A vision the State should match

In brief

The Catholic Education Partnership will launch the Irish Church’s new Vision for Catholic Schools in Ireland on October 16. This launch begins a three year formation process led by the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools, which is currently hiring staff to manage the project.

The initiative follows the recent release of Living Love, a new resource for Senior Cycle students. Bishops are already commissioning additional resources and training instructors to deliver the program, with a version for Junior Cycle students expected next year. These efforts represent a funded, multi year commitment to improving catechesis within Catholic schools.

Alan Hynes, chief executive of the Catholic Education Partnership, noted that these Church efforts contrast with the State's project to divest patronage from Catholic schools. Hynes stated that the State's goal is to provide parents with different school type options. He noted that while the divestment process has worked well in some areas, such as Nenagh, it remains a separate movement from the Church's efforts to renew its school identity.