Media notice regarding Catholic Schools Week 2010 and the inauguration of the new Catholic Schools Partnership

26 Jan 2010

PRESS RELEASE
26 January 2010

Media notice regarding Catholic Schools Week 2010 and the inauguration of the new Catholic Schools Partnership

  • Launch of Catholic Schools Partnership by Cardinal Brady
  • Catholic Schools Week theme for 2010 theme: ‘Catholic schools – a light for every generation’
  • Special web feature on www.catholicbishops.ie

You, or a representative, are invited to attend a seminar to launch Catholic Schools Week 2010 and the announcement of the Catholic Schools Partnership:

Date: Thursday 28 January 2010

Time: 9.30am – 1.30pm

Venue: Emmaus Centre, Lissenhall, Swords, Co Dublin

Catholic Schools Week is a celebration of Catholic schools throughout Ireland, North and South.  Catholic Schools Week acknowledges the tremendous contribution that our Catholic primary and post-primary schools make not just to Irish society, but to the mission of the Church.

The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2010 is Catholic Schools – a light for every generation.  It runs from Sunday 31 January to Saturday 6 February 2010.

Catholic Schools Partnership

Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, will formally launch the Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) at this seminar opening Catholic Schools Week 2010 this Thursday in the Emmaus Centre, Swords. 

Fr Michael Drumm is Executive Chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership.  The CSP is an association established by the Bishops of Ireland with the cooperation of the Conference of Religious of Ireland and is intended to support all partners in Catholic education at first and second level within the education system in the Republic of Ireland.  Its equivalent in Northern Ireland is the Trustee Support Service.

The Catholic Schools Partnership includes patrons/trustees, management bodies including boards of management and teachers in Catholic schools.  While the CSP is officially being launched on 28 January its office was established last September and is based in St Patrick’s College Maynooth, Co Kildare.

Seminar speakers and participants at Thursday’s event will include:

Cardinal Seán Brady, Bishop Leo O’Reilly, Sr Elizabeth Maxwell, Sr Eithne Woulfe, Ms Maeve Mahon, Ms Cora O’Farrell, Mc Catherine Wiley, Ms Rosemary Lavelle, Mgr James Cassin, Fr Michael Drumm and Mr David Quinn.

Web feature on education

A special feature is available on www.catholicbishops.ie to mark Catholic Schools Week 2010. The feature includes resources for Catholic Schools Week which are intended for all those working in partnership in the school community i.e. the school, the parish and the home. The resources, which have been produced for primary and post-primary schools in English, Irish and Polish language versions, are designed to be used with:

  • Students in the classroom
  • Staff members
  • Parents
  • Members of Boards of Management/Governors
  • The wider parish community

A special video interview with Fr Michael Drumm introducing the new Catholic School Partnership is available on www.catholicbishops.ie.  Fr Drumm addresses: the purpose of Catholic education and its contribution to the common good; the key roles of parents and teachers; the voluntary nature and involvement of priests and laity in the Catholic education system; the changing landscape of the Irish education scene; and, challenges facing Catholic education provision in Ireland.

ENDS

Further information:

Martin Long, Director of Communications 086 172 7678