Are Catholic schools fulfilling their mission of evangelisation?
Given the observed decline in Mass attendance
Catholic schools in Australia educate nearly 794,000 students across 1,759 institutions, making up about 20% of the nation’s student population.
Their mission extends beyond academic excellence to the spiritual formation of young people, aiming to nurture a lasting commitment to faith.
But are these schools genuinely fulfilling their role in evangelisation?
The declining rates of Mass attendance among young Catholics raise serious concerns
A Growing Disconnect Between Schooling and Faith
The latest figures from the 2021 National Count of Attendance highlight a stark reality: only 8.2% of Australian Catholics attend Mass regularly, a sharp decline from 11.8% in 2016 and 18% in 1996. Attendance among young adults aged 18-29 is at 11.8%.
These statistics paint a worrying picture—while Catholic schools enrol large numbers of students, they seem to be struggling to foster lasting engagement with the Church.
This decline in religious practice could be attributed to several factors, including the increasing secularisation of society, the rise of digital culture, and a growing perception that faith is disconnected from contemporary life.
Even though 61.1% of students in Catholic schools identify as Catholic, many do not go on to become active members of their parishes.
Beyond Religious Instruction: A Need for Lived Faith
For Catholic schools to truly fulfil their evangelising mission, they must do more than provide religious education. They need to create environments where faith is lived, experienced, and made relevant.
A few key areas for improvement include:
Strengthening parish-school connections: Encouraging students to participate in parish life, youth ministries, and sacramental preparation beyond school settings.
Fostering faith through social action: Integrating Catholic social teaching into community service projects, linking faith with real-world issues.
Enhancing student engagement with worship: Moving beyond obligatory school Masses to meaningful liturgical experiences that resonate with young people.
Without a renewed focus on these aspects, Catholic schools risk becoming institutions that teach about Catholicism without fostering a lifelong commitment to faith.
The Cardijn Approach: Forming Young Christian Leaders
Perhaps a more effective way to bridge the gap between Catholic education and lifelong faith engagement is by adopting the See-Judge-Act methodology pioneered by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn. This approach, rooted in Catholic social action, helps young people integrate faith into their daily lives by:
Encouraging critical reflection: Helping students analyse their lived experiences in light of Gospel values (See).
Forming personal convictions: Teaching students to discern moral and ethical issues through a Catholic lens (Judge).
Taking concrete action: Inspiring students to put their faith into practice through meaningful service, advocacy, and leadership (Act).
The Cardijn approach moves beyond passive learning and transforms students into active participants in their faith.
By empowering young people to engage with the world through a Catholic perspective, this model can help Catholic schools foster a deeper and more lasting sense of discipleship.
Conclusion: A Call for Renewal
Catholic schools remain a vital part of the Church’s mission, but their effectiveness in evangelisation must be critically assessed.
The decline in Mass attendance, particularly among young people, suggests a need for deeper reflection and action.
If Catholic schools wish to be true centres of faith formation, they must move beyond knowledge transmission and focus on cultivating discipleship that endures beyond the school gates.
The See-Judge-Act method offers a practical and transformative way forward, enabling students to live out their faith actively and actively.
Greg Lopez
References
Australian Catholic Education Statistical Report 2022.
Australian Catholic Mass Attendance Report 2021.
Cardijn, J. (1963). Laymen into Action.
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Thgusstavo Santana / Pexels
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Greg, you provided good insights and a thoughtful reflection. In the US, Catholic education is declining, and a recent study suggested that by 2035, we may not have Catholic schools at all, especially at the parish level. During the last forty years, we have witnessed the rapid decline of the parish and many smaller high schools. Budgets at the parish level have not been sustainable for many and most parishes.
There seemed to be a turning point in the late 1970s away from Catholic education in grades 1-12 in the US. Instead of addressing the root cause, we proceeded to try to treat the symptoms, and we all know how well that works, at least with the common cold. Others preferred to treat it like Neurosis and hoped it all would go away in six months. And that didn't happen.
The question does arise about what the Church is and why people belong. A recently retired priest friend said that the number of young men getting ordained has no interest in being in parishes with grade schools. And the trend among those who become pastors is to prefer parishes without schools. He then went on to say, “Catholicism in the US is becoming like Italy; you go to church three times in your life, twice you are carried in, and once you walk in.”
To address the education issue, we must ask what Catholicism is and why it matters. Why should people care? What can we all do to bring about the kingdom of God here and now? What role does education play in the Kingdom of God, and who and what makes it work?
To your point, the See-Judge-Act is a great place to start. In the SEE activity, we need to focus on the root cause of the problems we discover rather than just treating the symptoms.
Thank you for this reflection, Greg. We currently do battle with school leadership teams and school staff who won’t accept that belonging to parish and celebrating the Eucharist in the parish is the ideal to strive to achieve. To balance this view: recently I heard from a school leader who was hopeful for this year because she has a dedicated RE team. Now, all they have to do, is to generate interest in their students … no easy task, given your analysis of what we are working against in our world today. May God’s Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.