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Original Articles

The dialectic of Australian Catholic education

Pages 215-233 | Published online: 19 Aug 2006
 

Abstract

Australian Catholic schools are enjoying extensive popularity, with schools in general experiencing maximum enrolment capacities. The irony in this phenomenon is that Catholics are being attracted to non‐Catholic schools, and many non‐Catholics are seeking enrolment in Catholic schools. Moreover, the vast majority of Catholics in Catholic schools (parents, students, teachers) are not practising and those that do often hold a plurality of views in faith and morals that are inconsistent with Church teaching. Given this reality, the aims of the Australian Catholic school need to be re‐examined.

Notes

* School of Educational Leadership, Australian Catholic Education, PO Box 456, Virginia 4014, Australia. Email [email protected]

1. Bill Foster (ACU Education) contributed to the initial design of the questionnaire with Anna Sheehan (ACU Psychology) analyzing the data. Thirty‐three per cent of the sample was male. One school was an all boys' school, while the other two were all girls' schools. One school was conducted by the local Catholic Education Office. The other two were religious institute schools. Almost 80% were Catholic.

2. The author of this quotation is the Canadian theologian Gene Laverdiere. I have lost the exact source of the quote.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Denis McLaughlinFootnote*

* School of Educational Leadership, Australian Catholic Education, PO Box 456, Virginia 4014, Australia. Email [email protected]

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