The Catholic School Network in Aotearoa New Zealand A Tale of Diversity, Quality and Challenge! Brother Sir Patrick Lynch and Patrick Walsh
The Catholic School network in Aotearoa New Zealand has a long and proud history dating back to 1841 shortly after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. As explained in ‘A Fair and Just Solution’ A History of Integration of Private Schools in New Zealand, in 1877 the Government of the day was unable to agree on the level of religious influence that ought to be permitted in New Zealand education, so a secular (and free and compulsory) system of education was established under the Education Act 1877. The result was an independent Catholic School system then grew alongside its State School counterpart.
In Aotearoa New Zealand today there are 237 Catholic schools spread throughout the nation. They educate 68,000 students and are now part of the State Integrated School system which welcomed the first school in 1976. Internationally there are 217,000 Catholic schools and 1,360 Catholic universities with a total population of 60 million students. New Zealand Catholic schools are part of an extensive global network of educational institutions. They all play a part in building up of the social and educational fabric of the societies which they serve – including New Zealand. The Universal Catholic Church has traditionally held firm to the view that Catholic schools provide a conduit for children to have a personal encounter with Christ, support the Mission of the Church and to learn about their Faith tradition. (Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education 2007). These goals were easily achievable up until the 1960’s, with most schools staffed with high numbers of Religious Nuns and Brothers and families of regular Church goers. It is worth noting that the success of the Catholic network of schools (prior to Integration) was built on the back of Religious Orders. These men and women laboured for free, seeing teaching as a calling from God and a vocation. Their personal and financial sacrifices were the key ingredients to a flourishing Catholic school system independent of the State. While the above remain the core reasons for the existence of Catholic schools, the increasing secularisation of New Zealand and the decreasing number of practising Catholics has dramatically altered the educational landscape of Catholic schools. The purpose now includes evangelisation (not proselytizing), social justice and understanding the Gospel message. The Catholic Church and Principals accept the reality that most of the students in Catholic schools are unchurched. This change in focus is not without controversy. Fr Simon Story
in a 2020 Stuff Article (February 2020) lamented that parents who wanted their children to attend Catholic schools were not prepared to go to Mass on Sunday. He perceived this to be a vital part of belonging to the Church. In some respects this is not surprising when 48 per cent of Kiwi’s reported in the 2018 census that they have ‘no religion’. The decline in Church attendance has been offset by an increase in immigrant populations including Indians, Filipinos and Pacific people who have provided a lifeline for many parishes. The stark reality for the Church is that the Catholic School itself has become the parish where they pray, worship and experience fellowship. It does beg the question however, why Catholic schools are in such demand when clearly the Church itself is not? It is no secret that Catholic schools and in particular secondary schools punch well above their weight in academic results including NCEA. Metro Magazine which publishes an annual report card on the best schools in Auckland consistently names Catholic schools in its top ten. Of interest is that it covers all deciles including schools such as decile one McAuley High
School in Otahuhu and decile nine school Baradene College in Remuera. Despite being worlds apart in a socio-economic sense both schools have an unrelenting focus on students reaching their ‘God given potential.’ Part of the attraction of Catholic schools for parents is their own lived experience. While many no longer practice their faith (lapsed Catholics) they recognise the benefits of a strong values
Catholic school community quickly rally behind them in both a practical and spiritual sense. It is a very humbling experience to witness. School statistics also note that Catholic schools have fewer stand downs and suspensions of students. Like State schools they have a strong focus on restorative practice. The difference here however, is that within the Catholic tradition there is a
based education. This is not to say that state and private schools are not values based. It simply means that Catholic schools directly and proudly draw their values and world view from a religious perspective including being ‘Christ centred’. This includes love of neighbour, a commitment to social justice, and a strong sense of the common good. They also speak with affection about feeling they are part of a school community or whānau. The Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975 cemented the unique place of Catholic and other religious schools into the New Zealand educational landscape. It transformed previously private Catholic schools into ‘State Integrated Schools’. This internationally unique piece of legislation protected the Catholic or ‘Special Character’ of the school with the Crown paying for teacher salaries and operational costs. It has proven to be an enduring contract and relationship. My own experience of Catholic schools particularly De La Salle College in Mangere where I spent ten years as the Deputy Principal, is that it had a culture that was a good fit for Pacific and Māori communities. This included the importance of regular karakia and the goal of fulfilling God’s purpose for you which is the antithesis of deficit thinking so necessary in our lower decile schools. The College also had a strong aversion to racism on the foundational belief that we are all created in the image of God. My observation is that Catholic schools also have strong tikanga related to religious observances not too dissimilar to a marae setting. Traditional Catholic values also intersect well with manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, mana, wairua as well as Fa Samoa. There is a strong level of comfort and affirmation from Māori and Pacific whanau within Catholic schools for their cultural lens on life. It seems to me that Catholic schools are well set up to deal naturally with life’s curve balls. A death in a Catholic school community is responded to organically with karakia, liturgy or a funeral Mass. The Parish and local priest become central rallying points in the grieving process, easing the discomfort of whānau and tapping into the deep wellspring of their collective faith. It is also experience that when a student or their whānau face an unexpected hardship such as a cancer diagnosis or job loss the
religious element that we are all sinners who seek God’s and others’ forgiveness. On this basis reconciliation is the preferred option rather than exclusion. It has often been said that Catholic schools which educate only 9 per cent of the school population punch well above their weight with luminaries from all fields of endeavour. Michael Joseph Savage, Jim Bolger and Bill English are some notable political leaders. James K Baxter and Whina Cooper are among many activists. Some have asked what the future holds for the Catholic school network in the face of declining numbers of practising Catholic families? The appeal of Catholic schools extends well beyond practising Catholics to those with a general or indeed no connection to the Church. The teachings and life of Jesus has a universal appeal which resonates with many Kiwis. Add to this a proven track record of academic success irrespective of decile; cultural inclusiveness; strong pastoral care and community engagement and the future is assured. The challenge for Catholic schools with decreasing numbers of practising Catholic teachers and families is to remain authentically Catholic. The risk and danger is that they become high performing State Schools with a Catholic veneer. Stained glass windows, religious statues and an impressive Chapel won’t in itself ‘cut the mustard!’ In this case they would lose their legal and moral mandate to continue to exist. There are no signs of that yet, but it requires constant effort and vigilance. New Zealand is blessed as a small country with a rich tapestry of schools giving parents plenty of choice. In addition to State and Integrated schools we have single sex, co-educational, Private, Kaupapa Māori and boarding schools. Catholic Schools sit alongside but are different to their State and private school cousins. It is their ‘Catholic’ nature which is the point of difference. A difference which is a great taonga that parents seek out and all educators celebrate.
About the Authors Brother Sir Patrick Lynch –KNZM, QSO., De La Salle Brothers Patrick Walsh – Principal, John Paul College