Catholic education in Ireland risks falling off a demographic cliff with the numbers of teachers in Catholic schools professing adherence to the faith projected to decline rapidly, according to an in-depth survey of Catholic education in Ireland that was recently released. However, the public reception of the report seems to propose only either/or solutions – fewer schools or a diluted Catholic education. Catholic patronage seems primarily an issue for competing patronages, humanist/atheist interest groups, and antagonistic media and politicians. For someone outside Ireland, it would be expected that Catholic school stakeholders would be assumed to have a Catholic identity. Is it possible that in the future, the majority of Catholic schools will be led by people with no commitment to the faith?

Source: The Herald May 06, 2024 19:42 UTC