In conclusion, the teachers and administrators felt that the most important
component of Catholic identity in a Catholic school is the school’s culture
or faith community. The faith community was rated higher than any other
dimension of Catholic identity and the term “faith” appeared among the most
frequently mentioned attributes in the open-ended question. The teachers and
administrators also gave high priority to the content of the religion course, who
taught religion and other aspects of the school’s environment, prayer at the
beginning of the day, periodic liturgical celebrations, and students participating
in Christian service.
The lowest priorities assigned by the teachers and administrators as being
essential to the Catholic identity of a Catholic school were the percentage of
students who are Catholic, followed by the percentages of teachers who are Catholic. On the other hand, the respondents affirmed the importance of both
the principal and the religion teacher being Catholic.
Differences in the perceptions of importance of various components were
evident by the length of time the respondents had worked in a Catholic school,
with more experienced teachers assigning more importance to the leading
component than less experienced teachers, and their role in the school, with
administrators assigning the highest ratings, following by teachers in elementary
school and finally by high school teachers. In addition, those who taught religion
generally gave higher ratings to the components compared with those who did
not teach religion, a large number of whom were high school teachers. Finally,
Catholic teachers were more likely than non-Catholic teachers to rate a particular
component as being essential to the school’s Catholic identity.
Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI was very clear in his presentation to
Catholic educators on April 17, 2008 at The Catholic University of America
about the importance of education to the Church and, in particular, the
education that occurs in a Catholic school with its faith dimension. The Holy
Father said: “First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a
place to encounter the living God, who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming
love and truth.” He later continued: “Clearly, then, Catholic identity is not
dependent upon statistics. Neither can it be equated simply with orthodoxy
of course content. It demands and inspires much more: namely that each and
every aspect of your learning communities reverberates with the ecclesial life
of faith” (Benedict XVI, 2008).
For the teachers and administrators of Catholic schools, a school is
Catholic not because of its name, or the presence of crucifixes, or because it
has a course in religion, or by the percentage of Catholic students, but rather by
its Catholic ethos, its faith community, which is manifested in what is taught
and how, how people relate to one another, what the environment looks like,
what celebrations occurs and, finally, by its name.
In conclusion, the teachers and administrators felt that the most importantcomponent of Catholic identity in a Catholic school is the school’s cultureor faith community. The faith community was rated higher than any otherdimension of Catholic identity and the term “faith” appeared among the mostfrequently mentioned attributes in the open-ended question. The teachers andadministrators also gave high priority to the content of the religion course, whotaught religion and other aspects of the school’s environment, prayer at thebeginning of the day, periodic liturgical celebrations, and students participatingin Christian service.The lowest priorities assigned by the teachers and administrators as beingessential to the Catholic identity of a Catholic school were the percentage ofstudents who are Catholic, followed by the percentages of teachers who are Catholic. On the other hand, the respondents affirmed the importance of boththe principal and the religion teacher being Catholic.Differences in the perceptions of importance of various components wereevident by the length of time the respondents had worked in a Catholic school,with more experienced teachers assigning more importance to the leadingcomponent than less experienced teachers, and their role in the school, withadministrators assigning the highest ratings, following by teachers in elementaryschool and finally by high school teachers. In addition, those who taught religiongenerally gave higher ratings to the components compared with those who didnot teach religion, a large number of whom were high school teachers. Finally,Catholic teachers were more likely than non-Catholic teachers to rate a particularcomponent as being essential to the school’s Catholic identity.Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI was very clear in his presentation toCatholic educators on April 17, 2008 at The Catholic University of Americaabout the importance of education to the Church and, in particular, theeducation that occurs in a Catholic school with its faith dimension. The HolyFather said: “First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is aplace to encounter the living God, who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforminglove and truth.” He later continued: “Clearly, then, Catholic identity is notdependent upon statistics. Neither can it be equated simply with orthodoxyof course content. It demands and inspires much more: namely that each andevery aspect of your learning communities reverberates with the ecclesial lifeof faith” (Benedict XVI, 2008).For the teachers and administrators of Catholic schools, a school isCatholic not because of its name, or the presence of crucifixes, or because ithas a course in religion, or by the percentage of Catholic students, but rather byits Catholic ethos, its faith community, which is manifested in what is taughtand how, how people relate to one another, what the environment looks like,what celebrations occurs and, finally, by its name.
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