Document encourages Catholic school students to build culture

Being Church in Aotearoa New Zealand Schools was published by the New Zealand Catholic Education Office and Te Kupenga – National Centre for Religious Studies in early June.

Labelled as “a support document re-emphasising the place of Catholic schools in Aotearoa”, it links several key Catholic education documents to help with constructive discussions and dialogue in schools.

Among the chapter headings are: The nature and purpose of Catholic schools; Being Church; Faith and Culture; Discipleship and Mission; Sacramental Living; Morality and Ethics; Catholic Social Teaching; Christian Hope.

The document says that “The Church recognises that parents play an invaluable role as the first educators of their children. Pope Francis stressed that Catholic schools and families must work together in this endeavour ‘to face the new educational challenges that come from contemporary culture, from society, from mass media, from new technologies’.”

Being Church in Aotearoa New Zealand Schools explains that in “the broader context of secular New Zealand, Catholic schools should enable young people to develop critical skills to analyse contemporary culture so that they may be active constructors of culture rather than passive consumers. Young people should develop capacity to identify the attitudes and values of contemporary culture, understand what these mean for society, and develop a Catholic response”.

“In a real and positive way, Catholic schools are consistently countercultural through prioritising Gospel-centred values and virtues which are other-centred, as seen in the words and actions of Jesus, rather than secular values which are often self-centred,” the document continued.

At the same time, the document stated that “it is important to recognise that most Catholic schools experience challenges and barriers in terms of growing discipleship and commitment to the mission of the Church to live and teach Christ Jesus”.

“Such obstacles may include low student and whānau engagement with Catholic sacramental life; little interest in Religious Education; difficulty recruiting appropriate leaders and teachers; complex relationships with the parish; or frustration with the granting of preference. However, in an increasingly secular society, the necessity to authentically rise to these challenges with creativity, vision, and hope is needed more than ever.”

FULL STORY

Being Church in Aotearoa New Zealand Catholic Schools (NZCEO)