End of the School Year
a time for appreciation

As the school year comes to an end, Bishop Michael Smith takes this opportunity to pay tribute to all involved in educating young people and to reflect in particular on the commitment which the Diocese of Meath is making to education in the community.

At present, there are 193 Catholic primary schools under the direct patronage of the Bishop of Meath.  The Bishop is involved in the patronage of a further 10 secondary schools in this diocese.

In the course of the past year alone, Bishop Smith was involved in the completion of 19 school projects, which include the opening of new schools, as well as major extensions and renovations.

“The Catholic Church has a long history in education in Ireland and its contribution has been widely acknowledged”, according to Bishop Smith.  “Our local parish schools are guided by a positive view of the person based on the teachings of Christ. All pupils whether they profess a religious belief or not are important and schools exist to care for and facilitate their growth as individuals and members of society.  

The Bishop is keen to emphasise that “the Catholic school is not just an organisation; it is a community, reflecting the vision of life as portrayed in the Gospels.  This marks out the school as a caring environment, a place were each child in valued and enabled to grow in faith and love”.

The Bishop recognises that “for over a decade our schools have welcomed many children from different countries and diverse cultural backgrounds.  I am pleased to see how well children themselves adapt to the new situation, thanks in no small part to the guidance of the schools.  The history of our schools and the role they play in all communities is founded on the contribution of all involved, particularly the teachers.  It is always encouraging to see how today’s generation of teachers and Boards of Management continue this tradition of education and formation for young people.”

The Bishop has sent to all parishes the latest document on education entitled “Vision 08 – A Vision for Catholic Education in Ireland”, published by the Irish Episcopal Conference.   It is also available on the education pages of the diocesan website or for download here.

further information
Fr Paul Crosbie

Diocesan Secretary

Tel 044-9348841