Archbishop of Vancouver challenges Catholic schools to be Church

24 Aug 2015

Priests, Principals and RECs Forum 16 August 2015

Clergy, Principals and Religious Education Coordinators (RECs) from the Diocese of Parramatta gathered for the annual Priests, Principals and RECs Forum on Thursday 6 August at Rosehill Gardens.

The Archbishop of Vancouver, Most Rev J. Michael Miller CSB, was the keynote speaker for the forum focusing on “Educating for today and tomorrow: A renewing passion”. In his address, Archbishop Miller said Catholic schools play a vital role in the evangelising mission of the Church asking the question, ‘is personal witness to the gospel evident in the life of a school?’.

‘It is more necessary now than ever to make people aware of the responsibility to give witness to Christ and the Gospel,’ Archbishop Miller said. ‘In addition to all the other things Catholic teachers do they have the proclamation of the Gospel at the centre of everything they do.’

‘The best way anyone supports it is by personal witness of life, being a joyful Christian around students and on occasion to share explicitly what makes their own heart sing,’ he said. ‘Teaching is one of the noblest vocations because you touch the minds, the heart, the souls of the next generation.’

The Executive Director of Schools, Greg Whitby, said the visiting Archbishop challenged leaders in their work of Catholic schooling.

‘Archbishop Miller brings an understanding of the universal Church and affirmed our direction of “renewing and adapting”,’ Greg said. ‘In a simple, yet powerful, way he asked the hard questions and laid before our leaders four challenges if they are to truly lead schools that live up to the evangelising mission of the Church.

‘At the heart of his challenge, is the call to act and be Church, not just talk about being Church,’ he said.

Following the forum, clergy from the Dioceses of Parramatta and Broken Bay and the Archdiocese of Sydney, celebrated the Feast of St John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, at a special lunch attended by Archbishop Miller.