CES News (150)
Leadership in Catholic Schools
Throughout the Gospels there are lessons to be learned either from what Jesus had to say and more often in the actions He took, and why and how He did what He did - examples are there for us all on the nature of the leadership that we can expect in our Catholic educational faith communities.
At the Last Supper, after Jesus had powerfully demonstrated the concept of ‘Servant Leadership’ by washing of the feet of His disciples, He responded to arguments about status by patiently explaining His view of leadership.
We face challenges not persecution
It has become a commonplace comment that Christians in the UK are facing persecution from an overbearing state, a seemingly hostile judiciary and a metropolitan elite with friends in the media. A quick trawl of news sites shows that Ann Widdecombe believes that ‘Christianity in Britain is under severe persecution and it will get worse’; David Simpson MP says that ‘we don’t have to go to other countries to see persecution, we simply look to our own back door’. Even the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Rev Lord Carey, says that in Britain ‘Christians are vilified by the state... Christians are being driven underground’.
Catholic education in a changing context
Change in the world of education has been rapid and will continue under the Coalition Government at a pace; one might speculate about the shape of the educational landscape in 2012. Already we see a world of academies, free schools, companies which provide education, competition, deregulation and closures. It is also a time of great demographic change in the Catholic population which is affecting dioceses in very different ways. The classroom has become ethnically very diverse. This offers a wonderful opportunity to understand the Catholic Church as the community of disciples in a much broader way.
Statement from the CES regarding support for marriage
The Archbishops’ letter was circulated to all Catholic parishes and secondary schools. The letter is a positive affirmation of marriage, as is the Coalition for Marriage’s online petition. As the letter says, Catholics believe that ‘marriage is a high and noble vocation’.
Parental choice limited by transport funding cuts
Parents across England and Wales are facing potential bills of thousands of pounds following local authority cuts to funding subsidies for transport to Catholic schools.
Resolutions adopted by the Bishops of England and Wales at their Plenary Meeting
The following resolutions relating to Catholic education were unanimously adopted by the Bishops of England and Wales at their Plenary Meeting in Leeds this week.
Government to send a copy of the King James Bible to every school in England
The Government has decided to mark the 400th anniversary of the completion of the translation of the King James Bible into English by sending a copy of it to every school in England.
New data shows Catholic schools take more children from the least advantaged communities and add greater value
Recently published data demonstrates that a higher proportion of pupils in Catholic schools come from the 10% most deprived areas compared to the proportion in schools nationally.
Bishop John Sherrington appointed as new CES trustee
The CES team is delighted to welcome Bishop John Sherrington, auxiliary bishop in Westminster archdiocese, as our new trustee. Bishop Sherrington was appointed on 1 January and his appointment means he will also be joining the CES Management Committee.
Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference to highlight Pope’s call for young people to be saints of the 21st century
164 delegates, most of them Heads, will attend. Keynote speakers, Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP and Fr Adrian Porter SJ, will explore the universal call to holiness and how this can be made a reality in contemporary life.