As many readers would know, I was born and raised in Melbourne. I come from what might be described as a normal Catholic family and attended a local Catholic primary school and then a Catholic boys’ secondary school, Salesian College, from where I matriculated in 1971.
Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, I was very fortunate to find myself in the situation where the values my parents believed in and tried to communicate to me were the very same values that were at the foundation of the schools I attended. Society was changing rapidly, of course, in the 1960s but it is still true to say that the values which I learnt at home and at school were by and large identical with the values which were widely accepted in society as a whole. This was especially true in relation to moral values, but it was also true of other values as well.
In some respects, this is still the case. Indeed, we might say that in certain ways things are better now than they were before. The way in which Anzac Day is honoured and celebrated, especially by our young people, is a good example of this. The recognition of selfless courage, a sense of respect for those who have done so much for us, a deep desire for peace: these are all values which our society celebrates and seeks to foster. They are also deeply Christian values. I am always impressed by the way in which our schools, both primary and secondary, go to great lengths to help their students understand the significance of this important national day.
Another remarkable feature of our schools is the way in which they work so hard and so creatively to develop in their students a keen sense of social justice and a recognition of their need to reach out generously, compassionately and respectfully to those in our society who are marginalised or disadvantaged. The way in which our schools engage with our LifeLink program to raise money for those in need is a powerful example of this. So, too, are the many and varied activities of social engagement, both here in Western Australia and also interstate and overseas, which are a feature of so many of our schools.
The respect for Anzac Day, and the strong sense of commitment to those in need, are not unique to our Catholic schools, but they are certainly characteristic of them. They are one way in which our schools play a vital part in maintaining and improving the social fabric of our cities, suburbs and rural communities.
It does remain the case, of course, that the basic harmony between Catholic family values, the values of our Catholic schools and the values of our wider society is no longer as close as it used to be. Our young people live in a world where they are more likely to experience disharmony between the values of home and school and the values of the wider culture in which they are immersed. This is perhaps the greatest challenge our Catholic families and our schools face today. Our Catholic faith offers a vision of life and of relationships which we believe corresponds to God’s creative design for the world and for humanity. It is so much more than a disconnected set of moral rules or principles which are arbitrarily imposed with no coherent justification for them. Rather, it is an integrated vision of what it means to be truly human, in relation to others, in relation to the world in which we live, and in relation to the God who created us and who sustains us.
It is precisely this vision of a fully and deeply human life which our schools seek to offer to, and hopefully foster in, our students and their families. Rather than simply a place where Religious Education has a place in the curriculum, our Catholic schools strive to be places where the Catholic vision of life, the Catholic worldview, becomes the setting in which everything else the school does takes on its particular and unique characteristics.
Central to this Catholic worldview is the idea that a life lived in conscious awareness of God’s loving presence, with the developing relationship of trust and love which are the inevitable outcome of such an awareness, is something so vital to true human flourishing that to deprive our young people of this in their formative years at school is to do them a very serious disservice. It is this conviction which explains why the Catholic community in Australia, right from its very beginnings, has been determined to commit itself wholeheartedly to the work of Catholic Education. It is why we are redoubling our efforts now to maintain and deepen the Catholic identity of our schools. That commitment has not changed.
Of course, nothing is perfect and our efforts must continue as we seek to help our students, our families, our school staff and our school leaders come to a deeper understanding of this essential dimension of our Catholic Education system. As I pointed out above, we live in a world which is no longer so accepting of the values which underpin our schools. We are all part of the society in which we live. We are all affected, often in ways we do not always recognise ourselves, by the powerful forces of our culture, many of which work against our Christian vision of life. This is true of many of the families which choose a Catholic education for their children. It is certainly true for many of the students who attend our schools. It is also true for some of those who seek employment in our schools and colleges.
This is a challenge for us as a Church, and it is also an opportunity. Our schools are enormously attractive to parents, often because of the environment or culture they encounter when they come into contact with the schools in various ways. That culture and environment are an expression of the Catholic worldview which, sometimes in explicit ways and sometimes in more hidden ways, underpins all that the school is seeking to achieve. The more fully any particular school can be a living expression of the Catholic worldview, the more enriching it will be for the students, their families, and the staff who serve them.
I am enormously grateful for the extraordinary commitment of those who are involved in Catholic Education here in our Archdiocese. Conscious of the challenges they face, I am determined to do all I can as Archbishop to support them, to encourage them, to celebrate them, and to help them develop their relationship with the God who loves us and who has made Himself known to us in Jesus, living in His Church.
I invite you all to join me through your prayer, your support and your encouragement as we continue to shape a faithful, committed and Christ-centred Catholic Education system here in Western Australia.
From page 3 to 5 from Issue 3: ‘Education: Teaching, Learning and Technology in 2016’ of The Record Magazine