The Hermeneutic of Continuity

Today was a highlight in the Blackfen social calendar: Our Lady of the Rosary School Fête. It is a great opportunity for people to meet up with old friends. As well as the children currently at the school and their parents, many former pupils and parents come along to meet up again. It is a kind of live "Friends Reunited" and much better than the online version. I was talking to one young man that I first knew when he was a child at the school and was rather pleasantly taken aback to hear that he is now in the second year of his Law degree. The stalls seemed to be loosely organised into various topic-focussed areas. The industrial scale barbecue, candy-floss, cakes and teas were in the playground. For throwing things, there was the coconut shy and the crockery smash. Children wishing to look outlandish could get their hair sprayed bright colours or their face painted to look like spiderman, a tiger, or simply the St George's flag. There were several Tombolas: for teddi...

For St Patrick's day today, as is our custom, we honoured the saint after Mass with his hymn. Each year when we sing Hail Glorious St Patrick , I remember Miss Strawson, the rather strict but, with hindsight, dazzlingly competent infant teacher who prepared us for Holy Communion at St Mary's in Croydon back in 1965. From that time, I can repeat from memory the catechism answer that "God is the supreme spirit who alone exists of himself and is infinite in all perfections." We had to underline the word "supreme" several times to reinforce the truth that God is greater than the angels. We learnt all about them, and about Lucifer who said that he would not serve God. There was plenty of scripture too: Cain and Abel, Noah, Moses, and many stories from the gospels. We were taught to sing hymns and to understand them; "Bring Flowers of the Rarest" was the occasion for my learning that "azure" was a kind of light blue that we see in the sky. ...

Here's a nugget I noted before Christmas but did not get round to posting. I think it is worth bringing to your attention. You will remember back in November that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upheld a complaint by Soile Lautsi, a Finnish woman with Italian citizenship, that her children had to attend a state school that displayed a crucifix in each classroom. She got an order for 5000 euro compensation to be paid by the Italian Government. It seems that this has concentrated the minds of the Italian Constitutional Court which has issued Sentenza N.311 which states that where rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) conflict with provisions of the Italian Constitution, such decrees “lack legitimacy”. See: Gerard Warner Who'd ha thunk it? Italian Constitutional Court tells ECHR to take a hike, asserts national sovereignty

You can read the CESEW response to the Governments latest proposals on sex education in schools, and a clarification which states: We welcome the government’s reiteration of its support for the important principles underlining SRE, which emphasise that schools continue to have the legal right to determine the content of what is taught in PSHE within their schools and that governing bodies retain the right to determine what is taught, and must determine this in line with the ethos of the school. The Times reports on the sex-ed proposals in its article: ( Pupils to be forced to have sex education under age of consent ). Here is an extract: Mr Balls said: “It is open to faith schools to teach what they believe, according to the tenets of their faith, that pupils should not have sexual relationships outside of marriage.” But faith schools would not be allowed to refuse to teach about contraception on the grounds that they do not believe in sex before marriage, he added. “You can teach th...

The Faith group at the John Fisher School continues to thrive under the guidance of the indomitable "Sir Dan of the Blogosphere". Dan acts as a kind of human version of Google Reader, phoning me up regularly with carefully chosen snippets from Rorate Caeli , LifeSite News , Fr Z , NLM , St John's Valdosta and others. He is a great example of a "Silver Surfer" - he was a teacher when I was a boy, and has carried on in a pastoral role at the school since his retirement. Last evening, I went over to talk to the Faith Group at the school on the subject of "What makes man unique?": the principal thesis being "We have a spiritual and immortal soul [ De Fide ]". Sadly, Takapuna, the house where priests used to live when there were many teaching at the school, is now boarded up and surrounded by mesh fencing. Nevertheless, the new venue in the Sixth Form Centre is good. One advantage of the new venue is the projector and interactive whiteboard with...

St Osmund and St Andrew's Primary School in Breightmet, Greater Manchester, is under investigation by Bolton Council because of complaints by neighbours that children laugh too loudly at playtime: Investigators have now caried out noises assessment tests to see if the levels of laughing exceed tolerable limits recommended by the World Health Organisation. Apparently the sports teacher also has an "annoying voice". Fortunately, Bolton council has found that the children's laughter "does not constitute a statutory noise nuisance". I wonder if perhaps the sports teacher's colleagues might stand him a drink if he manages to reach the statutory nuisance decibel level... See the Telegraph article: Children investigated for laughing too loudly

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Fr Fawssett who had just died. Today, his funeral was celebrated in the chapel of the John Fisher School in Purley where he celebrated Mass daily for so many years. It was in that chapel that my own vocation was nurtured and I always love to go back there. Today it was packed, with a good number of old boys on the sanctuary, including Bishop Howard Tripp who celebrated the Mass. Afterwards, the school put on a reception in the Hall where the "Honours" boards have the customary sporting records, even a few international honours. One board that is not in every school is the list of old boys of the school who have been ordained priest. One young man who is entering the seminary this autumn told me that Fr Fawssett asked him what he was doing and lit up when he heard that he was entering the seminary. It was a fitting way to celebrate the beginning of the "Year of the Priest" which was mentioned several times during the Mass in fitt...

Please say a prayer for Fr Richard Fawssett who died earlier today, aged 87. During my time as a pupil at the John Fisher School in Purley, Fr Fawcett was the "Senior Discipline Master". This meant that he was the one you got sent to if you misbehaved in the 4th or 5th form (in modern currency, Year 10 or 11). He exercised a stern, effortless and unquestioned authority: if he came into a class, the room went quiet immediately. His discipline was entirely just and fair-minded (and never in the slightest way brutal or sadistic) but there was little point in trying out feeble excuses. If "Sticks", as we called him on account of his tall and slender frame, caught you, you were 'bang to rights' and that was that. After I left the school, Fr Fawssett was released from the position of discipline master and took on more of a chaplaincy role: quite a transition for a priest to make but he managed it with great enthusiasm and, looking back, I am filled with admiratio...

Francis Davis and Nathan Koblintz of the Las Casas Institute on Ethics, Governance and Social Justice at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford have published a paper called Mutual Futures. Ed Balls, Michael Gove And The Challenge To Faith Schools . The paper looks at various current threats to Catholic education and makes some important suggestions for policy in response to Michael Gove's proposals for mutual schools. The paper summarises three current regulatory and legislative threats that have "slipped under the radar" in recent concerns about secularisation. First, although the "Building Schools for the Future" programme has provided for 100% of capital costs, the new (and compulsory) Primary Capital Programme will require a 10% contribution. If dioceses are unable to meet this cost, schools may be forced into "controlled" status. The second challenge is the reduction in insurance cover for voluntary aided schools that could end up costing the Ch...

Yesterday after the morning Mass, I went over to Aylesford to give a Day of Recollection for boys in Year 10 (i.e. aged 14-15) from the John Fisher School. The day was organised by Sir Dan of the Blogosphere along tried and trusted lines: a tour of the Friary given by Brother Lawrence O.Carm, a talk by me, confessions, lunch, "Question Box" and a votive Mass of St John Fisher and St Thomas More. St John Fisher is one of the saints to whom I pray every day and I always love to preach about his heroic life: he is a great inspiration to boys and an example of inner strength and courage in the face of adversity. The "Question Box" session is always interesting. The boys are invited to write any questions they want on a scrap of paper and it is the priest's job to answer them as well as fielding any impromptu questions. I have often run sessions like this with young people and it is a very good exercise since it gives them the chance to set the agenda. There are rare...

The Association of Catholic Women have sent me notice of this event for Catholic primary school teachers. There was a similar event in February, at Coloma School in Croydon, which was a great success. ART & MUSIC IN R.E. TEACHING A Study Day for Teachers in Catholic Primary Schools Wednesday 24 June 2009 At Westminster Cathedral Choir School (by kind permission of the Headmaster) 12.30pm Sandwich Lunch 1.45pm Teaching Christ Through Art – illustrated presentation by Lionel Gracey Lionel Gracey studied medicine at Cambridge and Harvard. He was Consultant Surgeon to the Royal Free Hospital, London, from 1966-91. Following his retirement, he studied theology at the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham, where he now lectures in Religious Art. 3.00pm Tea 3.15pm Enriching School Masses through Gregorian Chant - Workshop with Jeremy de Satgé. Jeremy de Satgé is a singer, composer, choral director and music publisher. He is a fellow of Trinity College of Music, London. Through his mu...

My School Diary is produced by Living Well media established in Australia in early 2004 to provide audio visual and print resources to the Catholic community. The diary is intended for primary school children with a view to supporting a Catholic culture in the home and school. Sorry to remind teachers about school in the middle of August but you might want to take a look at this before term starts.

"Sidcup John" wrote the following in the comment box on Hymn to St John Fisher . This fascinating reminiscence from over 50 years ago might be worth some space in the next school magazine: I have just discovered these interesting comments about the School Hymn to Saint John Fisher. I attended 1950 - 1960. In the early 50's (Soon after the date of the Coronation, but unconnected with that event) Mr McHugo (music teacher) selected a number of 'golden- voiced' boys (including me), who were then marched to the common room to be met by the Canon, Father Waugh (Deputy Head), Mr Agnew (Secretary) and Malachy 2 (Red Setter). We were asked to sing the Hymn. I think that it was by way of a venture to test our suitability for later recording by a professional sound man, who was a friend of the School. Although, it may have also been connected with a proposed performance to be given in front of Bishop Cowderoy (as he was then) and also a Sidcup man. I understand that Saint Jo...

May is the month of Mary and today at Our Lady of the Rosary School, the children took part in a devotional service in honour of Our Blessed Mother. One common problem with school devotions is that they are often forced into the rite of Mass. A couple of years ago, we took the decision to have a devotional service for this occasion in May, rather than attempt to fit everything into Mass. I think this has been a success. (We do have regular school Masses as well.) First, you can see some of the children laying flowers symbolically at the feet of the patroness of the school and the parish: The statue is crowned with a garland of flowers to show the love and veneration that we offer to the Mother of God: And here is a picture of the statue crowned and adorned with flowers: Children of all ages had prepared work for this devotional service. From the Reception Class (age 4-5) to Year 6 (age 10-11) there were various prayers, thoughtful poems and compositions, and dramatic presentations base...

I wrote a post last week called Bishop O'Donoghue stands up to the school bullies . You can now read the transcript of the session . I don't think that my description was in any way exaggerated. The one dissenting voice among the members of the Committee was Douglas Carswell , a member of the Cornerstone Group . He rather hit the nail on the head with one question he managed to get in to Bishop O'Donoghue: Q266 Mr. Carswell: You have been subjected to some pretty full-on questioning, some of which has had a secular tone. Would you be subjected to questioning about the values that you impart to your pupils if you ran a Muslim school?

See John Smeaton's post today ( Bishop stands up under fire ) for a summary of Bishop O'Donoghue's treatment at the hands of the House of Commons Select Committee for Children, Schools and Families. The Committee Chairman, Barry " faith education works all right as long as people are not that serious about their faith " Sheerman took the opportunity in the course of questioning to refer contemptuously to Pope Benedict as the "present occupant of the Vatican" This morning was an "oral Evidence Session" concerning Diversity of School Provision: Faith Schools . The stated purpose of the meeting of this committee which was established less than five months ago was to examine faith schools and their place within the school system. Suddenly there is talk all over the place about "faith schools" (ours are Church schools, actually) choosing pupils on the basis of social status or academic ability. This is nonsense: those of our schools that ...

Today was observed as Founder's Day at the John Fisher School in Purley where I was a pupil between 1969 and 1976. This year I was asked to be the guest speaker and to celebrate Mass. I spoke about the school hymn to St John Fisher , what it told us about our patron saint, his relevance for the needs of society today, and the inspiration of his wisdom, courage and pastoral care which makes him a good role model for young men. I even managed to include a rugby analogy, comparing St John Fisher to a small scrum-half, tackling the opposing prop forward even though all his team mates had hung back. (St John Fisher was the only bishop in England to refuse the oath of supremacy. All the others caved in to King henry VIII and took it.) At Mass, I spoke about the Chapel as a sacred place and about St John Fisher's defence of the Catholic doctrines of the real presence and the sacrifice of the Mass. The school has a good tradition of altar serving, the boys being directed by a senior pu...

Last month, I reported on the Bishop of Lancaster's excellent " Fit for Mission - Schools " document which encourages Catholic schools to teach the Catholic faith. Nothing terribly controversial there, you might think, but the Independent reports today ( MPs investigate Catholic influence on schools ) that Barry "as long as people are not that serious about their faith" Sheerman, chairman of the Children, Schools and Families Committee thinks otherwise. The committee ... is to investigate evidence that the Roman Catholic Church is pursuing a more fundamentalist approach towards religion in its schools. There's that "F" word beloved of the secularists everywhere, conjuring up images of suicide bombers, blown-up buses and women in burkhas. The Independent helpfully gives us an example of the heinous thought-crime from the Bishop of Lancaster himself: "The secular view on sex outside marriage, artificial contraception, sexually transmitted disea...

Last Thursday, Archbishop Kevin McDonald consecrated the chapel of my Alma Mater , the John Fisher School in Purley, on the occasion of the chapel's 50th anniversary. The chapel means a lot to me because it was there, at the early Mass before school, that my vocation to the priesthood took root. Following the example and encouragement of another boy, I began to get up half an hour earlier in order to get to school in time for Fr Nesbitt's Mass. That was what Our Lord wanted. Here you can see the Archbishop putting incense into the burner as part of the rite of consecration of the altar itself. To the left of His Grace is Paul Moynihan with whom I served Mass when a small boy in the parish of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Addiscombe. Further left is Deacon Jim Sheahan who was once a student of mine when I was teaching theology to those training for the Permanent Diaconate. To the far right is Fr Stephen Dingley, an old boy of the school who has a doctorate from Cambridge in Astr...

The Times today reports the latest in manufactured secularist outrage. Apparently John Austin, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, is going to have a private meeting with Ed Balls to push him to "re-examine" the future of faith schools. This is on the back of some statistics showing that people are having their children baptised later. ( Times Online: Backlash as more claim religion to get place in top schools ) The article speaks of a "year 5 Epiphany" which is a bit of a slide from the figures quoted later in the article which concern baptisms of a year old or later. For those outside the UK, children in "Year 5" are 9-10 years old. At the beginning of the subsequent year, they need to apply for secondary school. The implication is that there are loads of baptisms purely to facilitate this. Actually, the Dioceses could refute this by looking up the annual pastoral returns which report on baptisms of children up to 1 year, 1-7 years and over 7. The latter catego...