GRACE Project

Dr Daniel O’Connell is a lecturer in Religious Education at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. He is the chair of the international Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (G.R.A.C.E.) project. He has co-written religious education text books for American high schools and Catholic primary schools in Ireland (the Grow in Love series). His research interests are concerned with the nature and purpose of Catholic education, faith-based education in a pluralistic society and the public significance of the Christian religious tradition.

E: Daniel.OConnell@mic.ul.ie

Dr Catherine McCormack was appointed as postdoctoral researcher for the G.R.A.C.E. project in May 2021. 

Catherine worked as a Faith Leadership and Governance coordinator with C.E.I.S.T. (Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust) prior to taking up her role in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Before that Catherine was part of the staff of St Patrick’s College in Thurles (now part of MIC). as a lecturer in education and as school placement coordinator.

Catherine’s research interests include the identity of Catholic schools, the standards within non-exam Religious Education at second level and accountability around ethos in Catholic schools.

E: Catherine.Mccormack@mic.ul.ie

Dr Donna Doherty joined the G.R.A.C.E. project as a postdoctoral researcher in May 2022. 

Prior to taking up her role in Mary Immaculate College, she was a lecturer in religious education at St. Angela’s College, Sligo, and has worked in an adjunct capacity in pastoral supervision at St. Patrick’s Pontifical University. She has a long-standing editorial background in religious book publishing and religious affairs broadcasting and has commissioned and contributed to the editing of over 600 books related to Catholic theology, Christian education and catechetics. She was the first lay school chaplain to be employed in the Northern Ireland post-primary Catholic education sector.

Her research interests include lifelong religious education in the formal and extra-formal spheres, Catholic education, adult religious education, women’s spirituality and faith development, religious book publishing and school chaplaincy.

E: Donna.Doherty@mic.ul.ie

Dr Brendan O’Keeffe is a human geographer and social scientist with a practitioner background in rural development. He is an independent consultant working in the fields of social research, local development, community planning, evaluation, project management and organisational change. As an academic, he was a senior lecturer in geography and director of quality in Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick. 

Brendan’s current work mainly involves the use of action-research methodologies, and he is working with a number of community groups, local development companies and local authorities. He is also engaged in a number of academic endeavours, and he has compiled research reports on several issues including youth needs, spatial planning, homelessness, community planning, cross-border collaboration, good governance and rural development. He is an active volunteer in his own community.

Father Eamonn Conway is a priest of the archdiocese of Tuam and Head of Theology & Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College since 1999. His research interests are related to the works of Karl Rahner and Hans Urs Von Balthasar; faith and culture, especially the interface between culture, technology and religion, and the profile and status of theology at third and fourth levels.

He has supervised PhD dissertations in a number of areas including the physicality of pilgrimage, religious faith and its significance for principals in Catholic schools, mindfulness and its compatibility with Catholic ethos. He is a co-founder of the G.R.A.C.E. Project. 

In October 2022, he will be leaving Mary Immaculate College to take up the position of Professor of Integral Human Development at the School of Philosophy & Theology, University of Notre Dame Australia, one of the partner-universities in the G.R.A.C.E. project.

E: Eamonn.Conway@mic.ul.ie

Dr. Daniel O'Connell, Lecturer in Religious Education

Dr. Catherine McCormack, Post Doctoral Researcher with GRACE

• Dr. Christine Robinson, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Degree Coordinator
• Linda Cranley, Senior Lecturer & Co-ordinator, Bed (Primary)

• Dr Melodie Wyttenbach, Executive Director
• Dr. Michael O'Connor, Program Director of Outreach & Professional Development
• Fr. Gilbert Ezeugwu, Doctoral Student, Curriculum and Instruction

• Prof. John Lydon, Catholic School Leadership 
• Dr Caroline Healy, Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Management

Hervé Lecomte, General Secretary 

Boeve, L. (2022) ‘Interrupting Christian Identity Construction: Catholic Dialogue Schools and Negative Theology’, Religions, 13(2), 170.

In a recent article, Didier Pollefeyt reflected on the worrisome observation that young children seemingly successfully raised in the Christian faith in Catholic schools lose this faith by the end of secondary education. According to him, the combination of an all-too-positive theology and positive psychology in primary schools (turning these into safe havens) should be complemented by theologies of vulnerability and responsibility in order to present a Christian faith that is able to assist youngsters in situations of conflict, suffering, etc. In this contribution, however, I argue that a more fundamental analysis is to be made to solve this problem, not only for pedagogical but especially for theological reasons. A theological recontextualisation in dialogue with the current context will show us that the interruption of (all too) positive theologies urges these theologies themselves to change from within, into theologies of interruption. After summarising Pollefeyt’s argument, I will analyse the current context of detraditionalisation and pluralisation, pointing to the challenges it poses to all identity construction (including Christian identity construction) that are to be interrupted by difference and otherness. Afterwards, I will shed light on the precise way in which the dynamics of negative theology foster a radical critical hermeneutical consciousness at the heart of the Christian faith, challenging any attempt at solidifying it within closed, self-securing narratives, and thus opening up these narratives to be interrupted. I will illustrate my point with a short reflection on the Gospel of Mark as a Gospel for our times. In the conclusion, I will apply the insights gained to the project of the Catholic dialogue school in order to prevent the counterproductive outcome of self-securing identities.

This article can be found at Religions

Fincham, D. (2021) ‘Life to the Full: Sustaining the Catholic Curriculum’, Religions, 12(11), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12110983.

Catholic schools. has articulated There are concerns that the curriculum of Catholic schools has been increasingly dominated by pressures to conform to a programme of education legitimised by an intrusive secular state and designated as a ‘national curriculum’. Accordingly, the curriculum of Catholic maintained schools is regulated within a standardised framework that is directed by government. Contentiously, it has been asserted that, as a result, the curriculum in Catholic schools in England has effectively been ‘de-Catholicised’. This claim has been contested. For example, it is maintained that the matter is more nuanced than this and the situation cannot be interpreted in such an unequivocal way. However, it might well be asked: what should a Catholic curriculum look like? In the face of this question, leaders in Catholic schools are encouraged to consider renewing and restoring a distinctive curriculum by permeating it systematically with the principles of Catholic social teaching. Ultimately, the writer argues, the curriculum of Catholic schools should provide students with an understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

This article can be found at Religions

A key challenge for educational provision in the Republic of Ireland has been the need to develop appropriate approaches to religious education that are effective in terms of meeting the needs and rights of students in a democratic pluralistic society. At the centre of such discussions, although rarely explicitly recognised, is an attempt to grapple with the question of truth in the context of religious education. This paper argues that religious education, in attempting to engage with this evolving context, is challenged in two trajectories: (a) by approaches that operate from the presumption that objective truth exists and (b) by approaches that are sceptical of any claim to objective truth. It will be argued that proposals, such as those offered by active pluralists, to deal with religious truth claims in religious education are limited in terms of their capacity to adequately treat such claims and the demands that these carry for adherents. This paper argues for a hermeneutical treatment of the context for Catholic religious education in the Republic of Ireland, which is considered under the following headings: (1) irruptions from the periphery, (2) the theological matrix, (3) the status of religion, and (4) the position of students and teachers in religious education classes. From this it will be suggested that promoting religious education as a hermeneutic activity allows for a respectful engagement with competing truth claims.

This article can be found at Religions

This article will begin by referencing briefly the notion of detraditionalisation—referencing scholars such as Lieven Boeve, who has written extensively on the issue. By way of contrast, accompaniment constitutes a perennial theme in a Christian context, best encapsulated in the Emmaus story (Luke 22:13–35), when Jesus accompanies the two disciples on what could be described as a journey of discovery. This journey paradigm, which underpins many religious education programmes, constitutes a central feature of the Salesian education vision known as the Preventive System. St John Bosco (1815–1888), the founder of the Salesians, was concerned with the transformation of the lives of every young person with whom he came into contact, resonating with ‘the uniqueness of the individual’, one of the key principles of Catholic education. According to one of his first Salesians, Bosco encouraged them to ‘go to the pump’, to meet young people where they had gathered and to engage in a genuine encounter. This article will explore the extent to which this model of effective presence and encounter reflects, firstly, Jesus as the Shepherd and, secondly, the vision of St John Bosco which involves the teacher/pastoral worker and the accompanied meeting each other and having frequent encounters in informal ways in a variety of environments, marked by openness, trust and availability. Research will be retrieved to exemplify the perennial impact of Salesian accompaniment in Salesian secondary schools in England in which students are, in general, familiar with the Christian faith and its central tenets.

This article can be found at Religions

A significant challenge facing leaders of Catholic schools in Ireland today is to ensure an appreciation for, and understanding of, the Catholic identity of the school among members of staff. A first aim of this research project was to create a ‘vital idea’ to re-present Christian faith to people working in Catholic schools, in a way that might resonate with the real world of teaching and learning and with their own lives. Drawing from Fratelli Tutti), we used the phrase ‘A Love that impels towards communion’ as the ‘vital idea’. A second aim was to present it to principals of second-level Catholic schools and garner their responses to it. We did this with twelve principals, using a focus group methodology. We first explained the thinking behind the ‘vital idea’, and then gathered their responses to it. The reaction of the principals was favourable. It made sense to them personally and chimed with much of what they are doing professionally. However, the word ‘communion’ was found not to be helpful. A further finding relates to values: while the values in the ‘vital idea’ were embraced and talked about easily, there was little explicit reference to God, the source of those values.

This article can be found at Religions

This article deals with the strong disaffiliation of Church and Catholic faith we see in the Western world, especially when students go from primary to secondary school, and when leaving the Catholic educational system. Based on empirical data, the hypothesis is formulated that Catholic schools use a pedagogy that is too much concerned with positive theology and psychology, an approach that does not stand the test when life shows its complexities and vulnerabilities. The article presents theologies and pedagogies of responsibility and vulnerability as a complimentary approach, rooted in the Catholic tradition, as a possible way to form more resilient believers and citizens for the future.

This article can be found in Religions

This paper addresses some conceptual options for Catholic education in a particular cultural context. This context is where the Catholic school system is large, stable, and well established but in the wider cultural context, the place of religion in society is detraditionalized. This detraditionalization is reflected in Catholic school enrolments where increasing numbers of students come from non-Catholic backgrounds, where, amongst Catholics, engagement with traditional structures is low or where there is no religious association at all. To initiate discussion a simple dichotomy is introduced; do Catholic schools promote religious identity or do they address a wider demographic by stressing harmonized common values and policies? To elaborate on this initial position several conceptual perspectives are offered. A key discussion point centres around the human community of Catholic schools and how they align with the various options that are proposed.

This article can be found at Religions

A deficit in empirical studies regarding the role of the Diocesan Advisor at second-level schools in the Republic of Ireland prompted research in this area. The findings of a study carried out by the authors are outlined in this article. Perspectives of 19 Diocesan Advisors were gathered qualitatively. The concept of “visible” and “invisible” maps provided a framework. In Ireland, State inspection relies on visible mapping of inspection processes that are accessible to all stakeholders. The Diocesan Advisor, on behalf of the bishop, uses invisible maps, observing how the school is living out its Catholic remit and how religious education is carried out within the curriculum. The study identified that the role is under-resourced and lacks clarity, resulting in a widespread deficiency in the monitoring of Catholic schools’ identity and the non-examinable religious education currently on the curriculum. The study further revealed an uncertain future for the role of the Diocesan Advisor in a changing landscape. A discussion on the implications of the findings is included, and possible options for the role in the future are explored.

This article can be found at Religions

The culture of provision of adult religious education and faith development, whereby talks or courses are made available at parish level and/or in formal educational settings, has undoubtedly dominated the Irish scene for many years. The low level of uptake of such opportunities or long-term engagement, however, coupled with the recognised decrease in regular church attendance would suggest that this culture of provision does not meet the needs of the adult population. This mismatch was a key driving force behind the inception of the Adult Religious Education and Faith Development (AREFD) project. Cognisant of cultural and societal changes, a core aim of the project was to assess this traditional culture of provision within a detraditionalised context. The present study is based on data gathered in phase two of the AREFD project consisting of fourteen semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted between December 2019 and April 2021. The participants were involved for a number of years in adult religious education and faith development in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and across a variety of settings. The purpose of these interviews was to gather together the rich insights from the wealth of experience of the interviewees on the practicalities and possibilities central to adult religious education. The findings affirm dissatisfaction amongst participants with the current state of AREFD in Ireland, but indicate that there is hope for the future. Fresh and innovative engagement with adults is called for. This paper outlines key themes emerging from the data which contribute to the conversation of how innovative engagement with adults can revitalise church culture in Ireland.

This article can be found at Religions

This article highlights one likely ‘fall’ to which Catholic education is susceptible in the modern era due to the oppressive climate in which it operates. Our critical method in arguing for this position is to oscillate between two texts—one written and one visual: Genesis 3: 1–18 and Masaccio’s painting of ‘The Expulsion’. The hope is that one will inform and enrich a deeper understanding of the other. As part of this exercise in creative hermeneutics, we first argue that the dramatic story of the fall through pride or amor sui (self-love) and its resultant feeling of shame is a universal one in which readers (listeners) glimpse the long history of their own fears and desires. Second, we show how one 15th century Italian painter represented the tragic consequences of the Faustian self by examining Masaccio’s painting in some detail. Third, we investigate St. Augustine’s writings on this narrative and suggest how some forms of self-elevation align dangerously with the promotion of the autonomous self in contemporary education. We also critically examine exegetical writings from Jewish and Christian perspectives to draw out further meanings of the narrative. Fourth, we point to the themes of hiding and forgiveness embedded in the account which leads us neatly into the last fifth section where we discuss the text’s implications for contemporary Catholic education. Here, the focus is on one likely ‘fall’ of Catholic education when it fails to live up to its distinctive mission to place love unconditionally at its centre. In a highly market-driven, managerial climate of competition where league tables, bureaucratisation, and data analysis assume an overwhelming significance allied to institutional survival and kudos, the temptation is to show the worth of the school by emphasising its examination success and employment rates rather than through its service to others, especially those who have been forgotten. Although we are highly sensitive to the conflictual demands on Catholic institutions at the present time from a variety of stakeholders, we conclude that their healthy continuation depends on their public, ethical avowal to love everyone unreservedly with assistance from God’s grace and when this aspiration fails, to seek forgiveness. The article is not concerned with strategies of resistance against those developments in education contrary to a Catholic philosophy.

This article can be found at Religions

Research Project at Mary Immaculate College May 2022 – April 2024

In 2020, a team of researchers at MIC, Professor Eamonn Conway, Dr Eugene Duffy and Dr Dan O’Connell, initiated a research project aimed at establishing a clear baseline and a set of signposts for the advancement of value-led Catholic education – in diverse settings – in the Republic of Ireland. Dr Brendan O’Keefe was invited to join the team as an independent consultant. It was determined that a budget in the region of €200,000 would be needed and as no funds were available internally, this would have to be generated entirely from external agencies. These funds were generated between 2021-2022, enabling the hiring of two researchers at post-doctoral level to assist with the project.

The research project is co-funded primarily by the following bodies:

• The All Hallows Trust
• The Presentation Sisters SE & NW
• The Irish Jesuits
• The Diocese of Kerry

Significant funds were generously provided by these and other bodies for additional G.R.A.C.E projects detailed in this report. Dr Dan O’Connell became the research project’s Principal Investigator in 2022. This followed the retirement of Dr Eugene Duffy from MIC, and the departure of Professor Eamonn Conway from MIC’s Department of Theology & Religious Studies to take up the Chair of Integral Human Development at the University of Notre Dame Australia in 2022. There are three co-investigators working with Dr O’Connell: post-doctoral researchers Dr Catherine McCormack and Dr Donna O’Doherty, and Professor Eamonn Conway (UNDA). Dr Brendan O’Keefe and his consultancy company provide expertise in research methodologies and analysis.

In early to mid-2022, surveys were sent to all boards of management, principals, teachers, religious education teachers and other staff (secretaries, special education teachers, etc.) in both primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland under Catholic patronage.

The relatively high level of responses, numbering almost 4,000, mean that this is the largest ever data gathering exercise in regard to the realities of Catholic education in the history of the Irish State.

The current status of the project is that all all the quantitative data has been collected. The gathering and processing of some qualitative data is still ongoing. Analysis is at a very preliminary stage in regard to all of the data. We have, however, a general profile of the various stakeholders who responded positively to our request to participate, and are satsified that this includes a statistically sufficient number of boards of management members, principals, teachers, religious education teachers and staff to conclude that our findings will be reliable. It is anticipated that significant findings will emerge from the research in regard to participants’ sense of their own religious identity, their understanding of Catholic ethos, their experience of initial and continuing professional development in regard to their roles in Catholic education, etc.

In mid-2022 we pilot-shared some preliminary insights from the data with the projects’ donors as well as with a small number of key stake-holders in order to confirm and ‘test-drive’ some of the findings and to seek guidance on how to proceed with analysis and presentation.

Over the coming months, the team will be finalising data collection and commencing a detailed analysis of the findings in conjunction with experts in relevant fields, culminating in the publication and launch of a comprehensive report in Spring 2024.

The International Steering Group of the G.R.A.C.E project is organising the project’s first international gathering hosted by the University of Notre Dame Australia on its Perth campus. Dr Dan O’ Connell and Dr Catherine McCormack of Mary Immaculate College intend to lead a delegation of ca 15 G.R.A.C.E. participants who will join a similar number led by Dr Melodie Wyttenbach of Boston College as well as colleagues from St Mary’s University, London.

Notre Dame University (USA) through its Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Ireland will also form part of the Irish delegation.

The Collloquium provides a unique opportunity to enhance leadership capacity within Catholic education in Ireland significantly by developing a new generation of internationally experienced and connected thought leaders. At the same time, those already at leadership level in Catholic education, whether in schools, management or trustee bodies, and emerging leaders, will also be able to exchange perspectives on emerging opportunities and challenges, deepen their knowledge and develop their skills, drawing upon expertise being forged in a multiplicity of intercultural and pluralist contexts. Through participation in this Colloquium, as well as an add-on bespoke programme specifically developed to maximise the ‘take-home’ value for Irish participants, those travelling to Western Australia will engage in a comparative learning experience that will allow for the deep reflection and conversation necessary to support the building of a new vision for strategic leadership in Irish Catholic education into the future.

With the generous support of the Porticus Foundation, 34 Catholic educators from both Northern Ireland and the Republic were able to participate in an intensive Study Week at the Villa Palazzola outside Rome in Easter 2022. Participants were drawn from a cross-section of teachers, researchers, lecturers, trustee body members, and others in Catholic educational leadership, whether active at primary, secondary and third level, as well as postgraduate students and emerging scholars.

The purpose of the visit was to build a national network of those committed to Catholic education for the 21st century, that would sustain, energise and connect participants to one another and improve their continuing contribution and commitment to Catholic education.

While in Rome, we reflected on our experience of Catholic eduation in Ireland today. These conversations were informed by presentations from members of the group regarding what is working well in their world of education. We reflected on the importance and significance for our work of Fratelli Tutti (2019), where Pope Francis invited us to ‘dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travellers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all’ (#8).

However, the day that had the deepest impact on us, prompted the most conversation and reflection among the group was when we met Pope Francis in private audience for over thirty minutes. He spoke to us about the importance of education and used the metphor of the relationship between the roots of a tree and its branches. The roots are the source and are essential. He said ‘Without roots, there is no moving forward. It is only through roots that we become people: not statues in a museum, like certain traditionalists, who are cold, stiff, rigid, who think that being prepared for life means living stuck to the roots. This relationship with one’s roots is necessary, but we also need to move forward. And this is the true tradition: taking from the past to move forward. Tradition is not static: it is dynamic, aimed at moving forward’. He spoke of the tension between risk and security in education. At the end of the meetingt, he came around the group, met everyone individually and give us all a rosary beads each. Every person in the group was profoundly moved by our meeting with the pope.

One the same day we also met Dr Melanie Rosenbaum in the Dicastary for Catholic Education, where we learnt about the work of the Dicastery and the importnace of the Global Compact on Catholic Education (2019). We then went to the Irish College,where we had a very moving and insightful input from Sr Pat Murray IBVM, Executive Secretary of the International Union of Superiors General (IUSG). She spoke to us about the importance of our roles as “dream keepers, life-lifters, seed sowers, and companions” journeying with those in our care. Our day finished with a visit to the Basilica of San Clemente.

While we studied together, we also prayed with one another each day, nourishing our faith and deepening our relationships with one another. In the words of one of the participants, ‘The most important thing which took place there, in my estimation, was having the space to be able to engage with like-minded people in this kind of dialogue and forge connections moving forward from here’.

Several members of the participants in the Rome 2022 Study Visit participated in a weekend retreat at the Nano Nagle Birthplace, February, 2023 led by Dr. Catherine McCormack.

Throughout 2022, G.R.A.C.E. members participated in a series of international webinars:

Josephine Shamwana-Lungo Preparing New Leaders in our Catholic Schools: Passing on the Charism Leadership Baton to Lay School Principals in Zambia;

Dr. Melodie Wyttenbach & Dr. John Rogers Effective Tools for Change Management for Catholic School Leaders;

Dr. Augusta Muthigani and Angela Mitchell Leading School Ethos Transformation in Kenya, February 8th, 9-10.30am EST/5-5.30pm GMT.

April

Dr. Catherine McCormack (MIC) and Dr. P.J. Sexton (DCU), Identity, Ambiguity and Professionalism: Dilemmas for the Diocesan Adivsor in the Republic of Ireland.

Dr. David Kennedy (DCU) & Dr. Sandra Cullen (DCU), So, Is It True? Time to Embrace the Hermeneutical Turn in Catholic Religious Education in the Republic of Ireland.

Dr. Bernadette Sweetman (DCU) Reimaging Adult Religious Education and Faith Development in a Detraditionalised Ireland.

May

Dr. David Torevell (Liverpool Hope University) & Michael James Bennett (Liverpool Hope University) The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education.

Dr. Daniel O’Connell (MIC), Kate Liffey (St. Brendan’s Community College) & Dr. Amalee Meehan (DCU) RE-Presenting Christian Tradition as a Source of Inspiration and Integration for Educators in Catholic Schools – A Proposal.

Dr. David Fincham (St. Mary’s University) Life to the Full: Sustaining the Catholic Curriculum.

June

Prof. John Sullivan (Emeritus Professor Liverpool Hope University), Catholics, Culture and the Renewal of Christian Humanism.

Prof. Didier Pollefeyt (KU Leuven) Teaching the Unteachable or Why Too Much Goiod is Bad. Religious Education in Catholic Schools Today.

Dr. Richard Rymarz (The Australian Institute of Theological Education) Utilizing Authenticity: Options for Catholic Education in a Particular Detraditionalized Cultural Context.

Prof. John Lydon (St. Mary’ University) The Perennial Impct of Salesian Accompaniment in a Context of Detraditionalisation.

See Religions for many of these papers.

Online Lenten Reflection groups have emerged as a feature of the project, including reflection on scriptural texts as well as spiritual reading. This has included, among others, study of Morality: Restoring the common good in divided times by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Prof Tom Groome’s What makes education Catholic?

In addition, several of the G.R.A.C.E. project participants from Ireland have contributed to two special volume of the open-source international peer-reviewed journal Religions on “Catholic Education in detraditionalised cultural contexts”, edited by Professor Eamonn Conway. The call for papers for a second volume is open until Sept 30, 2022.

Alex McKillican was the first awardee of a G.R.A.C.E Project PhD scholarship, appointed in September 2020. He is examining the Christian elements in the pedagogy of Paulo Freire in dialogue with the Christian existentialism found in the work of John Macquarrie. This research is a previously unexplored topic in Irish adult education and Catholic education, and is under the joint supervision of Dr Tom Finegan (MIC) and Dr Jones Irwin (DCU). .

Claire Considine is one of two All Hallows Trust PhD scholarship recipients. She is investigating “Spiritual Well-being: Its nature and place in Irish Post Primary Schools. Educator’s views on Spirituality and Spiritual Well-being in Education” with Dr Dan O’Connell as her supervisor.

Joanne Ferguson is the second All Hallows PhD scholar and is researching ‘Assessing the value of New Media in creating Prayer opportunities for Primary School children in Ireland’ under the supervision of Dr Éamonn Fitzgibbon.

Several Fee Bursaries, funded by the Presentation and FCJ Sisters, have been awarded to candidates in the MA in Christian Leadership in Education programme.

Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (G.R.A.C.E.) is an international research-based partnership between Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Boston College, United States, the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia, St. Mary’s University in Twickenham, London and OIEC (International Office of Catholic Education).

As an emerging community of practice (Wenger,2000), G.R.A.C.E. provides an original opportunity for practitioners and scholars of Catholic education and theology in our respective countries to affirm, study, collaborate, and respond meaningfully to challenges we face in the field.

Toward this end, our initiative:

• Seeks a deeper study of ecclesiology and Christian anthropology and its significance for Catholic education
• Pursues new theories of Catholic education based on empirical research
• Strengthens a global argument for the importance of faith-based schools in a plural society
• Attunes educators’ abilities to notice, engage, and celebrate the presence of God’s grace in the world
• This partnership promotes research and learning to develop the head, heart, and hands of those involved in Catholic education.

In 2019, GRACE emerged from a series of conversations among faculty members from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Notre Dame University, Freemantle, Australia and the Roche Center for Catholic Education, Boston College. All shared a concern about the challenges facing Catholic education in their respective countries. They developed a plan to build ‘communities of practice’ among those in Catholic education. This was to begin with a physical gathering in Kylemore Abbey, Galway, Ireland in the summer, 2020 to be followed 15 months later with another physical gathering in Notre Dame, Australia and finally, finish in Boston College, 15 months after that. The aim was to build relationships between practitioners and scholars in these various countries and have them work on research projects between the various physical gatherings – all with a view to improving the provision of Catholic education in a changing world.

The arrival of COVID-19 required a postponement of these physical gatherings (it is hoped that they will begin in 2023). In the meantime, other initiatives have taken place that have sought to engage with the aims of GRACE and the membership of GRACE expanded to include St. Mary’s University, Twickenham and OIEC (International Office of Catholic Education).

The following is information about the projects and initiatives that have a bearing on Ireland, England and Scotland.

Following the postponement of the first gathering/conference in July 2020, we identified four themes of research and interest to those who had submitted paper presentations from Ireland and the UK. We wrote to all the people who had submitted a paper and invited them to join one of the groups listed below. Thirty four people replied and participated in the groups.

These groups reflected on current research and models of good practice in the world of Catholic education.

In keeping with one of the aims of GRACE—to attune educators’ abilities to notice, engage, and celebrate the presence of God’s grace in the world—we offered two opportunities for prayer and reflection during Lent 2021. One was a Sunday scripture reflection group and the other was a reflection group to read Thomáš Halík’s book, I Want You to Be, On the God of Love. We contacted those who had signed up to come to the GRACE conference in July 2020, along with graduates of the Masters in Christian Leadership and the Graduate Certificate in Christian Leaderships programmes run from Mary Immaculate College and Marino Institute in Dublin. There were six groups in all with between 10 to 12 people in them. Three groups reflected on the Gospel for the following Sunday and three groups explored the book by Halík. Each group met on six occasions. They membership of the groups was made up of teachers, lecturers and researchers. These meetings happened online. The feedback from the groups was very positive.

Available on the website of the Roche Center for Catholic Education or click on the title of each talk below and to access that talk on YouTube.

2020

Dr Stijn Van den Bossche (Flanders) From pedagogy to mystagogy: transitions and transformations in Catholic education, 6th October 2020

Prof. Thomas H. Groome, (Boston College) The Heart of Catholic Education, 2 December 2020

2021

Dr. Quintin Wodon (World Bank and OIEC) and Dr. Andrew Miller (Boston College), Beyond Test Scores, 19 January 2021

Dr. Quintin Wodon, et. al (World Bank and OIEC) Learning Poverty and Education Pluralism: The Global Catholic Education Report 2021, 16 February 2021.

Dr. Maureen Glackin (Catholic Independent Schools Conference) Risking to Live and Love like Jesus, The Heart of a Teacher in a Catholic School, 12 March 2021.

Fr. Gilbert Ezeugwu (Boston College), The Peculiarity and Future of African Catholic Education, 20 April 2021.

Prof. John Sullivan (Liverpool Hope University) Edith Stein: Catholic Education in Service of Personhood, 11 May 2021.

Prof. John Lydon & Dr. Caroline Healy, (St. Mary’s University) Shepherding Talent, 15 June 2021.

Prof. Richard Rymarz (The Australian Institute of Theological Education), Does Anyone Know Kirstie’s story, Exploring some Salient Features of Young Early Careen RE Teachers (YECRET) Narratives, 20 June 2021.

Dr. Brendan Hyde (Deakin University, Australia) Spirituality, Globalisation and Neoliberal performativity – Some Implications for Young Children’s Religious Education, 21 September 2021.

Dr. Quentin Wodon-Lessons from International Evidence on What Improves Learning in Low and Middle Income Countries; Dr. TJ D’Agostino & Dr. Anasthasie Liberiste-Orirus- Language and Literacy Education: Lessons Learned from an International Partnership in Haiti & John Mugo-Discussant; Catholic Schools in Africa: Student Learning and Pedagogy (Virtual Conference, 1 of 3), 21 September 2021.

Dr. Anne Baker – Building Peaceful Schools-One Catholic School at a Time; Dr. Molly McMahon & Fr. Gilbert Ezeugwu – Social-Emotional Learning: The Call to Attend t the Holistic Needs of Our Catholic Students and Prof. John Lydon-Embracing our Catholic Identity: Foundational Elements of a Strong School Climate, Catholic Schools in Africa:

School Climate (Virtual Conference, 2 of 3), 19 October 2021.

Dr. Quentin Wodon (World Bank & OIEC), et al. Promoting Integral Human Development, Challenges and Opportunities for the Church and Catholic Organisations, 15 December 2021.

A key aspect of the GRACE Project are the scholarships it has been able to offer to researchers in Catholic education.

Alex McKillican (PhD Candidate)

Alex McKillican became the first awardee of a GRACE Project PhD scholarship. He has been carrying out his duties as a Departmental Assistant in the GRACE Project since September 2020. Alex is an experienced adult educator and has worked previously in the Further Education and Training sector with Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB). He has also lectured in the University of Limerick where he has delivered various modules on the Mature Student Access program. He has developed many projects in the adult education area, mostly aimed at ‘hard to reach’ learners in socio-economically disadvantaged parts of the community. His research interest is in Christian existentialism and how that can be applied to adult education. In particular, he is examining the Christian elements in the pedagogy of Paulo Freire in dialogue with the Christian existentialism found in the work of John Macquarrie. This research is a previously unexplored topic in Irish adult education and Catholic education.

Christian Existentialism in the Pedagogy of Paulo Freire.

Paulo Freire is known as the ‘father’ of critical pedagogy, and his work has influenced academics across many disciplines. His Catholic faith influenced his philosophy and activism, and this is a neglected aspect of his work. Another aspect which greatly informed his work was existentialist thought. My research uses the Christian existentialist thought in the work of John Macquarrie to explore those ideas and creating a dialogue to present a novel way to frame Freire’s work. My assertion is that the Christian existentialism in Macquarrie’s work can ‘theologise’ Freire’s work. The major thesis put forward in my research is that this understanding of Freire’s thought offers a wealth of insights that both challenge and inspire contemporary adult education. Although Freire is predominantly thought of as an educator and academic, my research suggests that he can be considered as a Christian thinker and educator, also. The motivation that is behind this research is to give voice to and to read, interpret, and appropriate Freire’s though from a distinctly theological perspective. These reflections will offer an alternative and complementary perspective to the reconsideration of Christianity in present day context in adult education.

Claire Considine (PhD Candidate)

Claire Considine became the second GRACE Project PhD Scholar. She is an experienced teacher, guidance counsellor, and guidance counsellor consultant with the National Centre for Guidance in Education. She completed her BA in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, specialising in English and Theology. She subsequently studied Social Policy in UCC, completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Education in NUIG, her Masters in Guidance Counselling in DCU and completed a Higher Certificate in Spirituality and Human Development in Marino Institute of Education. She has a specialised interest in spirituality and adolescent well-being. Her current research investigates: “Spiritual Well-being: Its nature and place in Irish Post Primary Schools. Educator’s views on Spirituality and Spiritual Well-being in Education”.

The indispensable place of Catholic post-primary schools for students’ wellbeing.

According to the Department of Education and Science “Promoting the wellbeing of our children and young people is a shared community responsibility and is everyone’s business” (Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice, DES, 2018-2023). We, as educators play a pivotal role in the nurturing and development of young people’s wellbeing. My research specifically focuses on ‘spiritual wellbeing’ and how spiritual wellbeing is being nurtured in Catholic post-primary schools. My work aims to investigate the indispensable place of Catholic post-primary schools for students’ wellbeing.

Claire Considine became the second GRACE Project PhD Scholar. She is an experienced teacher, guidance counsellor, and guidance counsellor consultant with the National Centre for Guidance in Education. She completed her BA in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, specialising in English and Theology. She subsequently studied Social Policy in UCC, completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Education in NUIG, her Masters in Guidance Counselling in DCU and completed a Higher Certificate in Spirituality and Human Development in Marino Institute of Education. She has a specialised interest in spirituality and adolescent wellbeing. Her current research investigates: Spiritual Wellbeing: Its nature and place in Irish Post Primary Schools. Educator’s views on Spirituality and Spiritual Wellbeing in Education.

Dr Thomas Carroll

An Evaluation of the Compatibility of Mindfulness and Ethos in the Irish Catholic Primary School.

Thomas just recently successfully completed his dissertation. The question at the heart of his research project examines if, and, when the contemporary phenomenon of mindfulness is compatible with the ethos of Catholic primary schools in Ireland. It examines the emergence of mindfulness from Eastern meditative practice to Western psychological technique, and how this interacts with the Irish education system. Following this, influential post-Conciliar documents on Catholic education are explored, along with the theological framework for the distinctiveness of Catholic education offered by Thomas Groome. From this, several themes emerge which present a vision of Catholic education that serve as evaluative criteria for our research question. Findings include mindfulness being compatible with Catholic primary school ethos when it aids the holistic development of the child and offers an other-oriented disposition and acts as praeparatio evangelica.

Eamonn Morrissey (MA candidate)

The reasonableness of publicly funded faith-based schools.

The primary objective of the study is to judge whether or not it is reasonable to suggest that denominational schools should be state funded. The study will look at how liberal political theory opposes faith-based schools and the rising pressure that such schools in Ireland are facing. Drawing on Contemporary liberal (CL) thinkers such as Stephen Macedo, Amy Gutmann, and Eamonn Callan, it will present the framework they use to provide evidence to suggest that a State should impose mandatory civic education.

An important aspect that this study will research will be the role of religious education plays in the classroom. The question that will underpin this part of the study will be whether or not religious education can be taught in a neutral capacity. Many CL theorists claim it can and should be but, the research here will look at counterarguments to this. Furthermore, this thesis will look at the impact teaching religion in a ‘neutral manner’ has on a student’s ability to develop critical thinking skills.

Marie Raftery (PhD candidate)

From forgiveness to reconciliation: preparing for sacrament, preparing for life

This research project explores how primary schools can help children learn about forgiveness and reconciliation through a programme that educates children in the Christian context to prepare for sacrament and for children of all faiths and none to prepare for life. The aim of this study is to provide a research-informed analysis of how forgiveness and reconciliation education can be integrated within a primary curriculum with a view to developing a programme that will include specifications for curriculum design, development and implementation for such a programme within the primary school.

The objectives of the research are as follows: to provide a detailed understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation from a psychological and Christian viewpoint; to delineate misunderstandings educators or parents may have in relation to forgiveness and reconciliation; to evaluate the current learning on forgiveness and reconciliation in school; to develop a forgiveness and reconciliation education programme for children.

Dr Máire Campbell

The role of Christian Faith in the lives of a cohort of Catholic primary school principals in the Republic of Ireland.

In 2021 Máire completed her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Eamonn Conway and Dr. Denis Robinson. This hermeneutic phenomenological study found that faith is an integral part of most of the principals' lives; sixteen are believers and two are agnostic. The believers embody their faith in their heads as beliefs and theological understanding, in their hearts as spiritual and religious practices and in their hands as moral outlooks and behaviour. Their lived experiences of nature, birth, death and suffering are intertwined with their faith. The Catholic school subculture and their Catholic upbringing were found to have influenced their faith but the Church scandals have affected them and most do not talk about their faith today. Most perceive principalship as a vocation even though there is ambiguity about the meaning of the word. For most, faith influences their principalship, how they cope with challenges and conflict, their leadership styles, and how they uphold and promote the Catholic school ethos. The study contributes to the conversation about the way forward for the Catholic primary school sector and the recommendations are of interest to policy makers, patrons, professional developers, and practitioners within the sector.

Catherine McCormack began her three-year contract on May 1st 2021. Catherine completed her doctorate recently in DCU in the identity of Catholic second level schools. She previously worked for CEIST (Catholic Education - An Irish Schools Trust) for eight years. Her role with the Trust involved her supporting CEIST schools in faith leadership and in governance.

The GRACE Project research Catherine is undertaking has the potential to make a significant contribution to Catholic stakeholders’ understanding of their remit regarding the protection of ethos and governance in Catholic primary and post-primary schools. The long-term objective of the study is to strengthen the identity of Catholic schools in a changed culture.

The project will be carried out in three phases.

This research is being carried out on 3 phases:

Phase One: Consists of a survey in the form of an online questionnaire of stakeholders. It is entitled attitudes and behaviours of stake holders in Catholic second level schools in Ireland. It has been developed, piloted, and distributed to all Catholic second level schools and will remain open until Feb 13th, 2022. Analysis will begin when the link is closed. Initial findings are expected in March/April 2022.

Phase Two: Consists of a series of semi structured interviews with self-selecting participants from the online survey. These interviews will begin following initial analysis of the questionnaire to determine the necessary themes that will inform the questions at the interview stage. This qualitative phase will begin in March 2022 and continue to the end of May 2022.

Phase Three: This phase will consist of joint research on Catholic schools with researchers from MIC and KU Leuven on the Enhancing Catholic Schools Initiative (ECSI). This work will complement the research in the first two phases. This phase will begin in the autumn of

2022 (subject to funding approval being finalised). A representative sample of Catholic schools across Ireland will be identified and selected and the study will explore stakeholders’ beliefs and practices on three levels: personal, institutional and professional. In this study, all stakeholders including students will be invited to participate. This phase will begin in September 2022 and continue into Spring 2023. A final focus group will be held in MIC, Limerick following completion of analysis in Autumn 2023.

It is hoped that the study in these three phases will give a robust and rounded view of Catholic schools’ identity in a changing Ireland.

(A second post-doctoral appointment is imminent)

Lenten Offerings

As the Lenten season approaches, GRACE would like to invite you to join one or more of the following reflection groups. The first is a reading group. The second reflects on the Gospel readings throughout the Sundays of Lent.

These facilitated groups will meet on Zoom once a week during Lent for between 45 to 60 minutes. There will be no more than 12 participants in each group, drawn from the world Catholic education. The groups will begin to meet the week starting February 28th and have their last meeting on the week beginning 11th April – that will be 7 meetings in total.
 

Reading Group

In these groups, participants reflect on the spiritual significance, both personal and professional, that emerges from one of the texts below. It is not a seminar, where ideas are debated and contested, rather, the approach is one of hospitality and curiosity as to the possible meanings of the text in one’s life.

There is a choice of three texts:

Groome, T. (2022) What Makes Education Catholic, Spiritual Foundations, New York: Orbis Books.

Meeting: Thursday 7.30pm, 3rd March (7 meetings)

Sacks, J. (2020) Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times, London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Meeting: Monday 7pm, 28th February (7 Meetings)

Franchi, L., Convery, R., and Valero, J. (2021) Reclaiming the Piazza III, Catholic Culture and the New Evangelisation, Leominster: Gracewing Publishing.

Meeting: Mondays 8pm, 28th February (7 meetings)
 

Gospel Reflection Group

In this group, the participants will prayerfully reflect on the significance of the gospel story for the following Sunday for their lives. It is a time to listen deeply to the text, to one another and share a little of what comes to mind.

A group will meet on:

Wednesday 7pm, 2nd March (7 meetings) Thursday 7.30pm, 3rd March (7 meetings) Monday 8pm, 7th March (6 meetings)

Professional Development

Religious experience and expression in Ireland today – significance for Catholic education – an overnight gathering for graduates of the Christian Leaderships programmes

This is an event for graduates of one of the Mary Immaculate College and Marino programmes in Christian Leadership in Education. We are inviting people to an overnight gathering at the Hudson Bay Hotel, Athlone, Friday 13th to Saturday 14th May. Our aims are modest. We want participants to gather, discuss and reflect on their experience of Catholic education and through such conversations, build relationships with like-minded people. We hope that our time together will allow you to rest, reconnect with the One at the heart of what we do and be reenergised in your vocation as a teacher in a Catholic school.

We will be addressed by Dr Eugene Duffy and by Dr. Gladys Ganiel, Queens University Belfast as guest speakers. Dr Duffy is, of course, well known to you all. Dr Ganiel has several publications relevant to the faith context in which we all work, including Transforming Post-Catholic Ireland: Religious Practice in Late Modernity (2016), in which she describes how people of faith are developing 'extra-institutional' expressions of religion, keeping their faith alive outside or in addition to the institutional Catholic Church.

A draft outline of the two days is as follows:

Friday 13th May

• 5pm - Opening Session: Prayer
• The voice of teachers and ethos on the ground. Structured conversations and reflection.
• 7pm - Dinner followed by address by Dr Eugene Duffy

Saturday 14th May

• 9am - Prayer
• 9.15am - Keynote Dr. Gladys Ganiel & Questions
• 10.30am - Coffee
• 11am - Ways forward
• 12pm - End of gathering

Colloquium in Rome

A colloquium is being organised in Rome with 32 Irish educators (primary, secondary, third level) which will engage with and respond to Pope Francis’s Global Compact on Education. This will take place near Rome from April 19th to 23rd 2022.

This gathering is one of a number of GRACE initiatives that seek to foster a community of practice among educators in Catholic settings, nationally and internationally. The focus of this particular colloquium is to begin to build sustained and energising networks among primary and second level school teachers and leaders in Catholic schools in Ireland, in keeping with the aims of GRACE.

At the launch of the Global Compact Pope Francis said;

"In my Encyclical Laudato Si’, I invited everyone to cooperate in caring for our common home and to confront together the challenges that we face. Now, a few years later, I renew my invitation to dialogue on how we are shaping the future of our planet and the need to employ the talents of all, since all change requires an educational process aimed at developing a new universal solidarity and a more welcoming society" (Pope Francis 2019).

The statement from Pope Francis encapsulates very well the core theme of the gathering. We are very grateful to Porticus for their help in making this colloquium possible.

Webinars 2022

A special issue of Religions was edited by Prof. Eamonn Conway, entitled Catholic Education in a Detraditionalised Context. While the papers are available online, we have the various authors coming together to speak about the significance of their papers for Catholic education today. Below is an outline of the dates for the various webinars. The link to the papers is included in the table. Nearer the time, links for the webinars will be circulated to you.

Publications by Rev Prof Éamonn Conway

Conway, E. (2021) (Ed) ‘Catholic Education in Detraditionalised Cultural Contexts,’ A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Conway. E. (2020) ‘The key to Ecological Conversion’ Intercom, April.

Conway, E. (2017) ‘Why Faith Schools Matter and the Challenge of Divestment’, The Furrow, Vol 68 (6), June, 350 – 361.

Conway, E., with Finegan,T. (2017) ‘Dignitatis Humanae: public funding and divesting of faith schools in a liberal state’, Melita Theologica: Journal of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Malta, 66/1 (2016) 47 – 68.

Conway, E. (2016) ‘Pope Francis and Young People’, Religious Life Review, March/April, Dublin: Dominican Publications, 69 – 84.

Conway, E. (2015) ‘Vatican II on Christian Education: Can it guide us through today's 'educational emergency’?’ in Coll, N., (Ed), Vatican II and Ireland: Its History and Its Prospects, Dublin: Columba Press, 253 -273

Conway E. (2015) ‘From Self-fulfilment to Self-sacrifice’, Le Chéile, Issue 24 Dec 2015, 4. Conway, E. (2014) ‘A Pope from the Global South: Redirecting Evangelisation’ in McDonagh, E., (Ed), Performing the Word: Festschrift for Ronan Drury, Dublin: Columba Press, 93-10. Conway, E. (2012) ‘God in the Workplace – challenges for third-level chaplaincy’, The Furrow, Vol 63 (5), 274 – 281

Conway, E. (2007) ‘On University Education’ in The Furrow, Vol 58 (4), 206-209.

Conway, E. (2002) ‘The Value of Theology’ The Furrow, Vol 53 (6), 323-339.

Publications by Dr Daniel O'Connell

O’Connell, D., Meehan, A. & Liffey, K. (2021) ‘Re-Presenting Christian Tradition as a Source of Inspiration and Integration for Educators in Catholic Schools—A Proposal’, Religions 12(11).

O’Connell, D. & A. Meehan (2021) ‘Religious education in Irish Catholic primary schools: recent developments, challenges and opportunities’ in Whittle, S. ed. Irish and British Reflections on Catholic Education: Foundations, Identity, Leadership Issues and Religious Education in Catholic Schools. Singapore: Springer.

O’Connell, D. (2018) ‘Catholic primary schools – on rapidly thinning ice’ in The Furrow, December, Vol 69, No 12, pp. 660-671.

O’Connell, D. (2018) ‘Why religious education matters’ in Intercom June, 14-15.

O’Connell, D. (2017) ‘Going below the surface of Grow in Love: Some of the theological presuppositions in the new Catholic religious education primary programme for Ireland’ in Shanahan, M. ed., Does Religious Education Matter? London: Routledge, 76-87.

O’Connell, D. (2017). ‘A slight of hand: removal of religious education from the primary school curriculum’ in The Furrow, Vol 68, Number 6, June. 361-367.

O’Connell, D., Ryan, M., and Harmon, M. (2018) “Will we have teachers for Catholic primary schools in Ireland?” in Whittle, S., ed., What ought to be happening in RE in Catholic schools? Perspectives from England, Ireland and Scotland, London: Peter Lang.

Publications by Dr Tom Finegan

Finegan, T. (2020) 'The Reasonableness of Catholic Religious Education', Lovain Studies, Vol., 43, (2).

Publications by Prof. John Lydon

Lydon J. (2021) ‘Professor Gerald Grace and the concept of ‘Spiritual Capital’: reflections on its value and suggestions for its future development. In: New Thinking, New Scholarship and New Research in Catholic Education: Responses to the work of Professor Gerald Grace Briody, J. and Lydon, J. (2020) ‘Renewing Spiritual Capital in Schools’ in G. Byrne, (Editor), Catholic Education: Formal and Informal, Dublin: Veritas.

Healy, C. and Lydon, J. (2020) ‘Shepherding Talent – an informal formation programme for aspiring Catholic school leaders’, in Whittle, S. (ed.) Irish and British Reflections on Catholic Education: contemporary research and emerging studies from the field London: Springer Glackin, M. & Lydon J. (2018) ‘Getting Embedded Together: New Partnerships for Twentieth- Century Catholic Education’ in Whittle, S. ed., Researching Catholic Education, Chennai India, Springer, pp. 191-202

Lydon, J. ed., (2018), Contemporary Perspectives on Catholic Education, Leominster: Gracewing

Lydon, J. (2018), ‘Initial and On-Going Formation of Catholic School Teachers and Leaders: A Perspective from the UK’, in Lydon, J. ed., Contemporary Perspectives on Catholic Education, Leominster: Gracewing, pp. 159-169.

Lydon, J. (2018) ‘Teaching Religious Education in Catholic Schools in England and Wales’. in Yuen, M. ed., Teaching Catholic Social Ethics and Civic Education, Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, No. 8, January, pp. 92-122

Lydon, J., (2011) ‘Religious Charism in Salesian Schools’ in Hayes, M., ed., The Pastoral Review, Volume 7 Issue 6.

Lydon, J., (2011) The Contemporary Catholic Teacher: A Reappraisal of the Concept of Teaching as a Vocation in the Catholic Christian Context Saarbrucken, Germany: Lambert.

Lydon, J., (2009) ‘Transmission of the Charism: A Major Challenge for Catholic Education’ in Grace, G., ed., International Studies in Catholic Education Vol. 1. Issue No. 1 Pages 42-58,

Publications by Dr John-Paul Sheridan

Sheridan, J.P. (2019) The Bible and the Child – Scripture as a Contribution to Religious Education’ in ed., Ryan, S. & Tracey, L., The Cultural Reception of the Bible Explorations in theology, literature and the arts. Essays in honour of Brendan McConvery, CSsR, Dublin: Four Courts.

Sheridan, J.P. (2019) ‘The Politicisation of Catholic Education in Ireland’ in ed., Franchi, L.,

Catholicism, Culture, Education, Paris: L’Harmattan.

Sheridan, J.P. (2019) ‘Religious Art and Liturgical Catechesis of Children’ in Buchannan,

M. & Gellel, A., eds., Global Perspectives on Catholic Religious Education in Schools, Singapore: Springer.

Sheridan, J.P. (2021) ‘The Sign and Pledge of That Communion – Catholic Schools and Liturgy’ in Robinson, D., ed., Living Ethos: Promoting Human Flourishing in an Educational Environment, Dublin: Veritas.

Publications by Dr David Torvell

Torvell, D. (2019) ‘Racism, anger and the move towards reconciliation: A modest proposal about returning to a stable base’, Journal of Beliefs and Values, Vol. 40. 2. Hardcopy, April, Torvell, D. (2019) ‘Distractions, Illusion and the Need for a Contemplative Spirituality: A Critique of Thomas Merton’s Advice’, Journal for the Study of Spirituality, October, 2019. Torvell, D. (2019) ‘A Catholic Approach to Youth Depression – implications for those working in Catholic schools, colleges and universities’, International Studies in Catholic Education, Hardcopy and published online, October, 2019.

Torvell, D. (2019) ‘Withstanding the Goading of Temptation or Not?: An Inter-textual Study of Pride and Envy in Genesis 3:1-19 and Shakespeare’s Othello’, International Journal of Social Science Studies, Hardcopy, November, 2019. Vol.7. No. 6. Published online, September, 2019.

Torvell, D. (2020) ‘Self-Assertion, “Ignorant Backwoodsmen” and the Experience of (Un) Safe Spaces’, Irish Theological Quarterly, Vol. 85. 3. August, 2020. Published online, Hardcopy, August,. Vol.55. (3).

Torvell, D. (2020) ‘Teaching Theological Anthropology through English Literature Set Texts in Catholic Secondary Schools and Colleges’. International Journal of Christianity and Education, November 2020. Volume 24, Issue 3 of International Journal of Christianity & Education and is available here.

Torvell, D. (2019) ‘The Mystical Aim of Catholic Education: An Examination’, Spirituality, May/June, 2019.

Torvell, D. 2019) ‘A Beautiful Thing’, Catholic VI Form Colleges and Catholic Universities in England and Wales. The Education Journal, The Universe, October, 2019.