1. Being Extraordinary on a secular sea
Schools at the heart of communities of faith: from bridges to circles

3. And God blessed them, saying to them, be fruitful and multiply…
God said let us make man and woman in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves…
And God blessed them, saying to them, be fruitful and multiply…
And God saw all he had made and indeed it was very good.
Genesis: Chapter 1

4. Move from…. …towards Great stories of nations and religions
Personalised stories of experience
Stable physical community
Dispersed digitally connected movements
Clear church/state relationship and roles
Reduction of religious voice in society
Social, ethnic, and religious unity
Social, ethnic, and religious pluralism
Quest for truth
Quest for novelty
Universal God, Common Creed, revealed faith
My God for me
National governance
International mega-corp capital & media
A better life
A life of more
Future goals
Instantaneous results
Centralised broadcast media
Dispersed interactive media

5. New Zealand as a village of 100 people
The Catholic Church is now, for the first time, the largest Christian Denomination in NZ.
Although all the main denominations have reduced.
Our decline is proportionately slower – probably bolstered by immigration from cultures that are traditionally Catholic and the strength of our school network.
about 12% identify as Catholic. Just under 500,000 or so. Today of the 500,000 about 90,000 attend any given Sunday. Or 18% of those who affiliate Catholic.
Census

6. New Zealand as a village of 100 people
In contrast we see a dramatic rise in those who affiliate with no religion
and a smaller but still very interesting rise in those who affiliate with non Christian religions.
Worth some consideration is that there is a reduction in those who object to answering.
The Rise of those who choose no Religion. is found at the highest level in those of European descent. Interestingly Those who identify with Non-Christian religions in total outnumber the largest Christian denomination (Now Catholic), for the first time.
So the Census tells us that Affiliation with a Christian religious tradition in NZ is declining and this cannot help but influence all of us who communicate with people.
CLICK
Census

7. Marriage
There are 10,000 marriage celebrants registered in New Zealand
75% of all marriage celebrants are from specified religious groups
These 75% of celebrants conduct only 26% of weddings
22% of weddings are conducted by registrars
52% of all weddings in New Zealand are conducted by the 24% of celebrants who are independent marriage celebrants

9. Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 49
I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 49
I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars. You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.
Pope Francis, Interview with Antonio Spadaro SJ

10. We are a church of sinners but we must not be afraid of holiness
We are a church of sinners but we must not be afraid of holiness. Do not be afraid to aim for holiness and turn yourselves over to the love of God. Holiness does not mean performing extraordinary things but carrying out daily things in an extraordinary way that is with love, joy and faith.
Pope Francis, General Audience, 2 October 2013
We cannot be tepid disciples. The Church needs our courage in order to give witness to truth.
Pope Francis, Twitter 25 March 2014

11. So what does all this mean?......

14. of the Faith. of the Roman Catholic Church
Teaching made clear
of the Roman Catholic Church
which is the bollard and landing place
of the Faith.
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt 16:19
Kororareka :

15. The Great Proponent of Catholic Education in NZ
“Build your schools and churches must follow, Neglect your schools and your churches must close.”
Bishop Patrick Moran of Dunedin

16. Our response?
If encounter with the living God who reveals himself in Jesus is the heart of our school communities then the measure of our effectiveness is what?

18. The only way to come to believe that first and foremost every Catholic school is a place to encounter Jesus (12), is through faith

19. Faith sets us apart:
Faith is our kaupapa our starting point and our goal, just as Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega

20. More than anything else this defines and describes our schools: communities of faith.

21. Faith gets us on board the waka.
Doesn’t depend upon parents. It is the ticket to “the pilgrim journey here on earth” (Dei Verbum, 7).

25. We live a synthesis of faith and life
Integration of all aspects of learning human knowledge
Promoting and living the virtues characteristic of Christian life
Experiencing the harmony of faith, culture, and life (8).

26. Let’s lift the veil
Hello
I’ve got a name!

27. Let’s lift the veil of Jesus
First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth. NZ Bishops Document 12

28. Let’s lift the veil of Jesus
A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love (with Jesus and his Church), will convince nobody Evangelii Gaudium, 266.

29. Let’s push “delete” on divide.
The school is embedded in the Church; it is the Church in action; a Catholic school is not just a State school with the addition of a religious education programme; it is integral to the Church’s mission, forming Christ in the lives of others. NZ Bishops Document 6

30. Let’s push “delete” on divide.

31. Let’s push “delete” on divide.

32. Let’s jump in the deep end.
The Catholic character review process needs to consider the lives of the students if it is to produce a picture of the impact of Catholic schooling on the students …. It will seek to determine whether the students have encountered the living God, grown in knowledge, and formed a lasting relationship with Christ and his Church
NZ Bishops document 29

33. What can I do?
Across Aotearoa and its six dioceses there is a growing understanding that our schools are not just values based communities but faith based communities.
It is our faith which binds us to Jesus and to his family the Church.  It is also our faith which draws us into our parishes because it is there that our faith is primarily and essentially nourished by his Word and Sacraments.

34. What can I do?
The Encounter Knowledge Witness framework of the ‘new’ Review is then a great help towards making our schools communities of joyful evangelization or passing on of our faith.
As we all know, but need to constantly bear in mind, the greatest and most fundamental Christian witness is our presence and participation at Sunday Mass. There we find our kaupapa both in the sense of foundation and purpose or goal.

35. What can I do?
It must be born in mind that many school families are on the margins of the Church and thus every effort must be made to foster their sense of belonging. While a sense of the sacred and reverence is to be upheld it is also the case that rhythm of Mass should not be cluttered by any pious practices or “extras.” The dialogical nature of the Mass – presider and people’s responses – has a pace which is crisp and dynamic and thus should not be confused with other optional modes of worship which can be more ponderous. The parish council and parish priest should, in liaison with the school, carefully and sensitively monitor the experience of families and bring those stories to their meetings in order to ensure that everything possible is done to grow your parish.

36. All Staff
Tagged Teachers
Priests
Principals
DRSs

37. walking by and left
walking by and invited
observing
participating
contributing
thanked
noticed encouraged

38. ho hum, so so, take it or leave it
thanks but no thanks
tepid
ho hum, so so, take it or leave it
or take it
once a monthers
habitual
committed
practicing

40. A word to God’s people:
To announce myself in front of my Catholic Community is something I am proud to do for it is part of my hikoi (harenga) tapu – sacred journey – to God. I have always enjoyed seeing and participating in the Eucharist because of the unity I sense when everyone partakes of the body and blood of Hehu Karaiti. With his own body and blood he forgives me and draws me closer to himself, and to his teachings. I am in my final year at College. I am now ready. It is fitting that I be confirmed so that I establish myself as an adult in my religion of Catholicism katorikatanga.