall we be able to enter into dialogue with them.

• Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools: Living in Harmony for a Civilization of Love, 2013

• Educating for Fraternal Humanism 2017

The human person integrally and adequately considered

• human persons stand in relation to everything, to the whole of reality, and to God

• human persons stand in relation to the material world

• human persons are cultural

• human persons are historical

• human persons stand in particular relationships with other persons

• human persons become a conscious interiority, a subject

• human persons are corporeal subjects

• every human person is unique, yet fundamentally equal in dignity

Sites of Encounter for Dialogues of Hope

Looking for the signs of the times where we can call people into dialogue in a way that avoids setting up strategies around the lowest common denominator of values.

• Community based on deep relationships that centre on service to others

• Personal transformation. (I am responsible for my life and making something of myself). Making a conscious and dedicated effort to develop one’s own body, mind and spirit.

• Social transformation. Pursuing justice and beauty in the world through the creation of networks for good.

• Purpose finding. Clarifying, articulating, and acting on one’s personal mission in life.

• Creativity (the creation!) Allowing time and space to activate the imagination and engage in play.

• Accountability. Holding oneself and others responsible for working towards defined goals.

We need to look beyond a naïve view.

These are things about which the Catholic community has much to say.

Session 2

MISSION LEADERSHIP

Prof Br David Hall fms

The Symposium 2016 discussed the topics such as the Imperatives of Mission, Outreach and Inclusion and Leadership and Governance and the Colloquium 2017 is getting more serious.  We want to improve and we want to explore this through the lens of HOPE.

Can it be said that our schools have failed?  Are we actually delivering what we want to deliver?  Is success measured in prestigious positions or in living out the gospel?

In 1957 the Marist built a scholasticate in Dundas for 90 people.  It was double brick and meant to last for 200 years.  By 1983 only 4 people were living in the building.  ‘Those were the days’ have passed.

We had an ecclesial workforce

Classical theology

“a lay disciple is called to accept a peripheral and submissive role within the Church, while taking an active role in the transformation and nature of history.” Frohlich. M. The Lay Contemplative: Testimonies, Perspectives, Resources, 54.

The concept that some people were called to join religious orders and the priesthood has changed to one whereby we are all called to live out the Gospel.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse makes us consider what was it that enabled such committed people to develop a culture of abuse.

In our desire for efficiency, we are reminded in the words of the Report of Canonical

Visitation of the Marist Brothers’ General Council that we need to ‘remain vigilant so that concern for professionalism and consequent demands on performance, structured relationships and a high degree of organization does not eclipse the enthusiasm and even unpredictability that are typical of living out the gospel.’

We know the imperatives for mission.  We want to know what to do about it.  As Catholic schools if we continue on our current trajectory ‘Who will we become?’

The pre-reading from the CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION, released 50 years after Populorum progression, entitled ‘Educating to fraternal humanism’ tried to take the essence of Vatican II into the words of Pope Francis.  The reading refers to Guidelines

Populorum progression addressed global interdependence and the common destiny of all peoples on earth. 

“Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature.” Laudato Si 215

CURRENT SCENARIOS

Inequities have increased with poverty, unemployment and exploitation. The complex phenomenon migration, affecting the whole world, leading to both encounters and clashes of civilizations, both fraternal hospitality and intolerant, rigid populism.  It highlights a decadent humanism, often based on a paradigm of indifference (CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION 3)

Marginalisation and exclusion, Symposium 2016, is important to us today in Australia.

It is ironic that we have achieved important goals in knowing the forces of nature, science and technology and, at the same time, are lacking in ideas for adequate coexistence within society so as to give everyone and acceptable and dignified existence.  (5)

Humanising Education

Education should be at the service of a new humanism, in which the social person was willing to talk and work for the realisation of the common good. (CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION 6)

Humanising education means putting the person at the centre of education, in a framework of relationships that make up a living community, which is interdependent and bound to a common destiny. This is fraternal humanism. (7)

A CULTURE OF DIALOQUE

It is about having a catholic identity for a purpose, to profess positive ethical values in public.  In global societies, citizens of different traditions. Cultures, religious and world views coexist every day, often resulting in misunderstandings and conflicts.  The Catholic Church “rejects nothing that is true and holy in these (other) religions”, and it is her duty to “proclaim the cross of Christ as the sign of God as the source of all grace’.  She is convinced that such difficulties are often the result of a lacking education to fraternal humanism, based on the development of a culture of dialogue.

Instead of limiting religiosity to the private and confidential sphere of the individual, compelling citizens to live publicly only the ethical and legal norms of the state, it reverses the terms of the relationship and calls on religious beliefs to profess their positive ethical values in public (12)

GLOBALISING HOPE

Globalising hope is the specific mission of education to fraternal humanism. (17)

Christian redemption . . .  Is already the substance of reality, in the sense that the things we hoped for: everything, a true life, are already present in us.” (15)

FOR A TRUE INCLUSION

To fulfil their purpose, formation programmes geared towards education to fraternal humanism aim at some fundamental objectives. Education to fraternal humanism must make sure that learning knowledge means becoming aware of an ethical universe in which the person acts. In particular, this correct notion of the ethical universe must open up progressively wider horizons of the common good, so as to embrace the entire human family. (19)

We need leadership capable of striking out new path and meeting the needs of the present with concern for all and without prejudice to coming generations. (20)

To be truly inclusive, one must go further: establish a relationship of solidarity with the generations that came before us.  A correct view of history, along with the spirit with which our ancestors faced and overcame their challenges, can help humanity in the complex adventure of the present-day. 

This historical awareness brings ancestors, contemporaries and posterity to surmount their degree of kinship, so that all are equally recognized as being children of the Father and thus in a relationship of universal solidarity. (22)

COOPERATION NETWORKS

There is widespread call for education to overcome the pitfalls of cultural standardisation processes, which produce the harmful effects of homogenisation, and, at the same time, consumer manipulation.   The establishment of cooperation networks, within the framework of an education to fraternal humanism, can help to overcome these challenges, because it offers decentralization and specialization.  (26)

DIALOGUE

As Catholic schools if we continue on our current trajectory,

Who will be become?

Question 1: 

What brings you the greatest joy

(joy is an emotion and a state of being)?  (2 or 3 things) 

Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and her song of praise (Lk1:46-55) are preceded by Mary, despite being ‘much perplexed’ by the words of the angel Gabriel, agreeing to be ‘the servant of the Lord’.

The joy of the Magnificat is in the context of Mary being bothered by something significant. You can only have joy if there is something wrong!

WHAT BRINGS ME THE GREATEST JOY?

RESPONSES:

·         That any one student finds dignity and self respect in our school community.

·         The more collaboratively focussed enterprise of education – human.

·         A bloke called Francis.

·         A school celebration through which its mission and values (Catholic identity) shine true.

·         Enjoying young leaders in schools.

·         Teachers who truly love their job.

·         The student who has struggled – intellectually, socially – but “triumph” and completes school as a result of their own work and determination but also the support and expertise of the school, teachers etc.

·         The power in performance for the growth of young people.

·         Teacher and student enjoying the connections and power of true learning.

·         Flourishing of a student/s because of the nurturing work done by the school community, especially for students with challenging of unsupportive home/family contexts and struggles.

·         Relationships – authentic and nurturing and supportive.

·         The commitment, integrity and generosity of many of the educators, board members etc in our schools and the opportunities and impact on the lives of others that flows from this.

·         Seeing students have a strong sense of BELONGING.

·         Sense of Connectedness, Love, Belonging.

·         Sense of purpose and ultimate achievement.

·         The joy on the faces of those who are learning.

·         Teamwork.

·         Shared enterprise.

·         Goodwill.

·         A collective focus on Common Good.

·         Collaboration.

·         Cooperation.

·         Engagement and Shared Passion: Influence, Purposeful, Genuine and authentic contribution, Selfless, Joy.

·         Visible Learning:  Focus on our core purpose.

·         Gratitude:  Parents, Students, Staff.

·         Leadership.

·         Care – the dignity of the human person.

·         When I see children demonstrate some personal achievement at school.

·         When I see teachers passionately talking about how they are integrating a Catholic perspective in the different learning areas and how the children respond positively and meaningful learning is occurring.

·         Inclusions of uniqueness and difference.

·         “Volunteers” and leaders with a passion for Catholic Education and Boards in Leadership.

·         Speaking with innovative, creative, free teachers.

·         Making a difference.

·         Students pride in representing their school.

·         Appreciating staff/leaders who really believe in a reason for a Catholic school to exist.

·         Students creating and being involved in action reflective of Gospel values.

·         Witnessing a living Christian community – students, staff and parents.

·         Students praising their school experience.

·         Attending really meaningful and uplifting liturgies.

·         When teachers really listen to children and their needs.

·         When policy, pedagogy and curriculum are aligned with Jesus message.

·         The experience of young people fully alive within a Catholic school celebration of prayer, liturgy or reflection.

·         School leaders, families and teachers in rich respectful conversation and debate in a “meaning making” ethical conversation flowing from the Christ centred mission of a Catholic school.

·         Active, purposeful and respectful dialogue.

·         Relationships that share a common purpose.

·         Creative explorations million and boundaries – the moments where there is time and space to let the ideas flow.

·         Working with school leaders in a reflective space (eg. on retreat, pilgrimage etc) at the point of deep grappling, wrangling

·         The space of reflection of relationship with Christ – it is a privilege to be invited into this space.

·         Students are exposed to the reality of the Kingdom of God in Catholic schools through being welcomed, being exposed to social justice, being involved in appropriate liturgical experience.

·         The exposure to a broader world thru cultural experience – especially Immersion trips.

·         True Colours – transformation of the lives of the broken and marginalised (DOXA, MCP, Borinya).

·         The opportunity to share faith with teachers in schools encouraging them to engage and inspire their students in Religious Education.

·         The great sense of hospitality and witness to caring for all that is found in our schools.

·         The “thing” that people can’t really name about why the Catholic school is their choice for teaching in or educating their children.

·         To be able to support teachers in their work of ‘growing’ our students and families so that they may flourish in a school where all are valued and dignified as a human person.

·         Specialist settings – chances given to students who are otherwise marginalised or lost in a community.

·         Watching leaders grow in understanding of self and faith.

·         School and office leaders working shoulder to shoulder to build community and enhance learning.

·         The confidence of staff and students to achieve their goals – cooperative learning based on respectful and positive relationships.

·         The engagement of the teachers and students in creating a happy well directed learning environment that is outward looking.

·         Seeing the caring nature of past students, 10/20 years out from the College.

·         How the deciding parents (to send their sons to the College) have been able to appreciate/decipher what an overall education – a caring young man – the College will provide (their sons).

·         Parents see the College a ‘safe place’ for their sons.

·         Reaching out to those with special requirements.

·         When we celebrate the graduation of a young adult who has overcome the borders inherited as a person on the margins and the door of opportunity is opened wide to them and they choose to step through.

·         When a school embraces kids who are not welcome elsewhere and never suggests a student might find a better ‘fit’ somewhere else. Our schools have a cross section of humanity and staff see this as good and a given.

·         Positive relationships and sense of community including genuine care staff, students and parents have for each other.

·         Transformation of hearts.

·         Honesty, openness and joy of young people and working with them.

·         Working and learning with young and all people in education.

·         Curriculum leaders working together in a hugely generous way seeking , learning and improvement for all.

·         Witnessing young people flourish and grow into themselves through the opportunities they have

·         Transformation.

·         Community.

·         Embraces students from everywhere.

·         As a principal, giving people/staff the freedom to follow their passion/s and to see them “fly”.

·         To support staff/students to discern ways of being in right relationship with each other.

·         As a trustee, having the opportunity to listen to the “hard stuff” from principals and directors about their work – and in ‘listening’ experience the beginning of a ‘dialogue’.

·         Positive interaction between student and teacher.

·         That moment when the child ‘gets it’.

·         The energy and passion of that young educator.

·         The delight in learning and the sense of discovery which gives meaning and purpose which were not there before – in both students and teachers.

·         Great hope I experience when engaging the young people in our schools.  Members of a faith community who will contribute to the common good based on these Catholic school experiences.

·         Students loving their school and engaging in the Catholic Education process as a matter of growth/career opportunities.

·         Engaging in matters of Social Justice/Equity …... genuine dialogue.

·         Engaging in relationships of dialogue around who we want to be as Catholic schools in the future.

·         Discovering the joy of people in contributing to this dialogue.

·         The happiness and contentedness of students.

·         The ability of Catholic Educators to celebrate and work together.

·         Efforts made to be inclusive.

Question 2: 

What bothers me most?

How often do you allow people to tell their stories?  As often as it takes for them to change!

Is there a new Joy or a new Bothering when talking to a different person?

WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST?

RESPONSES

·         The sense of loss of the sources and experiences that can enrich and enable this discovery and animating vision.

·         The “PC” culture which has become the unquestioned and unquestionable “Gospel” governing society’s ways and thinking.

·         We are through Catholic Education not adequately providing a preferential option for the poor.

·         That we are losing the Catholic Identity of our schools for many reasons.

·         Access to Catholic Education (those on the margin).

·         Loss of integrity/truth.

·         Lack of hope/mental health issues.

·         Pope Francis.

·         Growing disconnection of Catholic schools from regular Church life – how is mission understood by school community and wider church community.

·         Growing suspicion/hostility towards Catholic schools in wider Australian society.

·         Enrolment does not reflect the local demographic.

·         Shortage of opportunity for open dialogue.

·         Ability to remain mission focussed.

·         Are we truly accessible to the poor and marginalised in our schools?

·         Competition.

·         Consumerism.

·         Are we really serving the marginalized in the name of Jesus?

·         Searching for the pathway ahead as lay leaders.

·         Principals are brought under pressure by the behaviour of staff who behave unethically and unprofessionally.

·         The educational landscape is growing larger and more complex.  Much is asked of our principals and staff.

·         Are we seeing the more compliance wood from the trees? Oriented, more corporate, more industrial, more expensive, more busy.

·         Where is the room for people to be, to grow, reflect, discern?

·         Conflicts between institutional Church and people.

·         The potential/increase in exclusion from Catholic schools because of behaviour, academic performance, financial difficulty - brought about schools (that) are under pressure to meet external, often informally set standards, which “demand” exclusion in order to demonstrate they are a “good school” and (to) compete with the school down the road.  This all makes it hard. The trend generally is anti educational, anti gospel, anti social. And sometimes the inclusion can be more a source of consternation.

·         Inroads of economic corporatisation into school governance and leadership.

·         The tensions with the institutional Church and the growing conservatism of some younger more recently professed religious and their impact on schools.

·         Growing pressures on schools to compete, market, meet compliance requirements that distract us from our core mission.

·         Failing to attract and accommodate those families on the margins.

·         Seeing little difference between us and independent schools.

·         The lack of vision and aspiration coming from those in public life with the exception of the exceptional few.

·         Seeing indifference to the suffering of others when we don’t see that the “other has a face”.

·         Lack of genuine dialogue.

·         Formation of leaders and governors.

·         Lack of recognition of different approaches to Governance – no formal state body for Vision.

·         Lack of collective commitment in Catholic education to explore how Catholic education can be formed to understand how Catholic perspectives can inform the curriculum.

·         When principals and teachers are not able to find time to explore ways of including Catholic perspectives in different areas of the curriculum.

·         Differences in resources in different places ie. lacks in spite of great. (??)

·         Fracturing within Church – lack of collaboration/efforts to dialogue

·         Faith formation and context – still Church out of touch

·         Haves and Have Nots – opportunities unequal

·         ‘Ministrivia’ /Compliances, (stress) /Admin – teachers, key leaders.

·         Parishes not appreciative of the secularisation of the community and refusing to accommodate that.

·         Staff/Students who fail to see the Charism is a lens to the Gospel.

·         Competition: I not We/Ego and Power/Competing with each other for scarce resources.

·         Becoming a “very successful institution”.

·         Peer and social pressure.

·         Not serving the marginalised (the “periphery”?)

·         A general sense of school as a business (by leaders in schools).

·         Seeming lack of knowledge of Catholic faith, encounter with Jesus and understanding the Mission of/(by) many teachers.

·         The temptation felt by some Catholic education communities to down play the “Catholic” part of their identity in the interests of appealing to a broader “market share”.

·         Governance in Corporate mode rather than Mission mode.

·         “Nice” Catholic schools (‘colourful, reductionist)

·         Relative absence of the poorest economic quartile.

·         The pace at which we work at all levels, from governance through to the classroom.

·         Meeting of deadline comes at expense of conversation and relationship building.

·         The fact that our younger teachers may not have the language of faith and the experience of Catholic culture to enable them to carry on the mission and become next generation of faith leaders.

·         The demands on teachers can negatively affect them, especially their family life.

·         Sense of ‘introvertness’ and ‘closedness’ of some staff and some students eg lack of “fire in the belly”.

·         A lack of ability to convey the beauty of Christ to many of our children.

·         The lack of witness/knowledge of young teachers.

·         Lack of understanding of ‘Catholic Identity’.

·         Families who don’t consider Catholic education as within their reach (hospitality/welcome/inclusion)

·         Putting framework and strategies in place to transmit a commitment to the charism of the founding Congregation.

·         Parents who seek to judge the school only by VCE results.

·         That we may not remain vigilant on how important it is to retain/strengthen/further develop our Carmelite Identity.

·         Leadership that is not authentic and centred on Gospel values for the common good.

·         Access for those at the margins.

·         That our schools are a strong force to maintaining a classist society.

·         Are seen as privileged in terms of resources, enrolments, control.

·         When schools engage in popular activities that contradict what the school says its values (identity) is about.

·         Schools openness to retaining “problem” children and enabling them to flourish.

·         All young people don’t have a range of opportunities to flourish and grow into themselves.

·         The jaded teacher who has come to see the vocation as just a job.

·         A lack of authentic Catholic ID of a school.

·         Inequities in the provision and resourcing of education.

As Catholic schools if we continue on our current trajectory

Who will we become?

Therefore . . .

OUTCOMES FROM DIALOGUE GROUPS

1.    Who will we become: -

• Concern that our schools will be less counter cultural and just like any school with pastoral care and values based.

• More competition amongst ourselves

• Leaders who do not have a strong connection or understanding of the faith tradition or mission of Catholic education

Therefore, we need to

• articulate and focus on the mission and to articulate the particularity of our faith/our product in a language that connects with the way we live our faith out.

• continue to reframe who we are in our faith tradition (language, practices and behaviours)

• form strong networks to share responsibility for articulating the vision and benefitting from collective wisdom

• ensure our governance structures include the ‘generations’.

• ensure a leadership component in our accreditation policies and strengthen Accreditation to work in a Catholic school.

2.    Who will we become: -

• communities that aspire to be inclusive, open to all

• communities which connect, nurture, make meaning, call to action and are gospel based,

• communities that are aware and attuned to the signs of the times and embrace them

• communities that have the courage to speak out, to be provocative and to challenge the culture whilst being places of service

• communities which engage seriously with questions of faith raised by students, tapping into the richness of tradition.

• How do we cope with non-compliance?

Therefore, we need to

• reimagine the disbursement of funding

• provide formation opportunities for teachers, leaders and governors

• engage with the rich memory of tradition and re-imagining for the future

• find ways of presenting Christ as the model of fulfilled human life

• provide formation opportunities for parents e.g. Adult Spirituality Centres in schools

• be open to the reality of the Australian society creatively engage with our school communities.

3.    Who will we become: -

• Risk of not being inclusive/accessible

• Possible loss of sense of mission

• at odds with the conservatism of the institutional church.

• allow charism to mediate to mediate commitment to Church

• risk of becoming a victim of competition and political agendas

• risk of ‘corporate’ governance

Therefore, we need to

• seek ways to reclaim the educational agenda from political and other systems

• have flexibility in what we offer in education e.g. EREA Flexible Learning Centre North Melbourne

• support and materials for controversial issues that are in conflict with the institutional and different interpretations of church teaching.

4.    Who will we become: -

• No generic model/outcome

• We do not want to become schools and systems just judged as civil entities and devoid of the story of the gospel encounter

• clear on who we are; why we are; how we are; and what we want to become.

• Trajectory moving towards serving the middle class. Raises the question of what we are doing for the poor. We need to know who the poor are and how we serve them.

• continue to be places of hope

Therefore, we need to: -

• continue to invite people into the story (Faith)

• look for ways to serve the poor. (Inclusion/awareness/action)

• be people who are not afraid to name realities and people are welcomed and are able to speak out of, and to, those realities. (Very Challenging!)

• be places of hope committed to the dignity of each human person

• be schools who can understand, acknowledge, own and celebrate our individual and communal story

• have recruitment and training of people for mission – ‘Inspired Governance’(Invitation)

5.    Who will we become: -

• more secular communities

• places where the Reign of God is respected.

• places of welcome to all, where dignity is respected

• flexible and inclusive

• deliberate and authentic faith communities

Therefore, we need to: -

• find different ways to express our Catholic identities

• form partnerships across/between entities which will form our leaders/governors

• ensure that we [provide opportunities for formation of new leaders to serve this mission, especially professional formation for priests and the next generation.

• provide opportunities for formation for all who work in the Catholic school

• Collaboration becomes important

• Congregations and PJPs need to be part of consultation/decisions.

6      Who will we become? 

• In future-proofing we risk becoming an NGO – Catholic grand is ‘on the nose’

• Uncertainty – identity is up for grabs

• Individualisation vs common good

• In a time of unsettlement, it could go in many different directions. Which of these require more courage? Which is more authentic? Which is prophetic and spirit led?

• We are at a fork in the road which means there is an opportunity. All is not lost.

• Where are we on the margins? Where are we present?

Therefore, we need to: -

• Could end up with fewer schools, but more authentic in mission.

• Investment in qualitive research about experience

• Revolution coming!

• Strategic approach to formation needed

• What support is being offered to the ecclesial workforce which is far more transient than ever?

• Shift in paradigm needed at recruitment and selection (i.e. broaden thinking about what it means to be faith filled)

• Claiming authenticity opportunities for students, staff and parents to meet Jesus and fall in love with the transcendent.

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

The 2016 Symposium said ‘Leadership is more important that governance’.  This statement could be challenged.  We must have structures that allow things to happen and which respect our desire to work together.

Can. 129 §1. Those who have received sacred orders are qualified, according to the norm of the prescripts of the law, for the power of governance, which exists in the Church by divine institution and is also called the power of jurisdiction.

§2. Lay members of the Christian faithful can cooperate in the exercise of this same power according to the norm of law.

There is a difference between law and truth.  This means that we need to imagine the space we want to grow in to in leadership and governance.

Collaborators participators

Catholicity is the distinctive spiritual, religious and cultural habitus in which the presence of God is encountered.

(Catholic Schools: Mission, Markets and Morality - Gerald Grace)

Invitation to What?  Come and see?  What is that Christian community that we are invited to come and see. 

What do we need to do?

Group 1.     

• A space/forum for ongoing discussion for leaders and governors in all of Catholic education. (Strong active network)

• Discourse between leaders/governors and the universities regarding ongoing formation of staff

• Gospel oriented

• Strength in Diversity

• Plenary Council

Group 2.      

• Be open to ongoing conversation about possibilities for the future, even if it is a circuitous path

• Be subversive, operate under the radar

• Genuine consultation. Courage needed as often shot down!

• Mechanisms needed to raise issues of concern

• Governing bodies can make statements more easily than individuals on a local level

• Leadership of the Church needs to be open to presenting a more nuanced view of our faith, especially with respect to sexuality, to help support the positive pastoral local initiatives that promote integral human development.

• Needs to be more formal recognition and mechanism of lay voice in the governance of the Diocese.

Group 3.        

• Revision of our sole purpose

• How do we use existing structures to move to another place and to serve the common good to who we are called?

• Address the core societal structures that cause inequality and injustice rather than simply ‘doing off works’.

• Clarify what mission inspired governance

• is

• means

• how it is done

• what it looks like

Group 4.     

• Not all about the Royal Commission. Importance of understanding broad socialisation and cultural context in challenges and opportunities for leadership and governance.

• Not just:

  • Listening to, but learning from all about leadership and governance

  • Matching skill, ability, propensity, disposition to need (desire to leadership and governance)

  • Where does leadership and governance lie in the Church?

  • Clarity around what we want from leadership and governance. Where is the focus? Centrality of mission.

  • Leasers and governors need to be in relationship with those in ministry.

  • Enable/Emergent/Inclusive/Encounter

  • Read situations

  • Vision is critical

  • Retain focus

Group 5.     

• Involving young people in our Boards and as Trustees by inviting people at the stage where we are.

• Develop a language of faith that makes sense of a person’s world view (expanding universe etc.

• In preparation for 2020 Plenary Council, have gatherings for people in our school communities.

• Active and intentional pathways for collaboration across different governing bodies.

General comments

• Has the church spoken much about the abuse of the dignity of the human person as evidenced on Manus Island now?

• What are the people of God asking of the clergy?

• The need for an opportunity for all of the leaders of governors in education to dialogue. With the Plenary Council, what opportunities are there for Catholic education to do something about that.

CONCLUSION

A reflection of Mary. 

What was it like when Mary was invited to be part of the salvific plan?  It must have been lonely, troubling and very puzzling.

The Visitation

John O’Donohue, Conamara Blues

(London: Bantam Books, 2000), 63.

In the morning it takes the mind a while

To find the world again, lost after dream

Has taken the heart to the underworld

To play with the shades of lives not chosen.

She awakens a stranger in her own life,

Her breath loud in the room full of listening.

Taken without touch, her flesh feels the grief

Of belonging to what cannot be seen.

Soon she can no longer bear to be alone.

At dusk she takes the road into the hills.

An anxious moon doubles her among the stone.

A door opens, the older one’s eyes fill.

Two women locked in a story of birth.

Each mirrors the secret the other heard.

The plan for Catholic education may take time.  Mary came to the realisation of what she had agreed to during her encounter with Elizabeth.

Blessing and Commissioning

Bishop Terry Curtin blessed all present and sent them out to ‘mission’