PRIMARY HEADTEACHERS’ CONFERENCE Friday 22 nd January 2015 Catholic Leadership Ensuring Reconciliation is central to a Christ centred educational endeavour.

“Education is something from the heart, and God alone is its master; we cannot succeed in anything unless God gives us the key to these [children’s] hearts.” St Don Bosco

Catholic leadership ensures that the gospel vision of Jesus and the Catholic Christian tradition permeate the life of the school community. It is characterised by an incarnational understanding of God, a sacramental view of the world, an engaging and collaborative missional perspective and the nurturing of the ecclesial identity of the Catholic school.

Catholic leaders facilitate a dynamic process of growth in understanding and engagement with the gospel vision which opens students, staff and parents to a way of living that is authentic, spirit-centred and transformative. This is expressed in organisational structures, specific programs, curriculum, the physical environment and the culture and ethos of the community.

“We believe that those entrusted with leadership positions in Catholic schools must be conspicuous for their goodness, sincerity and attachment to the faith. In other words, they are men and women who demonstrate in practice the very reason for the Catholic Schools existence: an integrated Christian maturity inspired by the Gospel and lived in authentic freedom and commitment.” Fulfilling the Promise: The Challenge of Leadership, 1993

Catholic schools must be seen as "meeting places for those who wish to express Christian values in education". The Catholic school, far more than any other, must be a community whose aim is the transmission of values for living. Its work is seen as promoting a faith-relationship with Christ in whom all values find fulfillment. But faith is principally assimilated through contact with people whose daily life bears witness to it. Christian faith, in fact, is born and grows inside a community. “ The Catholic School” Paragraph 53 The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977

The use of the term ‘ Gospel values' relating to moral beliefs and attitudes is quite recent. The term 'Gospel values' is commonly used in Catholic schools and other Catholic institutions; however, unless the term is unpacked and a common understanding formed of what true Gospel values are, there is a danger that what should be an objective Christian foundation, will itself become a random list of subjective values. CHRIST CENTRED EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOUR

Rooted in the teaching of Christ, these Gospel values should constitute the targets and outcomes of the educational enterprise in every Catholic school. “…are a guarantee of peace and of collaboration among all citizens in the shared commitment to serving the common good”.

‘Gospel values’ are to be found rooted in the Beatitudes, the proclamation of Christ's Sermon on the Mount and as such are the objective 'values' given by Christ himself. In the New Testament Matthew 5: 1-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven” Faithfulness & Integrity “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ” Dignity & Compassion “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” Humility & Gentleness "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” Truth & Justice “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” Forgiveness & Mercy “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” Purity & Holiness “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” Tolerance & Peace

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven; they persecuted the prophets before you in the very same way” Service and Sacrifice

Reconciliation: to walk together again “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”

Gospel values need to be explicitly named and their meaning unpacked. Aspiring leaders need to be helped to understand how they relate to all aspects of their professional practice. Embedding Gospel values should be an enterprise integral to every Catholic School. This enterprise is not in addition to the quest for high academic standards and vocational excellence but underpins it.

“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.” John Buchan

The art of leadership… “liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.” Max De Pree

What does it look like when a Catholic leader is most effective in their role or ministry?

The Divine Chaplet Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.