The Catholic Church has always seen education as a way to be able to witness to the faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ in a convincing and gentle way. Saint Peter said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3,15). This task requires the forming of minds and hearts, and the Diocese of Shrewsbury seeks to provide the means for Christians to be formed – educated – in the faith. The task of education lies primarily with parents, who are supported in this by the parishes, schools and colleges of the diocese. Our educational mission entails the ongoing development of the entire potential of every person, seeking to promote the well-being and freedom of every person made in the image and likeness of God and finding fulfilment in God alone.
The Diocesan Department of Education serves the network of 112 primary and secondary schools and academies across 11 local authorities: Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, Manchester, Shropshire, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Telford and Wrekin, Warrington and Wirral. We aim to establish good working relationships with each authority, so that our schools and their staffs are well served. It is the policy of the diocese to strive to provide a place in a credible Catholic school for Catholic children who seek such a place. The Diocese of Shrewsbury is committed to the maintenance of a network of educational provision, which is based on the special and beneficial links between family, parish, primary school and associated secondary school. This commitment requires regular appraisal of the needs of the Roman Catholic community of the Diocese and the dedication of considerable funds to the rationalisation and expansion of school provision. The spirit of co-operation and selflessness, which enabled the Roman Catholic community of the Diocese to establish such an extensive system of schools, has ensured that the highest standards of Catholic education will be available for future generations.
The Diocese Of Shrewsbury Seeks To Provide The Means For
Christians To Be Formed – Educated – In The Faith.
The Catholic Church was the first provider of schools and universities in England and continues to be a significant provider of education today. The Catholic Church was the first provider of schools and universities in England. The earliest schools were cathedral and monastic schools established from the late sixth century onwards. This growing network was joined by schools based around the larger collegiate churches and, from the twelfth century by the foundation of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and their colleges.
Through its involvement in primary, secondary and higher education, the Catholic Church currently educates over 800,000 pupils and students across England and Wales. As such the Church’s stake in education is not only deeply embedded in our country’s history, but through its continued collaboration with the state, is something that remains at the heart of the Church’s mission, serving the Catholic community and contributing to the common good.
The Church has always promoted education. God made the world, and everything and everybody in it; and the more we understand the world, its history, and our place in it as human beings, the better equipped we are to increase our faith and hope in God, our love for God and our neighbour, and our love for the Church on earth, in and through which God invites us all to come to know, love and serve him.
As the Catechism says, “Parents are the principal and first educators of their children”. So all schools exist to help parents to fulfil this duty and privilege of providing education. A short answer to the question “Why have Catholic schools and colleges?” is, “So that Catholic parents can have the best opportunities for enabling their children to grow to responsible adulthood in the knowledge and love of God and neighbour”, or putting it another way, “the best opportunities for helping their children to develop a deeply-rooted and fully mature Catholic faith and life”.
This means that the schools and colleges must be good schools and colleges – they must do their best to provide competent or even excellent teaching through a full and well-balanced curriculum, in a good atmosphere which encourages achievement. And they must be Catholic schools and colleges: not in theory or in name only, but by way of a readiness to promote understanding of and commitment to the fullness of Catholic truth and sacramental life, even in the face of the increasing rejection of Catholic values (which are truly human values, to be embraced by everybody, not only Catholics) by people with power and influence in today’s world.
The Diocese of Shrewsbury is determined that all the Catholic maintained schools for which it is responsible as Trustee will be and will remain truly worthy of the description “Catholic”.
All people within the Catholic school community should work towards fulfilling the mission statement through these three key areas.
“Prayer, worship and liturgical celebration are central to our Catholic tradition. It is of prime importance, however, that sound educational and pastoral principles determine the ways in which these are experienced in the school community” (Evaluating the Distinctive Nature of a Roman Catholic school, 3rd Edition 1994: CES).
“Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13,34).
The distinctiveness of the Catholic school is lived out through the care and respect we show for each other.
“Teachers should remember that they are principally responsible for a Catholic school’s ability to put into effect its aims and projects” (De Educatione Christiana).
The distinctiveness of the Catholic school must be experienced by the pupils in the classroom.