Within the Diocese of Menevia, there are 18 Primary schools and 3 Comprehensive Schools.  These schools cater for pupils aged 4 - 18 years of age.  In addition, there are active Catholic Chaplaincies in each of the three secular Universities within the Diocese.  Three priests act as Chaplains to the Comprehensive Schools.  Overall, there are 3191 pupils in the Primary sector of whom 2437 are Catholic and 754 are non-Catholic.  In the Comprehensive sector, there are 2533 pupils of whom 1678 are Catholic.

The total number of teachers in the Primary sector is 152 of whom 124 are Catholic.  In the Comprehensive sector, the teacher number is 138 of whom 72 are Catholic.  Following Diocesan policy, the Governing Bodies of the schools make every effort to appoint Catholic teachers whenever a vacancy occurs.

All schools have Voluntary Aided status and are run in partnership with the Local Education Authority in whose area the school is situated.  The Trustees of the Diocese appoint Foundation Governors who are always constitute a majority on the Governing Bodies.  In the Diocese, good relationships exist between the representatives of the State, both locally with Diocesan Representatives serving on the Education Authorities and nationally with the National Welsh Assembly, the body responsible for education in Wales.

Religious Education is central to the life and mission of the schools.  A strict allocation of 10% of the overall curriculum time is given to the teaching of Religious Education as requested by the Bishop's Conference of England and Wales.  British law requires that all schools, Catholic and State, provide a moral and spiritual framework for all children within the school curriculum.  Collective worship is a statutory requirement and a daily act of collective worship is an obligatory requirement in English civil law.

Over the past four years, most of our schools have undergone statutory Inspection under the terms of the Education Act 1996.  Both the religious and secular education in the schools have been praised from the Inspectors.

The Schools Commission of the Diocese was established to give advice to schools on the management and administration of the schools, and normally meets three times a year.  It also supports the Bishop in his oversight of all matters affecting the teaching and curriculum of our schools as required by the Code of Canon Law.

All of our schools have active parent associations who work hard for the benefit of the schools in a variety of activities.  In all schools, close collaboration is encouraged with other Christian communities.  Most of our schools admit Fellow Christian pupils.  Indeed, many parents of non Catholic children apply for admission to our schools.

As a consequence of the rural nature of the Diocese, with many scattered and small communities, together with the problems of distances involved, many Catholic children are unable to attend our Catholic schools.  Where this is the case, each parish is responsible for providing religious instruction for these children.  Lay catechists assist the priests in the provision of religious programmes in each parish.
 

 
 

Personnel

At present there is a Catechetical Core Team consisting of the Co-ordinator of the Catechetical Team and three support staff, including one who is in charge of the Diocesan Resources Centre.

In addition, there is a Diocesan Catechetical Team consisting of some fifteen people from different areas of the Diocese, comprising priests, religious and lay people, who are involved with various areas of catechesis, either in a training or an advisory capacity, in their own spare time.

The priests of the Diocese undertake pre-marital catechesis in most parishes, with married couples assisting to some extent.  Some of the priests take charge of RCIA and the catechesis of parents whose children are to be baptised.  In a few of the smaller parishes the priest undertakes the catechesis of children and young people.  In other parishes, priests select their catechists from the members of the parish.

The Religious of the Diocese are involved in different forms of catechesis in various parishes.  This may include RCIA, Bible study groups, the catechesis of parents whose children are ready for baptism, preparation for other sacraments, and the catechesis of children, young people and adults.

Lay people are involved in catechests in many parishes, as are many of the teachers from the Diocesan Catholic Schools.  In some parishes parents are engaged in the catechesis of their own children, particularly in programmes of catechesis for sacramental preparation.  Other lay people are involved in the RCIA programmes.

 
Catechetical Needs

 
The situation of this Diocese presents a mixed picture.  While a considerable percentage of the Catholic population is to be found in the towns of Swansea, Neath and Part Talbot, a large number live in smaller towns. or in isolated rural parishes in Mid and West Wales.  The catechetical needs of these parishes and deaneries are therefore very different, and the situation is further complicated by the need for catechesis through the medium of Welsh in certain areas.  Furthermore, while the larger towns are supplied with both Catholic secondary and primary schools, there is a total absence of Catholic schools in many areas of the Diocese.

For many years we have become very aware of the need for catechesis from the cradle to the grave, and this philosophy has influenced the Diocesan Catechetical Team in the planning of activities.

The Diocesan Catechetical Team regard the training and support of parish catechists as one of its chief aims, since in the modern world it is increasingly important that lay people, especially parents, are fully engaged in the catechesis of their children.  The involvement of Lay people in catechesis is also important in the strengthening of modern parish communities.  This is a trend which it is hoped to develop further in future years

 
The main areas of catechetical development in the Diocese over the last five years have been as follows:

1. Catechesis for parents and for family life
    
   Various parenting programmes have been followed in different deaneries, including training sessions with parents involved in their own children's catechesis; training sessions for parents involved with Confirmation programmes; and study of lectionary-based catechesis for parishes throughout the Diocese
    

2. Catholic Marriage and Family Life Ministry: A Director of the Family Life Ministry has been appointed recently. A significant number of people from different parishes across the Diocese are involved in this work.
    
   Various family workshops have been held in Carmarthen. There have been 'Family Fun Days' at Gelli Aur Country Park, near Llandeilo, when Catholics from all over the Diocese gather to 'play, pray and picnic' together.
    

3. Catechesis for children not attending Catholic Schools: This is a great need in this diocese because of the scattered population in rural areas where there are no Catholic schools, and also because of the choice some parents make to send their children to schools where they can be taught through the medium of Welsh, their mother tongue. At present, the numbers involved vary from parish to parish.
   
   Opportunities need to be created so that priests, school governors, parents and all parishioners are well informed about available catechetical material.
    

4. Catechesis for Youth: The most successful Youth Group in the Diocese is the Youth to Lourdes Group, who concentrate their activities on fund raising for and giving assistance to those going an pilgrimage.
    

5. Catechesis for sacramental preparation: There have been training days, in different centres, for parish catechists involved with the preparation of children for the Sacrament of Confirmation, and more are planned for the coming year. A day was organised in Carmarthen for parents and catechists involved in the preparation of children for First Confession and First Holy Communion. (Days are planned in the coming spring; a study day on the Mass, and a training day for Eucharistic Ministers.)
    

6. Catechesis for Travelling People: This has taken place in a few areas of the Diocese, and has concentrated on preparation for the reception of the Sacraments.
    

7. Catechesis for Adults: There have been various short courses aimed at helping adults to deepen their faith, in addition to the RCIA groups which are held in several parishes of the Diocese. These have included days of retreat, group prayer, a half day specially for the elderly, Advent reflections, and talks on scripture during Lent. There have also been catechetical days or weekends, led by visitors to the Diocese, on Scripture and catechesis; on Lectionary based catechesis, and on Catechesis as a journey in faith. Over a period of some two years, groups met regularly to study the new Catechetical Directory, using 'A Gift Destined to Grow'. During last autumn, there was a series of evening meetings an lectionary based catechesis, with a half day on the same theme in Margam at the end of January.
    

Groups preparing for the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies will meet on a number of Saturdays in the coming year.
 

The provision of resources for Catechesis in the diocese

 
Members of the Diocesan Catechetical Team were aware for many years of the need for a centre where resource materials could be held, and this awareness was reinforced by the requests received from several of the Diocesan clergy. From 1995 until 2002, premises were made available at the Stella Maris Centre in Swansea. As a result of the decision to rebuild that Centre, the Resources Centre moved in September 2002 to the Curial Offices in Greenhill, Swansea. It has now been expanded as the Diocesan Pastoral and Resources Centre, and is run by the Core Team referred to earlier. Several of the groups have already made use of the facilities at the new Centre. In order to meet running costs, books and cards are on sale, and the Team invite donations from groups using the Centre.

Sr. Eugenie Murnion cp. Jacqueline Wykes
February 2003

External Link

Catechism of the Catholic Church