Skolesyn til katolsk eftersyn

Også i Lancaster Bispedømmet er man i gang med den helt store revision og gennemtænkning af det pastorale arbejde i bispedømmet. Også her lukker man kirker i stor stil med henblik på at yde den bedst mulige pastorale og evangeliserende indsats i dette område af England i årene fremover. Den overordnede udfordrende overskrift for denne pastoral plan er ”Fit for mission?” I forbindelse hermed bliver der udarbejdet forskellige planer for de forskellige arbejdsområder indenfor bispedømmet.

Efter at have besøgt samtlige katolske skoler og videregående uddannelser har Biskop O’Donoghue, som chefkateket (Chief Teacher) i sit bispedømme nu barslet med et omfattende plan og vejledning for det katolske skoleområde. Den har allerede nu forvoldt megen debat ikke blot i Lancaster bispedømmet men ud over England og endda så langt væk som i Australien og USA. Den er også nået til Vatikanet. Og her har planen og vejledningen for skoleområdet modtaget stor anerkendelse.

I Fit for mission? Schools, som planen hedder, slår Biskop O’Donoghue fast, at de katolske skoler har en utrolig vigtig rolle at spille, hvad angår Kirkens udadrettede og reevangeliserende arbejde. Ofte er skolerne den eneste reelle kontakt børnene, de unge og deres forældre har med Kirken. Men skal de enkelte katolske skoler virkelig leve op til denne rolle, så skal de ifølge Biskop O’Donoghue kunne svare ”ja” til følgende tre punkter:

• “Is the Catholic faith a living reality at the heart of every diocesan school?”
• “Are our pupils having a rich and living encounter with our Risen Lord.”
• “Are we transmitting the fullness of the faith in an exciting and creative way to our pupils and their families?”

Hvis ikke de enkelte skoler kan svare “ja” til disse tre spørgsmål, så er der ingen ifl. Biskop O’Donoghue ingen grund til at beholde de pågældende skoler.

Efter disse indledende spørgsmål finder man fire afsnit i planen, som omhandler 1) den succes, som de katolske skoler i England har, 2) den plads, som de opfylder i Guds frelsesplan, 3) den inspiration, som Biblen kan give med henblik på at skabe en katolsk ethos på en skole, og 4) forkyndelse af det gode budskab som noget altid nyt og forvandlende.

Herefter angiver Biskop O’Donoghue fire søjler, som de katolske skoler må bygge på:

Første søjle: The profession of faith
Under det punkt skriver Biskop O’Donoghue: ”Over the years I have become aware of a method of teaching the faith in our schools that has become a source of concern for me, because it limits our children’s faith to what they or their teachers personally consider ‘relevant’. There is a twofold problem with allowing personal determinations of ‘relevance’ rather than the content of God’s self revelation to determine the teaching of the faith: First, no one can arrive at the whole truth on the basis of personal experience, because individual experience is isolated and limited (cf. Pope John Paul II, Catechesis tradendae, 22. Second, an over-concentration on the personal experience of pupils results in a failure to present the fullness of the faith or convey the whole sweep of God’s unfolding love in Salvation History.” Biskop O’Donoghue opfordrer særligt til, at man i langt højere bruger Den katolske Kirkes katekismus i undervisningen og har sans for de store centrale temaer i vores tro såsom inkarnationen, treenighedslæren, menneskets værdighed som skabt i Guds billede, synd og arvesynd, Kirken, Maria som Guds Moder, forsoningen i Jesus etc.

Anden søjle: Sakramenterne
Biskop O’Donoghue skriver: ”To those who question or dismiss the importance of liturgy in the busy life of a school … my answer is that liturgy is a basic human need… The human person, as a union of body and spirit, needs signs and symbols to express and perceive spiritual realities… Fr. Marcus Stock is surely right when he states that a school’s celebration of liturgy and prayer is an integral part of teaching and learning in the development of a pupil’s spiritual life, because it can create time to become reflective, experience the presence of God, and develop a mature spiritual life.” Blandt de ting, som Biskop O’Donoghue anbefaler kan nævnes:

• ”The Celebration of the Eucharist, as the ‘sacrament of sacraments’ must be every school’s pre-eminent act of Liturgy and Prayer.”
• “Encourage awe and wonder towards Christ’s Eucharistic presence.”
• “Arrange a school Corpus Christi procession.”
• “Organise retreats and ‘day with a difference’ for year groups etc.”
• “All schools … must regularly provide occasions for staff and pupils to receive the sacrament of penance and reconciliation.”
• “That parishes, schools … collaborate in the deepest way in the preparation of the children and young people to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation.”

Tredje søjle: Kirkens morallære
Biskop O’Donoghue skriver: ”… we have to confront a pervasive heresy about the nature of man that has its basis in an aggressive consumerism that dominates our society. Basicly, this worldview reduces individuals from being ‘persons’ to things, so that people can be used as things. Examples … include embryonic research, surrogacy in IVF, pornography, exploitation of migrant labour…” Og han citerer Pave Johanes Paul for i Evangelium Vitae (23) at skrive: Consequently, sexuality too is depersonalized and exploited: from being the sign, place and language of love, that is, of the gift of self and acceptance of another, in all the other’s richness as a person, it increasingly becomes the occasion and instrument of self-assertion and selfish satisfaction of personal desires and instincts.” På denne baggrund anbefaler Biskop O’Donoghue blandt andet:

• “Ensure all sex education follows the principle set out in Pontifical Council for the Family document, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality…”
• “Review opportunities to present the vocation of marriage.”
• “Ensure regular prayers for vocations … for ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life & lay ministry.”
• “Ensure that no outside authority or agency that is not fully qualified to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church is allowed to speak to pupils … on sexual or any other matter involving faith and morals.”

Fjerde søjle: Bøn
Biskop O’Donoghue skriver: ”Over the years hundreds of thousands of young people have been through our Catholic education system in the Diocese of Lancaster. Looking at the drastic decline in the number of Catholics attending mass, I must ask these questions: 1) How many of our young people have a living relationship with Jesus? 2) How many have the first idea of how to pray? How many have really experienced His living and healing presence?” Biskop O’Donoghue understreger her, at det selvfølgelig ikke kun er skolernes skyld, at det står så skidt til. Også forældrene og præsterne har et kæmpeansvar herfor. Hvad angår denne søjle, anbefaler Biskop O’Donoghue blandt flere ting:

• “Introduce / review teaching of meditation on the Word of God in personal and liturgical prayer.”
• “Arrange weekly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.”
• “Introduce /review acts of popular piety e.g. Rosary, Stations of the Cross.”
• “Ensure meaningfuld memorisation of basic prayers.”
• “… encourage … devotion to martyrs of the 20th century.”
• “Arrange story telling of the saints.”
• “A devotion to Mary … should be encouraged.”

Såvidt Biskop O’Donoghue! I en tid, hvor kanonbegrebet igen er kommet på banen, hvad angår historie, litteratur og arkitektur, kunne det måske være en ide at lave en kanon for katolsk undervisning og katolske skolers praksis. For hvad er det i grunden, der skal til, for at man kan kalde en skole katolsk? Og i yderste fald må man vel spørge, om det giver mening at kalde en skole katolsk og beholde den som sådan, hvis ikke den prøver på at leve op til de målsætninger, som er udstukne af Kongregationen for Katolsk Undervisning? Biskop O’Donoghues skrift kan være et udmærket ind spark i en sådan kanondebat.