The Meaning of Christian Faith in the Lives of a Cohort of Principals of Catholic Primary Schools in the Republic of Ireland
Abstract
The aim of this research is to discover the meaning of faith for principals of Catholic primary schools in the Republic of Ireland (RoI). It is an exciting project at a time when Catholic primary schools are at the nexus of change with regard to: population trends; the decline of religious practice among Catholics in Ireland; the impetus for a more diverse patronage system for primary schools; the growing pressure for Catholic schools to be inclusive of children of different faiths and none; and the growing concern within Catholic education about teachers’ and principals’ own faith.
As a primary teacher who has worked in various Catholic primary schools, I have observed that most teachers are willing to teach Religious Education to children, prepare them for the sacraments, and uphold the Catholic ethos but that most do not attend Mass. My experience is that: the principal holds a pivotal influential role in the school; whatever the principal values seems to be prioritised within the school; and that the principal’s interest in the religious dimension of the Catholic primary school influences the Catholic ethos. Furthermore, principals and teachers do not discuss their beliefs, faith, religion or moral perspectives in school. My interest in this research comes from my sense of wonder about the interior world of principals in Catholic primary schools, my desire for children to experience the friendship of Jesus Christ, and my quest for wisdom and truth.
The first half of the project reviews literature on: the present context of Catholic primary school principalship; the Catholic school; principalship in the Catholic school; and Catholic Christian faith and culture in contemporary Ireland. The second half of this hermeneutic phenomenological study involved interviewing eighteen principals in order to gather descriptions and interpretations of their lived experiences. The main findings relate to:
- The importance of Christian faith for the principals
- The influence of Christian faith on their principalship
- The influence of Christian faith on how they develop the Catholic ethos
- The faith development triad of home, parish and school
- Gender and generational differences among principals
A significant finding is that most of the principals are ‘principals of faith’: they communicate with God; their relationship is with God; and their faith is in one God rather than in Jesus Christ, the foundation of Christian faith. If God is the loom and the principals are the designers, the image of Jesus Christ seems somehow faded, hidden or brushed aside on the principals’ life tapestries. This paper discusses how Jesus Christ manifests in their lives, in the heads, hearts and hands of principals. The study contributes to the conversation about the way forward for Catholic primary schools in the RoI. The recommendations are of interest to policy makers, professional developers and practitioners within the sector and provide guidelines to support principals and teachers who self-identify as Christian.
The Meaning of Christian Faith in the Lives of a Cohort of Principals of Catholic Primary Schools in the Republic of Ireland
The aim of this research is to discover the meaning of faith for principals of Catholic primary schools in the Republic of Ireland (RoI). It is an exciting project at a time when Catholic primary schools are at the nexus of change with regard to: population trends; the decline of religious practice among Catholics in Ireland; the impetus for a more diverse patronage system for primary schools; the growing pressure for Catholic schools to be inclusive of children of different faiths and none; and the growing concern within Catholic education about teachers’ and principals’ own faith.
As a primary teacher who has worked in various Catholic primary schools, I have observed that most teachers are willing to teach Religious Education to children, prepare them for the sacraments, and uphold the Catholic ethos but that most do not attend Mass. My experience is that: the principal holds a pivotal influential role in the school; whatever the principal values seems to be prioritised within the school; and that the principal’s interest in the religious dimension of the Catholic primary school influences the Catholic ethos. Furthermore, principals and teachers do not discuss their beliefs, faith, religion or moral perspectives in school. My interest in this research comes from my sense of wonder about the interior world of principals in Catholic primary schools, my desire for children to experience the friendship of Jesus Christ, and my quest for wisdom and truth.
The first half of the project reviews literature on: the present context of Catholic primary school principalship; the Catholic school; principalship in the Catholic school; and Catholic Christian faith and culture in contemporary Ireland. The second half of this hermeneutic phenomenological study involved interviewing eighteen principals in order to gather descriptions and interpretations of their lived experiences. The main findings relate to:
- The importance of Christian faith for the principals
- The influence of Christian faith on their principalship
- The influence of Christian faith on how they develop the Catholic ethos
- The faith development triad of home, parish and school
- Gender and generational differences among principals
A significant finding is that most of the principals are ‘principals of faith’: they communicate with God; their relationship is with God; and their faith is in one God rather than in Jesus Christ, the foundation of Christian faith. If God is the loom and the principals are the designers, the image of Jesus Christ seems somehow faded, hidden or brushed aside on the principals’ life tapestries. This paper discusses how Jesus Christ manifests in their lives, in the heads, hearts and hands of principals. The study contributes to the conversation about the way forward for Catholic primary schools in the RoI. The recommendations are of interest to policy makers, professional developers and practitioners within the sector and provide guidelines to support principals and teachers who self-identify as Christian.