An “Exciting Moment” For Catholic Religious Education in England & Wales… You Wish!
Extracts From the Catholic Herald – with commentary from the Editor of Catholic Truth…
Earlier this week, the Catholic Education Service (CES) launched the latest and long-awaited version of the Religious Education Directory (RED) for Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England and Wales. The new directory replaces previous editions published in 1996 and 2012. The requirement that Religious Education (RE) must take up at least 10 per cent of curriculum time up to age 16 in all 2,175 Catholic schools and academies, and 5 per cent in sixth form colleges, remains in place.
The new directory entitled To Know You More Clearly sets out the purpose of RE from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 9 (age 13/14). It features a programme of study with a model curriculum corresponding to the six half-terms of the school year. The six themes, or “branches”, are loosely built around the liturgical calendar. The directory does not prescribe exactly how teachers should deliver this curriculum, but expects that teachers choose to think of each branch as a half term’s worth of work.
I contacted a number of Catholic RE teachers about the directory and the feedback was very positive.
“The pattern or structure of ‘understand, discern, respond’ is excellent,” said one teacher. “It means that pupils will have good factual knowledge and be well-catechised, and they will think critically and reflect upon what difference the ideas should or might make in their own lives and in the world.”
Editor: “understand, discern, respond” – well, firstly, we need to see precisely what it is that pupils will be learning: what is the “good factual knowledge” to which this teacher refers? And in what way will they “discern”? To discern is to distinguish. Will they be taught to distinguish the truths of the Faith from the false teaching in other religions – or what? As for “thinking critically” – for many years now, that has meant teaching pupils to think critically about the Church’s teaching! Not, as it should be, to think critically about the world and its refusal to accept Christ. Rather, the emphasis has been on how to change the Church, not how to spread the Faith… Has that changed now, with this new Directory?
While nurturing the faith of Catholic pupils, the curriculum prepares all pupils to play their part as critical citizens in a plural and diverse culture. It develops in them a dialogical attitude, through the content that is presented and through the modelling of respectful dialogue in class, a particularly powerful witness in a context where social media has had such a detrimental impact on the civility of public discourse.
Editor: It’s a matter of concern that pupils are being trained in a “dialogical attitude” – because, as we’ve discovered over the almost 60 years of ecumenical dialogue since the Second Vatican Council, dialogue has come to mean reaching a consensus – “we agree on the things that unite us, and ignore the rest…” Hardly in accord with the essential missionary nature of the Church, which is to “go out into the whole world, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).
Many RE teachers are already highly skilled and experienced in inculcating respectful dialogue in their classes because they instinctively know that the Church proposes rather than imposes her vision for human flourishing and, as such, they are at the vanguard of nurturing this missionary endeavour.
Editor: It’s misleading to claim that “the Church proposes rather than imposes her vision for human flourishing…” First-up, the Church is teaching and preaching in God’s Name, she does not “propose” or “impose” anything of her own accord, so to speak. And her mission is not about “human flourishing” except in the context of our duty to co-operate in the work of saving our souls, from Hell. If we persist in sin, we cannot flourish, we cannot be good, we cannot be pleasing to God. We are commanded to worship God and to keep His Commandments. That is not a “proposal” from the Church which we may accept or reject without terrible eternal consequences. The Church is given the task of interpreting God’s revelation through Scripture and the guardianship of the moral law. Her teaching comes from God. It is true that nobody should be forced to say they believe – that is obviously wrong. It doesn’t happen in Catholicism. To teach the faith with conviction (at one time a given in Catholic schools) is not to impose anything any more than teaching good grammar in English lessons is imposing on the freedom of pupils to write badly if that is what they choose to do. They’ll fail exams in the subject but, hey, they’ll have kept their blankety blank “freedom” to do as they choose, and that’s all that matters, init? By commanding us, God is not forcing us. Just as when human authorities, national Governments, command us to obey certain laws, they are not forcing us but there will be penalties if we disobey. More in-depth understanding of the very nature of Faith – not to mention the Four Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven or Hell) – must be undertaken by the teaching profession before any more of these pointless – and in many ways dangerous – programmes are produced.
Bishop Marcus Stock, Chair of the CES, said: “Religious education plays its part by enabling all pupils to be confident and secure in their religious faith, and knowledgeable and respectful of other religions, so they can play a crucial role in building a cohesive society.”
Editor: This whole business of “respecting other religions” is entirely without any foundation in authentic Catholic theology. We must, of course, respect people, members of non-Christian religious groups, but we may only tolerate the beliefs of false religions, because, although it is very unpopular to say so these days, only the true religion with its divinely revealed truths, true worship and fidelity to the moral law, is pleasing to God. It is a false charity to our non-Christian friends to pretend otherwise.
Topics covered include the relationship between faith and science; the problem of evil; the nature of human freedom; rights of the unborn; the plight of refugees and asylum seekers; war and peace.
Editor: Whatever happened to the climate emergency? Saving the planet? Maybe this Directory is OK after all 😀
Alongside the new and more exacting Catholic Schools Inspection Framework, there has never been a better time for those responsible for Catholic identity, mission and purpose in our schools, especially those in senior leadership, to be more unapologetically Catholic and not be timid in embracing a radical orthodoxy to promote and support an authentic new evangelisation.
Editor: I’d like to meet the pupils who turn out to be “unapologetically Catholic” after being schooled in “dialogue” and “respect for other religions”. Can’t wait.
Andy Lewis, a founder member of ATCRE, sums it up well: “The RED provides a really good opportunity to ensure we are providing something academically rigorous and authentically faithful. The resources that will be provided to support it will ensure that RE will be at the core of the core of the curriculum, matching other subjects in ambition and challenge. It’s an exciting moment for Catholic Religious Education.”
Editor: If I had a pound for every “exciting moment for Catholic Religious Education” announced in recent years, I wouldn’t be worrying about from whence my next chocolate fudge cake is coming. 😀 What we really need to see, with our own eyes, and which is not mentioned in this Catholic Herald report, is the actual content of the Directory – RED. What is it, in fact, that pupils are being taught in religion lessons in Catholic schools these days… Precisely, what are they taught about Catholicism? Read entire article at source here
For your reflection…
In his own words – John Henry (Cardinal) Newman… Faith will always be counter-cultural
Newman draws his definition of faith from St. Paul, who defines it this way, ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ Hebrews 11:1
“Faith,” he says, “is the substance” or realizing “of things hoped for.” It is the reckoning that to be, which it hopes or wishes to be; not “the realizing of things proved by evidence.” Its desire is its main evidence; or, as the Apostle expressly goes on to say, it makes its own evidence, “being the evidence of things not seen.” And this is the cause, as is natural, why Faith seems to the world so irrational, as St. Paul says in other Epistles. Not that it has no grounds in Reason, that is, in evidence; but because it is satisfied with so much less than would be necessary, were it not for the bias of the mind, that to the world its evidence seems like nothing.’
And so, to the world, faith can look like foolishness because it is content with less evidence, or different kinds of evidence to what reason requires. However, Newman makes clear that although to the world faith is peculiar, God has chosen to use it.
‘If Revelation has always been offered to mankind in one way, it is in vain to say that it ought to have come to us in another. If children, if the poor, if the busy, can have true Faith, yet cannot weigh evidence, evidence is not the simple foundation on which Faith is built … this must be God’s order of things. Let us attempt to understand it. Let us not disguise it, or explain it away. It may have difficulties; if so, let us own them. Let us fairly meet them: if we can, let us overcome them.’
Perhaps faith’s counter-cultural nature is precisely why God chooses to use it. Newman points again to St. Paul’s letters and quotes “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Cor 1:27) – faith appears to turn things upside-down. Continue reading here Your thoughts…
Comments (33)
Another RE gimmick . . . they come, they do their damage, and they go. Who remembers Clare Richards these days and her scheme which caused so much damage and controversy – to the extent that (then) Cardinal Ratzinger insisted on the Imprimatur being removed, after protests? And the plethora of schemes that came after that one, each one worse than the last. The parents of children in Catholic schools don’t protest about these schemes, largely because they are victims of false catechesis themselves. ‘Catholic’ RE either has been, or will soon be dumbed down to the lowest common denominator, so that anyone/everyone can believe its ‘message’. Another warm-up for the One World Religion. And then they will leave school and lapse. I remember Daphne McLeod saying that over 90% of Catholic school leavers lapse, and Archbishop Ward once admitted that he noticed that Catholic children who went to state schools kept the Faith more than those who went to Catholic schools. I wonder if that is still true . . .
I’m sure it is still true. In my parish there is a large “Catholic” secondary school but we see none of their pupils at Sunday Mass. my son and his wife are seriously considering sending their sons to the local non denominational high school. They are a pretty devout Catholic family and believe the boys are less likely to lose their faith if they do this. At the Catholic school children can be ridiculed for going to Sunday Mass whereas at the local school no one is interested if they go or not. And our parish priest agrees with them.
Elizabeth,
Far from the pupils in the non-denominational school not being interested in whether or not your grandchildren go to Sunday Mass, they will be intrigued. I’ve been both a classroom RE teacher and a Head of Religious Education in non-denominational schools and the difference, I found, is incredible. I’ve known pupils to be mocked by peers for Mass attendance in Catholic schools but never in the non-denominational schools. Both colleagues and pupils – in my experience – show a surprising interest in religion in general and that includes Catholicism. They would need some good catechesis out of school in order to ensure that they are not misled, for example, by lessons on “Communion services” which tend to assume that “Christians believe that in Communion they receive Jesus symbolically or spiritually”. Any truly professional RE teacher, however, would welcome a pupil intervention to say that Catholics believe in the Real Presence (if the teacher doesn’t mention it.) So, it would be a bonus if your grandchildren are given sound catechesis at home, with the confidence to speak out when necessary. Confirmation duty to be Soldiers of Christ in action! Hopefully, they will come to understand that the Faith is an adventure!
I was horrified on one occasion to see the history books in use in those schools, though, where the Church was portrayed in the most negative, hostile way imaginable, but when I enquired further, a history teacher friend opined that these same textbooks would, more likely than not, be in use in the Catholic sector as well. Since I had been asked to teach some history that year, I approached the Head of Department with alternative materials and she readily agreed that I could use them. Those materials began with all that was good in the Church prior to the Reformation (e.g. gave the timetable for monks living the monastic life, showing how strictly their day was ordered) and still pointed out the scandal of some priests selling indulgences, living double lives. Unlike the textbook series where everything was “the Church” did this and that evil thing, kept people under control with fear of Hell etc., the materials which I had obtained privately, provided accurate historical facts without instilling anti-Catholic bias in pupils.
So, my one concern, and I would urge your son and his wife to raise it, would be the use of those history textbooks – I think it was called the Changing Times series, but not sure. Glossy, lots of pictures, dreadful headlines assuming Church “evil”. So, in a simple glance, they would see for themselves that these books are biased. That is, of course, if they are still in use.
Overall, however, given the fact that Catholic schools are not teaching the faith, but are distorting it, and encouraging pupils to work to change it (impossible, and therefore bound to lead to frustration and lapsation) I would argue that, if home-schooling is out of the question, sending children to non-denominational secondary schools is definitely the way to go. Sadly.
Elizabeth,
I’m sure it is still true, as well. You just need to remember the quotes from the youngsters in Scottish schools that were posted on this blog not so long ago, where they were talking about their faith being important to them but they couldn’t go to Mass on Sundays because they had a job LOL!
WF,
I remember Clare Richards and the whole debacle around her appalling RE textbook. I also remember that Archbishop Ward of Cardiff said, publicly I believe, that parents would be wiser to send their offspring to non-denominational schools, as they would be less likely to lose the Faith. Sad but true. And, by the way, that 90% lapsation figure applied to pupils lapsing before they left school.
Success or
what?not?While I agree that Catholic schools are a disgrace right now, and I agree about home-schooling and non-denominational schools being the best choices for now, I think about Daphne McLeod’s warning that to do away with the schools would make it very difficult to have them put back again, when things are normalised in the Church. I don’t think we should lose sight of that danger.
Westminsterfly is right – this is just another gimmick.
I was wondering if there is any more news from the school in England where they forced the chaplain to resign, the school which had the LGBT+ author invited to a signing of one of his books. That all seems to have died a death!
MM,
Nothing new on that front. Silence is golden, as they say, so here’s hoping that the unwanted publicity over that book-signing has cured the senior management of trying anything like that again.
It’s obviously the same old, same old. Nothing will change and the lapsed youth will continue to be lapsed. Catholic teacher training colleges have a cheek to be still recruiting.
Two weeks ago in my Church they put the children who were being prepared for Holy Communion on the altar to be applauded. I applauded then stopped when I recalled that over the past 40 years almost none of these children returned to Church when they reached teenage years and I had no confidence that this year would be any better. I was once in a group of catechists who were being taught by what was descried as an expert by the Bishop. I will not go into her Vatican II remarks but at the end one catechist declared that the Church would have to change its teaching on Divorce, Abortion, and Contraception. With such catechists what chances had the children. Almost 100% of children now leave Church long before they leave school. But we should rejoice says the Catholic Education Service for they have not had religion imposed on them. It is an exciting moment then to watch them all leaving, because if you follow Jesus he does not impose his teachings, he just proposes them. So do not take commitment to Jesus too seriously. That is what his crucifixion really meant, he died apparently so that we could go on sinning. Yet it is much more than just what is taught, the main reason is that the children have never been taught to love Jesus. I remember when I was 11 years old I read the Story of a Soul by St Therese. When I finished the book I said to myself “So that is what lovinmg God means. We have a wonderful gift in the Catholic Church to help us love Jesus and that is the Sacred Species. Yet our children are taught no love. God forgive the CES.
John Kearney,
This is what Cardinal Ratzinger, before he became Pope Benedict, said about applause at Mass:-
“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment .Such attraction fades quickly – it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.” (The Spirit of the Liturgy)
https://www.apostoliviae.org/resources/9654/is-it-okay-to-applaud-at-mass-heres-what-popes-have-said-about-it
It’s one of many things that I can’t stand in the novus ordo. It’s like a pop concert, half the time.
I agree about the children never being taught to love God. That is right at the heart of everything, too. Well said.
I read all that was proposed and never even seen a Word on Christ or Our Lady . Of course the Saints now are so relegated that probably none are known of within Catholic Education.
Remember when we were expected to be called after a Saint and thus at least learn about Him or Her .
As for this new teaching etc it seems more psychological than religious. To Know Oneself Better. Surely it should be called to know Christ better. Or even to tell Pupils or read them as you mentioned ED of good books. Maybe the teachers should just concern themselves with teaching young ones The Ten Commandments.
As for this other respect for other Religions do they not know that Christ said to Love Our Neighbors as Ourselves.
Which doesn’t as we know join them in Kumba Ya . Which no doubt will be the main order of the Day here.
But as you also said, What Happened to Climate Change.
Am sure though that probably the first prayer they will learn will be Bergoglios new one on Mother Earth.
I had to look carefully to find things that Editor hadn’t already pointed out (way to do all our work for us, Ed…), but there are a couple more revealing red flags hidden in all the verbiage about this new Directory:
1. “Much of the content draws on the constitutions of the Second Vatican Council and is rooted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.” and the very next sentence: “The aim is to enable pupils to become more religiously literate….” and the next very short paragraph: “The approach breeds (sic) familiarity with the Bible, the Catechism and encyclicals…”
In other words, young Catholics will only be “religiously literate” by being taught that the Church and her Magisterium started from scratch at Vatican II, and everything that came before is just a dusty, outmoded old museum piece.
2. There is a repeated emphasis on “respectful dialogue,” which smells to me like a torpedo aimed at traditionalist criticisms of the wrecked post-Conciliar Church, criticisms which expose among other things the religious indifferentism of “dialogue.” Could this be a veiled attempt to characterize traditionalist criticism as “misinformation”? (Apparently “triumphalism” no longer works as desired…)
3. “There is a focus on the beauty of Catholicism and its influence on culture through art, music, literature, science and architecture, which will hopefully equip young people to engage with the Church beyond intellectual remits and approach the transcendent.”
Oops, the “beauty and influence of Catholicism” pours forth from her pre-Vatican II [forbidden] life, in stark contrast to the bankruptcy, banality, ugliness, stupidity, cowardice and human respect of her post-Vatican II life, as has been expressed in her art, music, literature, etc. (for a perfect example, her Vatican Nativity scenes). Better not talk too much about the beauty of Catholicism, all you so-called experts with framed sheepskins hanging on your walls (sheepskins which you cite ad nauseam)! Students might discover the Church before Vatican II, and you’ll undermine your own brainwashing….
4. The author of this article appears to have some highly questionable connections, in addition to apparently being a C of E “Christian” (?). Have a look at this web page of “A Fertile Heart,” to which he is cited as a consultant: https://fertileheart.org.uk/about/ and see also “Emmaus Leadership,” linked in the article at the bottom.
So just like the documents of Vatican II, this is a promotion of poison dressed up as nutrition. Manna from Hades, not manna from Heaven.
RCA Victor,
Well spotted – the blind leading the blind just about sums up this latest “exciting moment” for Catholic religious education in England and Wales… again!
Dear Editor
As an RE Teacher (26+) having worked in both sectors and briefly undertaken the role of PTRE many years ago l find your experiences similar to my own.
I think our present model of Catholic Education/Schools especially in relation to RE provision academically and liturgically has ran its course.
These schools should go and a new paradigm established in terms of faith formation etc. for those minority Families who believe in a solidly orthodox Catholic faith formation and education.
All the Schools l have taught in are a bastion of modernism heresy and liturgical abuse and spiritual waywardness.
I have several ideas what should be undertaken but l will not bore everyone.
A new vision and a new model is required.
Until then we will have to continue to endure this madness.
Ave Maria !
Every blessing
Michael 🙏
Thank you, Michael, for your input – wouldn’t you imagine that the one and only Catholic blog in Scotland would draw at least some teachers to comment when the subject is religious education? But nope. Thee and me, that’s it. It’s yet more evidence (as if we need it) of the widespread apostasy around us – and underlines the joke of even pretending that there is any textbook or directory in England, Wales or anywhere else in these parts that would make the slightest difference to the situation. The situation being that young people hear more about saving the planet than saving souls – the very concept of having a soul to save is foreign to the majority. Sadly.
Thanks again, Michael.
I often wonder about that when we have different discussions, where are all the teachers? The one group you’d expect to be interested in everything to do with young people are always conspicuous by their absence. Too busy out on strike these days, I suppose! I would have preferred to see them out on strike during Covid demanding that pupils are returned to the classroom. No money in that, I suppose!
As for Teachers coming on this Site it is much to Catholic for them and they wouldn’t feel Inclusive which seems to be the Bench Mark of all of this New Age Garbage.
As for them striking. They sure have short memories. Did they not all receive 100% of their Pay for 2 Years for doing Hee Haw.
To sum them up I live next to a School and still see Teachers out in the Playgrounds with Masks on.
As it’s not Wasp Stinging time yet , why are they wearing these Masks.
A terrible example to our Children.
Michael,
I am not, nor have I ever been an RE teacher (nor do I play one on TV), but I for one would be interested in your allegedly boring ideas.
RCA Victor,
You took the words out of my mouth! I’d love to read Michael’s “boring ideas” – I bet they are no such thing!
Me too, any ideas to improve Catholic education are welcome – I can’t see Michael’s being boring any more than what the kids are being given these days. Michael’s ideas are sure to beat the picking up litter campaigns and other save the planet nonsense.
I teach Religious Education in the primary school. We have no textbooks, workbooks etc. I don’t know what other teachers use, but I do my own thing and use the “Light of the World” programme which was used in Scottish schools prior to Vatican II.
When I found this resource online I was astonished. We are led to believe that older educational resources were dull and boring and wouldn’t engage “modern” children. The opposite is true. There’s a story, putting the main lesson into a context, catechism questions and then interactive activities. This could be partner work, making labelling drawings, acting out a scenario etc. The pupils LOVE it.
I did a lesson with older children on mortal and venial sin. The pupils were mesmerised. They had never heard these terms and came up with lots of scenarios and then applied the conditions for a sin to be mortal.
So called experts who like to think older resources are dull and boring and unsuitable are either:
Poorly catechised/educated
Have sinister intentions
Out to make money/a name for themselves
Petrus,
I remember that series, Light of the World and I am really intrigued that it was not dull and boring as modern educationalists are portraying it. I’m not surprised since they do that with everything these days, including the Mass. It’s a crying shame that pupils are being denied the knowledge you have given them, re. mortal and venial sin. There will be other things they don’t know that they would love to learn. There will be a lot of adults who have been denied the full faith who will be angry when they realise it. Thank goodness for teachers like you who are filling the gaps where and when you can. God bless you!
Michaela,
You are too kind. I only wish I lived up to what you describe.
Yes, Light of the World is great. The pupils love it. I really despise this need to constantly reinvent the wheel. My experience is when the wheel is reinvented, it always ends up a shadow of its former self! Certainly it’s true of Religious Education.
I also concur with what editor said about non-Catholic pupils. They have a fascination with religion and are very open and receptive. In fact, I had a non-Catholic child ask me last week if she could go to Confession!
Petrus,
That kid who wants confession should go to that Edinburgh priest who opened his confessional to non-Catholics during the Fringe a few years back, not sure if you remember. I went to search for it just now and found this. It’s ridiculous, of course.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6274152.stm
Faith of our Fathers,
Whilst some teachers may have done nothing during the lockdowns, I can assure you all the teachers I know certainly did not do nothing. There was an expectation that we created videos and posted them online for every subject. We also had to provide follow up work, be available to offer support online and mark work.
As for “two years” that is also incorrect. The first lockdown lasted from 23rd March to the end of the academic year in a June. The second lockdown was from the beginning of January to mid-March.
Al not argue with you Sir but in my Opinion ( and it’s only my Opinion) Teachers got full pay for Hee Haw, whether it was 2 years or nearly 2 Years is neither Here nor there. I have no doubt that you see your Profession as a Profession. To many just see it as a Job and an easy one, and well Paid One at that.
Well, with respect, school lockdowns lasted 6 months – not anywhere near 2 years. There would have been very few teachers allowed to get away with “hee haw”.
Petrus,
That’s very interesting about schools only being in lockdown for six months, although that is bad enough. It seems longer but I suppose that’s because the whole fiasco lasted two years and some would like it to continue!
As for doing “hee haw” – there are lazy people in every job, every profession and although there would be some taking advantage of the situation, there would be others, like you, working to the best you could do in those circumstances. I think FOOF actually is saying that, in fact, he will know that there are always those who take advantage of situations in every walk of life. We are still seeing that in the medical profession, where everything is blamed on Covid, especially not getting appointments in a reasonable space of time, it’s shocking.
N O T I C E . . .
Please pray urgently for a reader/friend in the north of Scotland who has been diagnosed with a malignant tumour and is to undergo a major operation on Monday. His family is, naturally, extremely worried.
Michaela,
Yes, you are right. There are plenty of lazy teachers around. No doubt about that. My experience was there was a requirement from the authorities that we worked at home. they were very keen to make sure we weren’t paid for doing nothing.
It did seem longer than 6 months. I hated every minute of it. In fact, I volunteered to go in and work in the building because I couldn’t stand the “Stay At Home” order.
Sir I apologise if I offended you directly, it was certainly not my Intention and I wish with all my Heart that Teachers were as consciences as yourself. After all we know that especially now Teachers can and do have a tremendous influence on Childrens Lives.
I just read an article in the Daily Mail of Trans Activist Teachers in Schools .And as I have 3 Granddaughters 1 who will be going to Secondary school next year it is really Horrific. I have already said to my Daughter to watch out even for their language. As we know that the Trans Lobby has a Laungage of their own. As I said on another Topic that St Margarets Secondary School in Airdrie was having a Gender Neutral Toilet installed. It really is a scary time for the young especially entering their teens.
FOOF,
No need to apologise. I wasn’t at all offended.