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Catholic Education
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Catholic Education

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 32228

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Paweł Mąkosa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Theology, The John Paul Catholic University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Interests: Catholic education; Religious education; Migrants’ Religious education; Christian art

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue of Religions is dedicated to Catholic education. This topic is understood very broadly and includes all dimensions of education provided within the Catholic Church, in Catholic schools and Catholic universities around the world. Education forms a very significant activity within the Roman Catholic Church. In many countries the Church runs numerous schools and universities. This kind of education grant the opportunity to base education on Christian anthropology and to shape students’ personality in the light of the Gospel. The cultural, ethical and religious formation of young generations is very important not only for the Church but also for the entire society. Due to increasing secularisation, Catholic education has to face many new challenges, so the main purpose of this special issue is to specify them and look for answers to solve these problems. In addition, this special issue is open to research on Catholic Religious Education in different countries and from different perspectives. Papers presenting Catholic education and Catholic Religious Education in historical, contemporary and future perspectives are also welcomed. Therefore, Theologians, Philosophers, Historians, Psychologists, Pedagogues as well as Social Scientists, Educational Scholars and researchers as well as school leaders and teachers are invited to publish in this issue.

The Catholic Church has been providing education in schools and universities for many centuries all over the world. Moreover, it is the Church that has always been a pioneer and promoter of research and education. Until today, Catholic schools and universities are important educational centers in which a high level of education is combined with social, moral and religious education. However, now Catholic education faces many challenges, mainly due to secularization. Because of the great importance of Catholic education for our societies, the well-known and prestigious journal Religions has decided to dedicate a special issue to this topic. In addition, this special issue is open to research on Catholic Religious Education in different countries and from different perspectives. The main aim of the special issue is to specify and answer new challenges for Catholic education and Catholic Religious Education that arise from secularization and other reasons. Papers presenting Catholic education and Catholic Religious Education in historical, contemporary, and future perspectives are also welcomed. As a specialist in the field of Catholic education, you understand very well the importance of this kind of education.  We are pleased to invite you to publish a research or review paper on widely understood Catholic education and Catholic Religious Education.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Conceptual foundations of Catholic education;
  • History and current situation of Catholic education in various countries;
  • Specifics of Catholic schools and universities;
  • A comparative study of Catholic education and education provided by other religions and denominations or public education;
  • Current challenges for Catholic education;
  • Perspectives for the development of Catholic education;
  • Contemporary determinants of Catholic Religious Education;
  • Different conceptions and approaches to Catholic Religious Education;
  • Catholic Religious Education in different countries;
  • Challenges for Catholic Religious Education in the context of secularisation.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Paweł Mąkosa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Catholic Church
  • Catholic education
  • Catholic schools
  • Catholic universities
  • Catholic Religious Education
  • Secularisation
  • Laicisation

Published Papers (17 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3164 KiB  
Article
The Internet, the Problem of Socialising Young People, and the Role of Religious Education
by David Kraner
Religions 2023, 14(4), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14040523 - 11 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1237
Abstract
Alongside the declining religiosity of young Slovenians, there is a growing loneliness among young people. When young people are not motivated or do not have the opportunity to engage in social activities in their free time, they look elsewhere for substitutes. In our [...] Read more.
Alongside the declining religiosity of young Slovenians, there is a growing loneliness among young people. When young people are not motivated or do not have the opportunity to engage in social activities in their free time, they look elsewhere for substitutes. In our study, we highlight the problems young people face with their loneliness, their excessive use of the internet, their low involvement in social activities, and their high tolerance for smartphone distraction. Religious education in Catholic grammar schools in Slovenia plays an important role not only in providing religious content, but also in empowering adolescents to take a critical view of the world, and to actively engage young people in society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
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15 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
Cultivating Community through Language Learning in a Benedictine Seminary Network
by Daniela B. Abraham
Religions 2023, 14(3), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14030299 - 22 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, a seminary located in southern Indiana, was founded in 1857 by monks of the Benedictine order of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. The seminary has since been devoted to the education of faith leaders—priests, deacons, and graduate lay [...] Read more.
St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, a seminary located in southern Indiana, was founded in 1857 by monks of the Benedictine order of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. The seminary has since been devoted to the education of faith leaders—priests, deacons, and graduate lay students. Due to the growth of underserved Latino populations in the Midwest region of the United States, there is a need to prepare future faith leaders to serve Latino congregations. This work provides an exploration into the ways in which language learning collaborations based on Benedictine hospitality can cultivate community. It outlines a Benedictine pedagogy of community that is threefold. First, given the importance of language to communicate with members of Latino communities in the United States, the cultivation of community is understood in terms of the world readiness standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Second, because Benedictine monasteries were founded on the value of hospitality, these interactions are imbued with Benedictine hospitality. Third, it is argued that Benedictine communities are contexts in which the liminal intertwines with the liminoid, resulting in fertile ground for the creation of what we call liminal/liminoid encounters that have the potential to level asymmetric power relations and lead to meaningful dialogue. The final section shows how this Benedictine pedagogy of community is enacted in one specific Spanish language learning immersion that takes place at a sister Benedictine Monastery abroad, Our Lady of Angels, in Cuernavaca, Mexico. It also provides a small sample of seven students’ responses to two critical questions from a survey questionnaire. Even though this small qualitative sample is not generalizable, it helps illuminate how these interactions may lead to the development of cultural sensitivity, of a sense of community, between students and members of this language learning immersion abroad. Responses indicate that students who participated in this program for at least eight weeks exhibit an interest in continuing to interact and collaborate in multicultural communities as well as a willingness to learn the target language beyond this experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
16 pages, 299 KiB  
Article
Sexual Morality of Young Poles as a Challenge for Religious Education
by Wiesław Przygoda, Kazimierz Święs and Piotr Rozpędowski
Religions 2023, 14(2), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020277 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1344
Abstract
As indicated by numerous sociological reports, the morality of young people is currently undergoing dynamic changes, and this applies especially to morality in the sphere of sexuality. The purpose of this article is to analyze the opinions on sexual morality expressed by young [...] Read more.
As indicated by numerous sociological reports, the morality of young people is currently undergoing dynamic changes, and this applies especially to morality in the sphere of sexuality. The purpose of this article is to analyze the opinions on sexual morality expressed by young Poles. The results of this analysis can help to develop a better program for their religious education. The analyses are based on the results of social quantitative surveys conducted in 2020 on a random sample of 410 high school seniors (age 18–20) residing in cities of various sizes and in rural areas. The research verified the following leading hypothesis: “The morality of young Poles regarding sexual activity is becoming increasingly autonomous and is formed independently of the morality model that is offered by leading educational institutions, particularly family, Church, and school”. The detailed hypotheses were only partially confirmed. The empirical material presented in the article confirms that the moral education of youth in the sphere of human sexuality currently being implemented in Poland is inefficient and requires changes to several pastoral postulates. First of all, young people must not be treated as passive recipients of pastoral programs or strategies. They want to be the creators of the social, cultural, and religious changes taking place. Reaching the hearts of young people with the message of the Gospel requires immersing oneself in their life experience, perceptions, and understanding of reality, as well as their highly individualized axiology and complex decision-making processes. Young people should be set moral requirements also in the sphere of sexuality, as this is necessary for their personal development and the preparation of the foundations for a good life as an adult; however, this must be done with perceptible love and from the position of a witness of a positive and happy life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
12 pages, 254 KiB  
Article
Teaching Mariology in Catholic Seminaries in the USA
by Robert L. Fastiggi
Religions 2023, 14(2), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020275 - 17 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1542
Abstract
This article begins by explaining the importance of Mariology for Catholic theology. It provides an overview of a 2015–2016 survey of 32 Catholic seminaries in the USA on how Mariology is covered in the curriculum. It then examines documents of the Congregation for [...] Read more.
This article begins by explaining the importance of Mariology for Catholic theology. It provides an overview of a 2015–2016 survey of 32 Catholic seminaries in the USA on how Mariology is covered in the curriculum. It then examines documents of the Congregation for Catholic Education on the teaching of Mariology in Catholic seminaries. It also looks at what the sixth edition of the US Bishops’ Program for Priestly Formation (2022) says about Mariology and Marian devotion in seminary formation. The article discusses why some believe Mariology should be covered in Ecclesiology because of Vatican II’s choice to integrate Mariology into Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. Whether Mariology can be adequately covered in courses in Ecclesiology is then considered. The article ends with a recommendation for having Mariology taught as a required stand-alone course in all Catholic seminaries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
15 pages, 266 KiB  
Article
“No Fiancé, No Baptism”: Historicizing the Education of Girls through a 1953 Episode in the RCM Convent Girls School, Benin City, Nigeria
by Uyilawa Usuanlele
Religions 2023, 14(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020213 - 04 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1205
Abstract
In 1953, officials of the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Church in Benin City, Nigeria, requested schoolgirls of Benin–Edo ethnic origin at the local Convent Primary School preparing for baptism to bring their fiancés to school as a condition for baptism. The demand for [...] Read more.
In 1953, officials of the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Church in Benin City, Nigeria, requested schoolgirls of Benin–Edo ethnic origin at the local Convent Primary School preparing for baptism to bring their fiancés to school as a condition for baptism. The demand for the presentation of their fiancé was the first time such a condition for baptism was given to young teenage girls since the establishment of the RCM in Benin City in 1923. The condition and demand affected the girls’ relationship with the RCM denomination. In examining and historicizing this episode, this paper asks and answers the following questions: Why did the local RCM officials change their policy to demand fiancés as a condition for the baptism of schoolgirls of Benin–Edo origin? How did the policy affect schoolgirls, particularly their relations with the Catholic faith, and their response? This paper uses archival documents, personal interviews with some former Convent school girls and Catholic church members, and written sources to find answers to these questions and reconstruct the history of women’s education under the RCM in Benin City Parish under colonial rule. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
14 pages, 940 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Catholic Education on Economic Ideology
by Robert T. Burrus, David Echevarria, David Glew and Adam Jones
Religions 2023, 14(2), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020153 - 28 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2547
Abstract
Religious adherence, church attendance, and economic ideology have long been intertwined. We discuss the compatibility between Catholic doctrine and individual-based free market systems and then examine the effect of Catholic school attendance on an individual’s belief in and support for a capitalist economic [...] Read more.
Religious adherence, church attendance, and economic ideology have long been intertwined. We discuss the compatibility between Catholic doctrine and individual-based free market systems and then examine the effect of Catholic school attendance on an individual’s belief in and support for a capitalist economic system. Using individual level survey data, we find a positive relationship between attendance at Catholic schools and capitalist ideology as measured by an index that contrasts individual versus government action and responsibility in the economy. While attendance at Catholic school is associated with a stronger emphasis on individual, rather than governmental, responsibility in the economy, the effect is driven largely by Catholic high school or college attendance, reflecting an increased exposure to Catholic faith during the formative years of late adolescence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
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14 pages, 323 KiB  
Article
Kenyan Catholics’ Religiosity and Understanding of Marriage on the Basis of Individuals Associated with Shalom Center in Mitunguu: Educational and Pastoral Perspective
by Jacek Goleń, Jan Kobak, Florence Kabala and Małgorzata Szyszka
Religions 2023, 14(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010013 - 22 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1350
Abstract
This article presents the results of research into religiosity and understanding of marriage among a selected group of young Catholics, all of whom are current students or graduates of Shalom Center in Mitunguu, Kenya. The goal of our study was to determine the [...] Read more.
This article presents the results of research into religiosity and understanding of marriage among a selected group of young Catholics, all of whom are current students or graduates of Shalom Center in Mitunguu, Kenya. The goal of our study was to determine the correlations between the two variables so as to reach some conclusions and suggestions for religious education and pastoral care. The research made use of Stefan Huber’s Centrality of Religiosity Scale, while the respondents’ understanding of marriage was analyzed with the use of a questionnaire prepared by the authors of this study. As our research shows, one’s Catholic understanding of marriage increases alongside an increase in interest in religiosity and in one’s religious convictions, while it does not correlate—or does so only weakly—with a centrality of religiosity. Correlations with centrality occurred more often among men than among women. Mutual connections were most frequent among the youngest group of respondents, those who were up to 20 years of age and current students. This may indicate that religious formation and education of youth in the Shalom Center exerts a clear impact on shaping Catholic views on marriage. With the passing of time, traditional cultural precepts seem to gain prominence among the graduates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
13 pages, 1485 KiB  
Article
Youth Attitudes towards Religious Education in Poland
by Dominik Kiełb, Michał Pierzchała and Marcin Gazda
Religions 2023, 14(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010007 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1762
Abstract
This article presents a sociological and catechetical-pastoral overview of the results of an empirical survey that was carried out at the beginning of 2022 among 257 pupils aged 13–18 who were taking part in religious education in public schools in Poland. In the [...] Read more.
This article presents a sociological and catechetical-pastoral overview of the results of an empirical survey that was carried out at the beginning of 2022 among 257 pupils aged 13–18 who were taking part in religious education in public schools in Poland. In the empirical measurement, a computer-assisted interview technique was applied (i.e., computer-assisted web interview). Participants of religious education were asked about their independence in making the decision to attend religious classes, about their motivations, activity during the lessons, and their opinions on the lessons and teachers. The students were asked about the content, methods, atmosphere at the classes, and the impact on their knowledge and their attitudes to life. The analysis of data framed in an interdisciplinary approach indicated that the students had mildly positive attitudes towards religious education, despite secularisation changes and the confessional character of religious education in Poland. This research shows that religious education classes have an impact on particular aspects of the student’s life, their knowledge and faith, and their good assessment of the educational content, methods, and atmosphere during classes. The main conclusion of this research is that it is necessary to develop a less confessional and more open concept of religious education in Poland, which will be more inclusive and more interesting for pupils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
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13 pages, 249 KiB  
Article
The Integral Formation of Catholic School Teachers
by Amy E. Roberts and Gerard O’Shea
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121230 - 19 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2005
Abstract
The Catholic Church has a long history of conducting schools as part of its mission to evangelize. This paper will contend that in order for teachers to implement the evangelistic mission of Catholic schools, they themselves need an integral formation that puts every [...] Read more.
The Catholic Church has a long history of conducting schools as part of its mission to evangelize. This paper will contend that in order for teachers to implement the evangelistic mission of Catholic schools, they themselves need an integral formation that puts every dimension of their human nature—body, emotions, will, and intellect—in ongoing communion with Christ and His Church. A brief examination of the impact of secularization in the United States on the Catholic school mission indicates that teachers are inadequately formed to fulfill that mission. Contemplative practice, a common faith formation practice used for Catholic school teachers, will be evaluated as insufficient for achieving its goal because it does not fully account for the way God created human beings. Contemplative practice relies heavily on the work of John Dewey, who applied inadequate anthropological principles to the task of human learning and teacher education. By contrast, faith formation efforts that account for human nature engage both the intellectus and the ratio, and in so doing engage the teacher’s whole integrated person. Teacher faith formation can facilitate the teacher’s encounter with God, allowing Him to form her, by providing analogical encounters with Him through the transcendentals and sacramental encounters with Him in the liturgy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
25 pages, 386 KiB  
Article
The Catholic Church in Poland, Her Faithful, and the Restrictions on Freedom to Practise Religion during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Piotr Stanisz, Dariusz Wadowski, Justyna Szulich-Kałuża, Małgorzata Nowak and Mirosław Chmielewski
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1228; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121228 - 19 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2332
Abstract
In response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the state authorities in Poland—as in other countries—decided to introduce various restrictions on rights and freedoms, including the freedom to practise religion. The purpose of this study is to analyse and evaluate the [...] Read more.
In response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the state authorities in Poland—as in other countries—decided to introduce various restrictions on rights and freedoms, including the freedom to practise religion. The purpose of this study is to analyse and evaluate the position taken by the ministers of the Catholic Church in Poland and her faithful towards these restrictions during the first wave of the pandemic. An analysis of source material, including documents published by representatives of the Conference of Polish Bishops and diocesan bishops (or curial deputy officials), leads to the conclusion that, in their official messages, the bishops virtually unanimously supported the restrictions imposed by the state, often granting them the sanction of canon law, or introducing even more restrictive solutions in their own dioceses. Moreover, an analysis of the media coverage of the first wave of the pandemic, as well as sociological opinion research focusing on Poland’s Catholic faithful, concludes that both the faithful and ‘rank-and-file’ clergy exhibited a polarised assessment of the stance adopted by the bishops towards the restrictions. However, this analysis allows for the refutation of the claim expressed in the literature, and shared by some of the faithful, about the bishops’ excessive submissiveness to the state authorities. Our research proves that this claim somewhat distorts the reality. Rather, the attitude of the hierarchs of the Church needs to be seen as an expression of their responsibility for the common good. More deserving of criticism, on the other hand, is the excessive focus of the ecclesiastical message of this period on the restrictions on the freedom to practise religion, while the right of the faithful to the spiritual goods of the Church was relegated to the background (Can. 213 CIC-1983). In adopting the research framework developed by Joseph Cardijn (‘see–judge–act’), our analysis concludes with the recommendation that, should a similar crisis arise in the future, the institution of the Church should rather focus its message to the faithful on securing the said right in the context of the state-imposed restrictions, by adopting the attitude typical of that of an addressee of legal norms, in line with the conclusions drawn from its own autonomy and independence as underlying principles of the State-Church relationship in both Church teachings and Polish law. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
13 pages, 274 KiB  
Article
Leading the School Wisely and Purposefully: Design of a Practical, Wise Leadership Practice to Fulfil the Mission of Catholic Education
by Theo Van der Zee
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121151 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
Regarding the educational endeavour of their schools, Catholic school leaders are challenged to maintain “mission integrity”, and to remain faithful to the principles of Catholic education. While their daily praxis is characterised by multiple interruptions, even school leaders with profound theoretical knowledge and [...] Read more.
Regarding the educational endeavour of their schools, Catholic school leaders are challenged to maintain “mission integrity”, and to remain faithful to the principles of Catholic education. While their daily praxis is characterised by multiple interruptions, even school leaders with profound theoretical knowledge and extensive experience do not automatically know how to deal with them in a way that aligns with the distinctive and authentic principles of Catholic education. This article argues that a practical, wise leadership practice based on Christian discernment practices provides a kind of executive function that helps Catholic school leaders to decide and act wisely and purposefully. A generic design for interrelated strategies of practical, wise school leadership is presented that in a profound way does justice not only to the ethical but also to the transformative nature of the endeavour of Catholic education. The design consists of four clusters of strategies, characterised by practical wisdom and well-chosen reflective questions to activate these strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
20 pages, 4943 KiB  
Article
Religiousness of Young People in Poland as a Challenge to Catholic Education: Analyses Based on a Survey
by Anna Zellma, Andrzej Michał Kielian, Wojsław Wojciech Czupryński and Monique van Dijk-Groeneboer
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1142; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121142 - 24 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3063
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to perform a sociological and pastoral analysis of the religiousness of young people in Poland, which is a challenge to Catholic education. The authors analyse this issue based on the empirical study conducted in 2019 and 2020. [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper is to perform a sociological and pastoral analysis of the religiousness of young people in Poland, which is a challenge to Catholic education. The authors analyse this issue based on the empirical study conducted in 2019 and 2020. The study employed an online survey questionnaire. The study included 1171 people, students in grades 7 and 8 of primary schools and of secondary schools in the Małopolskie and Podkarpackie Voivodships in Poland. The paper focuses on young people’s self-declarations concerning: the religion they profess, faith, affiliation with a religious community, a bond to the community, the respondents’ and their parents’ attending religious services, celebrations/masses and praying individually. It was regarded as important to determine the correlations between the self-declarations of affiliation with a religious community and self-declaration of the religion professed and between the self-declarations of faith and bond to a religious community and self-declaration of the religion professed. These issues are enriched with the respondents’ opinions on religion as a school subject. They provide an insight into not only the respondents’ religiousness but also a diagnosis of young people’s attitudes towards religion as a school subject. They allow for conclusions to be drawn on Catholic education in the secularising society, especially with young people increasingly often quitting religious lessons in schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
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14 pages, 275 KiB  
Article
Methodical Approaches to Intercultural Education in Confessional Religious Education in the Republic of Croatia
by Ružica Razum and Marija Jurišić
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1112; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111112 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
After many years of neglecting the religious dimension within intercultural education, today there is a broad consensus in Europe that religious education represents an important dimension in the intercultural education of young people. Awareness of the connection between intercultural and interreligious learning is [...] Read more.
After many years of neglecting the religious dimension within intercultural education, today there is a broad consensus in Europe that religious education represents an important dimension in the intercultural education of young people. Awareness of the connection between intercultural and interreligious learning is becoming increasingly stronger and more present. One of the important questions related to intercultural education in general, and especially to the religious dimension of that education, relates to the qualification of the confessional religious education teachers with regard to the achievement of intercultural goals and especially the qualification to develop intercultural competence in students. This paper consists of two parts. The theoretical part elaborates on issues related to the development of intercultural competence in confessional religious education. The second part presents some of the results of the quantitative research (descriptive statistics methods were used), which was carried out in the Republic of Croatia and aimed to examine the attitudes and opinions of religious education teachers regarding the necessary intercultural competence for work in schools. The results have revealed that religious education teachers highly value the development of intercultural competence in students, as well as great motivation and openness of religious education teachers of confessional classes for the development of intercultural education. At the same time, they point to the relative scarcity of methods within religious teaching that promote intercultural and interreligious learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
12 pages, 284 KiB  
Article
Religious Education in Transition: From Content-Centred to Student-Centred
by Carl-Mario Sultana
Religions 2022, 13(10), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100986 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2110
Abstract
Catholic Religious Education as a subject in school curricula is an area in which the need for change is constantly felt. This change is driven by the paradigm shift in anthropology brought about by Vatican Council II, which sought to put the human [...] Read more.
Catholic Religious Education as a subject in school curricula is an area in which the need for change is constantly felt. This change is driven by the paradigm shift in anthropology brought about by Vatican Council II, which sought to put the human being at the centre. Notwithstanding this shift proposed more than 50 years ago, we are still struggling to handle and implement this change. In practice, this calls for a re-evaluation of the traditional doctrinal methods, which have been associated with teaching Religious Education in the past and seeking to adopt new methods which are more anthropological and depart from where the human being actually stands and seek to answer the existential questions which contemporary human beings pose. The point of departure for such a vision is the etymological meaning of the term ‘education’ from the Latin root educere. In practical terms, such a shift from a content-centred to a more student-centred approach entails adopting a constructivist approach and putting into practice the principles of what is referred to as ‘Adaptive Religious Education’, which seeks to educate children in all the six dimensions of the human being simultaneously in a holistic way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
9 pages, 239 KiB  
Article
Opting out of Religious Education and the Religiosity of Youth in Poland: A Qualitative Analysis
by Paweł Michał Mąkosa, Marian Zając and Grzegorz Zakrzewski
Religions 2022, 13(10), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100906 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1356
Abstract
For several years now, a large number of secondary school students in Poland have given up Religious Education. The basic hypothesis is that the religiosity of young people is the main correlate with the abandoning of religion classes. In order to analyze this [...] Read more.
For several years now, a large number of secondary school students in Poland have given up Religious Education. The basic hypothesis is that the religiosity of young people is the main correlate with the abandoning of religion classes. In order to analyze this phenomenon, qualitative research was carried out in the form of in-depth interviews with secondary school students who had opted out of religion classes. The interviews were conducted in January and February 2022, with 29 students of randomly selected general secondary schools from various cities of Poland who had opted out of Religious Education. The technique called computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) was used. Young people were first asked about their reasons for giving up Religious Education, and then about their religiosity. The 16 questions in the interviews were divided into the following groups: attitude to Religious Education at school; and attitude to faith and religious practices, with reference to the Church and Catholic morality. These studies have shown that an increasing percentage of young people do not identify with the Catholic Church and do not want to participate in confessional Catholic Religious Education. The main conclusion of the study is to rethink the current concept of Religious Education in Poland so that it will be more open to students with different religious beliefs and worldviews. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
10 pages, 256 KiB  
Article
Formation of Lay Catholics: Franciscan Inspirations
by Marek Fiałkowski
Religions 2022, 13(8), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13080686 - 27 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1932
Abstract
Currently, the formation of lay Catholics is one of the key tasks of the Church. The Synod of Bishops, Towards a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission, convened by Pope Francis, served as a reminder of this. In its new format, i.e., [...] Read more.
Currently, the formation of lay Catholics is one of the key tasks of the Church. The Synod of Bishops, Towards a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission, convened by Pope Francis, served as a reminder of this. In its new format, i.e., phased consultations and meetings, the Synod calls for the involvement of lay Catholics in listening to one another and recognising directions for the Church renewal. This emphasises the need for an ongoing effort to form the faithful. There are many suggestions in the Church for the formation of lay Catholics. Franciscan spirituality, which continues to inspire and attract people, is one of these suggestions. In his teaching, the current pope likes to refer to St. Francis of Assisi, drawing from his writings and example of life. This work aimed to present selected elements of Franciscan spirituality that seem useful in the formation of lay Catholics for their service in the Church and the world. Six elements that can be drawn from rich Franciscan spirituality were analysed and they seem relevant for today’s Church: fidelity to the Church, openness to the world and rejection of its evil, apostolate “in via”, promotion of the laity, poverty at the service of the Gospel, and openness to the people rejected by society. The discussion of these elements is preceded by a synthetic presentation of the nature and purpose of the formation of lay Catholics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
11 pages, 254 KiB  
Article
The Pedagogical and Religious Dimensions of the Rites of the Sacrament of Children’s Baptism
by Helena Słotwińska
Religions 2022, 13(6), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060512 - 06 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1703
Abstract
The topic of the article “The Pedagogical and Religious Dimensions of the Rites of the Sacrament of Baptism for Children” deals with the sacraments in the Catholic Church, particularly baptism as the first of the seven sacraments. As signs, sacraments are also meant [...] Read more.
The topic of the article “The Pedagogical and Religious Dimensions of the Rites of the Sacrament of Baptism for Children” deals with the sacraments in the Catholic Church, particularly baptism as the first of the seven sacraments. As signs, sacraments are also meant to instruct, and indeed they do, for the meaning and grace of baptism are made clear in the rites of its celebration Union with Christ leads to confession of faith in the One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The profession of faith, closely related to baptism, is eminently Trinitarian. The Church baptises: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28,19), the Triune God to whom the Christian entrusts his life.The basis for analyzing the rites of baptism will be the Order of Baptism for Children during mass, which contains very important instructions that can be grouped into three points: (1) instructions about God the Father, (2) instructions about the essence of baptism and its importance for the parish and the baptized, (3) instructions about the duties of the baptized and their parents and godparents. In the sacraments God occupies the central place, and the sacrament of baptism, by instructing about God the Father, the first issue, brings closer three fundamental truths about God: (a) God’s initiative in the salvation for man, (b) God’s omnipotence (universal, loving and mysterious), and (c) God’s goodness. The second issue deals with: (a) the essence of baptism based on the terms given in the Rite of Receiving the Children (baptism, faith, the grace of Christ, admission to the Church, and eternal life); (b) the meaning of infant baptism for the parish community; and (c) the meaning of baptism for the child. Likewise, the third issue is also divided into two parts, with an instruction (a) on the duties of the baptized and (b) the duties of baptized children, parents and godparents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)
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