MDCCE staff seminar
Professor Richard Pring (Emeritus Professor, University of Oxford) led a staff seminar on Monday afternoon 8th April 2019, at the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education. His theme for this event was: ‘Faith schools and the option for the poor’.
Focusing on the history of many Catholic schools over the centuries, and their care for the poor, Prof Pring stressed the role of faith schools in promoting the common good, as well as serving the Catholic community. The Catholic school, he stressed in his opening remarks, should respect and serve the local community broadly, and particularly the poor and deprived, even if they are not members of the Catholic faith community.
A lively debate ensued among religious education, theology and philosophy staff, together with chaplaincy students who were also in attendance. Professor Pring’s approach was to include everyone in the conversation, listen to their perspectives and encourage dialogue around important issues. Many of the questions facing Catholic education in Ireland today quickly emerged. Participants commented afterwards about how the focus on the option for the poor really has the potential to enrich and renew the sense of what Catholic schools can offer society today.
We were delighted that Dr. Sean Whittle, St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, also joined the conversation, representing Networking Catholic Education Today (www.networkingcet.co.uk), who very graciously co-sponsored Professor Pring’s visit to Dublin. We were fortunate, too, to have Dr. Dan O’Connell from Mary Immaculate College University of Limerick present with us for this timely discussion.
The afternoon session whetted the appetite for the public lecture due to take place the same evening.