Archbishop urged to clarify 'Catholic ethos' comments
Friday February 11 2005
At a public meeting in Maynooth yesterday, Mr Rabbitte said it was a fact of life that many parents send their children to a Catholic school, regardless of their own beliefs, because often it is the only one in their area.
He stated: "The increasing number of parents in this category will be unclear as to the implications of the Archbishop's remarks.
"What is a 'defined and verifiable Catholic ethos' and how would it impinge on school enrolment policies, particularly with regard to non-Catholic students, or as is so often the case in Ireland, children whose parents are born into the Catholic faith but choose not to bring their children up in the same tradition?"
Mr Rabbitte suggested that one solution might be to "draw on the model of the community college and adapt it to the primary level."
He said: "These schools at second level admit students of all denominations, and of none, and provide for religious instruction within the school context, and for chaplains of different denominations to be appointed to the schools."
He indicated that this might be a better way of responding to the growing plurality of beliefs in Ireland rather than establishing separate schools for every belief.
Last week Archbishop Martin said he was concerned that many parents now want a "fuzzier, generic Christian ethos" for their children's schools, but that Catholic schools must have a strong Catholic ethos despite this.
- David QuinnReligious Affairs Correspondent
