Group set up to examine education

A NEW working party on religious education and formation in the Westminster Diocese is to be set up by Cardinal Basil Hume, it was announced this week.
The working party. which will be chaired by Mr Patrick O'Connell, deputy chief executive in the diocesan educational service, will look at the problems faced by teachers. parents and priests in Catholic schools, particularly the problems involved in teaching the faith.
The Cardinal has taken a personal interest in formulating guidelines for the working party, which will pay particular attention to the impact on the young of family life and the frequent rejection of society of "fundamental human values such as truth. honesty, responsibility, personal relationships and life itself."
Mr O'Connell said this week that the working party would be formed later this autumn and will begin work in 1984 with the aim of reporting at the end of the year.
The membership is yet to be decided, but Mr. O'Connell said that this would be as wide as possible and would include clergy and teachers. The precise terms of reference have also to be finalised, but will be announced before Christmas.
The working party will operate in conjunction with the executive body under Mgr Ralph Brown set up to put into practice the proposals for the reorganisation of the diocesan education services made in the recent Grubb Institute report.
But Mr O'Connell made it clear that his group would be looking at the theological rather than the practical issues involved in religious education today.'
He said that the purpose of the new body was to review the issues in the light of last April's diocesan conference on Catechesis in our Time, the reorganisation programme, and the Cardinal's remarks to the National Conference of Priests on the Church's social teachings.
"The idea is to present a unified view of all these elements," Mr O'Connell added.
The working group will produce a detailed report at the end of 1984 to advise the Cardinal and the area. bishops on possible improvements in the teaching of religious education. But before then, early next year. Cardinal Hume plans to consult
personally with the headteachers of the diocese's secondary schools to discover some of the difficulties they face.
Cardinal Hume said this week that religious education and formation were extremely important issues in the Church. "I know that there is much good work in religious education going on in homes, parishes and schools of the diocese.
JUDO STAR Brian Jacks looks on as Hanwell's Fr Dermot O'Neill comes to grief during a match between an All Priests XI and a Show Biz Xl at Hendon Football Club on Sunday. Fr O'Neill's star was otherwise in the ascendent, as his team won 3-1. The match was the centrepiece of a Festival of Sport that raised £700 for the Youth and Community Centre at St Agnes', Cricklewood. David Hamilton captained the Showbiz side, which included fellow DJ Graham Dean, Coronation Street star Chris Quinton and sixties pop idol Jess Conrad. Fr Tony Ryan, who is leaving St Agnes' after four years there for Thurles, Co Tipperary, travelled especially from Ireland to captain the winning side. Drawn largely from North London parishes, Fr Ryan's team boasted the talents of Fr Liam Holmes from St George's, Sudbury, Fr John Byrne from St Anselm's, Southall, Fr Donal Spring from St Joseph's, Wembley, Fr Pat Mulcahy from Our Lady, St John's Wood.and Fr Tony McDermott.