ABSTRACT
To entitle this chapter ‘The Catholic School and Religious Education’ may give the impression of an attempt at a definition of the Catholic school and/or the religious education which should properly take place in a Catholic school. Such is not my intention. To do so would be to speak in abstract about the Catholic school and the religious education which should be provided in such a school. Throughout the world and in our own particular countries Catholic schools exist in a great variety of situations and are called to serve a diversity of need in pupils, families and localities. While considering The Contemporary Catholic School: Context, Identity and Diversity’ it seems right to reflect rather on some aspects of the mission of our schools and of the service which religious education may offer pupils within a variety of situations in our contemporary society.
