Future priests on Catholic schools

Where did our priests go to school? CLAIRE MATHIESON went to find out which schools the country’s future priests attended. Among  seminarians interviewed at St Francis Xavier’s Orientation Seminary in Cape Town, only a third attended a Catholic primary school. A third of those attended both Catholic primary and high schools.

So, the majority of priests of the future did not gain their faith basis at Catholic schools. And still, every one of them recommends that Catholic children attend Catholic schools. “It just makes sense,” they said.

Shaun Addinall from Durbanville in Cape Town attended a Catholic primary school. “The Holy Cross Sisters who taught me had a different kind of teaching. They were clearly called to be teachers. They were strict, but they helped us embrace our faith,” he said.

Mr Addinall attended a secular secondary school.While he doesn’t regret his secondary schooling, he said he would advise Catholic parents to send their children to a Catholic school, even if only for one part of their schooling. “It’s worth it—especially at a young age when values can be established.”

Congolese-born Scalabrinian Charles Kasambi also attended a Catholic primary school.

“There are certain values taught in Catholic schools that are not as relevant in secular schools,” he said. Mr Kasambi said he learnt about respect and about the importance of prayers and Mass, which were prominent features in his primary schooling.

“The way in which we learnt to respect and approach the Blessed Sacraments taught us how to approach and respect other things in life,” Mr Kasambi said, adding that the Catholic background of his schooling helped him to approach life with morals.

Boniface Chabalala from Limpopo attended both a Catholic primary and high school. The school’s learners were from various religious backgrounds, as were the teachers.

Mr Chabalala said his primary school was “more Catholic” with a greater number of teachers and pupils subscribing to the faith. But , he said, while on the one hand there was a decrease in Catholic formation for the learners in high school, he learnt about life outside the Catholic Church. He called his Catholic education, which he shared with mostly non-Catholics, “very positive”.

The parents of two of the seminarians never considered Catholic education as the future priests were not Catholic at the time.

Another seminarian, Mzobotshi Aphelele was brought up a Methodist, but it was through his non-Catholic education that he came to find the faith.

“I met a Catholic in our secular school. Through our friendship, I was drawn to the faith and led to become a Catholic.”

He became religious through his non-religious education.

Mr Kasambi said one’s schooling does not necessarily determine the depth of faith—that, he said, begins with the family. “The role of the family is important in education and it is up to the family to keep the Catholic faith alive.”

He said giving priority to Catholic education could aid in keeping the faith in the family, but regardless of where the child is educated, faith formation is firstly the parent’s responsibility.

Jimmy Mutevera from Dundee diocese said catechism classes are an acceptable alternative in place of a Catholic education, but the most significant faith formation comes from families.

However, Mr Addinall felt that parents today do not have the time to ensure their children are receiving a solid Catholic understanding. By leaving most of the work to the Catholic school, a parent can rest assured that their work is not getting in the way of their child’s faith formation.

Calvinist-raised Bobby Booyse from Pretoria said the school one chooses is only half the equation. His secular school included Bible study, a quality education and it taught him a good work ethic and good morals. “The responsibility, at the end of the day, falls on to the parents. A Catholic school can help, but it’s up to the family to teach the faith and to live the faith.”

Reuben Mabe from Johannesburg said he would have liked to attend a Catholic school as he believes morals are better imparted through that schooling system.

“Catholic schools teach better morals, but it’s not something that everyone can afford,” he said, pointing out that many urban Catholic schools are private and expensive.

Catholic schools are not always accessible to every family—either due to location or due to finances.

Jason Lottering was brought up in a non-practising Catholic family and attended a secular school. He would advise parents send their children to a Catholic schools.

“Regardless of the religious formation, from what I have seen, the pass rate from Catholic schools is higher, therefore the quality of education must be better,” he said.

Bohlale Molio from Bethlehem diocese said Catholic schools seem to have a better history behind them. This gives learners a degree of stability, while those in secular schools are subjected to regular curriculum changes on the national level.

Most of the seminarians interviewed did not attend Catholic schools, but each thought the potential Catholic schools had with regard to faith formation of its learners, was worth the effort to send children to the schools.

They agreed that Catholic schools are beneficial, but only as long as the Catholic parents play a role in the child’s faith formation—without family involvement, one cannot blame the child’s school for deficiencies in faith development.