Archbishop defends role of Church-run schools
In remarks which appear to have been made in response to Immigrant Council of Ireland founder Sr Stanislaus Kennedy’s comments calling for the Church to plan withdrawing from running schools and to focus on ensuring transfer of the faith.
Archbishop Brady said Catholic education brings together the most important and formative influences in the life of any child by linking the community of faith in the home, in the parish and in the school.
“It unites the whole Catholic community in the privileged task of formation of the human person. It prioritises and helps children to value the virtues of respect, integrity, community, harmony, the dignity of every person and our eternal destiny,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of a website for the Consultative Group on Catholic Education in Belfast, Dr Brady said it places particular importance on the values of justice, peace, tolerance, respect for diversity and reconciliation.
“These values are not distinct from Catholic education — they exist at the very heart of it. This is why I find it disappointing to hear people sometimes speak of a parent’s choice to send a child to a Catholic school as if it were a choice in favour of division in our society rather than reconciliation. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
Sr Stanislaus said on Tuesday the Government must plan for educational needs and the Church should focus on spreading its ethos of faith and values.
