Networking Issue 1 Vol.5
HOMEPAGE
by Peter Boylan
“On the Threshold”
The Damian Lundy Lecture
Bishop Brian Noble
Bishop Noble uses this opportunity to explain and promote the important work of initiation for the whole Church taken forward in the Bishops’ Conference publication “On the Threshold” (2000: Matthew James Publishing Ltd) which deals with the theological and pastoral issues associated with sacramental initiation.

A Response to
Bishop Noble’s Lecture
Irene Donnelly

Irene Donnelly from her perspective as National Co-ordinator of Mission Together welcomes Bishop Noble’s expansive statement on the important area of evangelisation to which we are all called as participants.

Catholic Association
for Racial Justice
(CARJ):
Stephen Corriette

Stephen Corriette is Director of CARJ, an agency of the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales. In this article he outlines the work of CARJ and spells out the key issues facing the Church and its schools. Materials are made available to schools and can be accessed by contacting:
CARJ, 9 Henry Road, Manor House, London N4 2LH
Tel. 0181 211 0808, E-mail: Stephen@carj.freeserve.co.uk

Identity, inclusion
intervention and intent:
Fr Philip Sumner

Fr Sumner speaks from experience of inner city ministry in Manchester and here challenges our awareness of the depth of racial injustice which may lie unwittingly in our schools. In locating the Church’s mission in Luke 4:18-19 “ to bring good news to…” he asks “is it too much to suggest that Catholic education should come into its own in areas of social deprivation?” Fr Sumner not only offers a first class analysis of the situation but points the way forward with numerous practical suggestions. To any school seeking to create an agenda for change, there could be few better starting points.

The Challenge of
“Joined-up” Witness:
Willie Slavin

Our Assistant Editor responds to the challenge laid out by Fr Sumner and speaks from the perspective of 30+ years in Catholic schools about the possibilities and practicalities of inclusive education in partnership with our parishes.

The Lived Life:
The Catholic
Independent School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium:
Juliette Austin

Juliette Austin, lay Head of Kilgraston School, a Sacred Heart foundation, uses the approach of the third millennium to re-assess the role of the Catholic Independent school. In this article she looks at the historical position, maintaining the Sacred Heart charism in the present time with lay staff and goes on to robustly defend the whole notion of independent schooling.

The Mistletoe Curriculum:
Barry Dwyer - reprinted with permission from Catholic School Studies in Australia and New Zealand.

Barry Dwyer, in a short reflective piece, likens much of the accretions of the modern curriculum to the parasitic nature of mistletoe which eventually kills the host tree. His antidote: critical discernment, reflective teaching, collaborative planning and prophetic decision-making.

Celebrating
Our Schools
St Augustine’s Primary
School Glasgow

St Augustine’s presents as a very worthy introduction to this feature in Networking. Sometimes you can just tell that what you are reading is authentic –this is the real thing.

CAFOD - The fight against poverty.

In this introduction to another regular feature, an article starting with
“The real wealth of a nation is its people and the purpose of development is to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy creative lives”
is no more than the globalisation of the mission statement of every Catholic school. How CAFOD works this out offers both models of developmental action and vision but could just prove to have that added dimension of inspiring a renewed look at our own internal vision and practice.