Address problem of theological illiteracy

Dear Editor, I attended your splendid Conference on the subject of Faith-based Schools in a pluralist society and was struck by the high calibre of many of the contributions, especially those of Francis Campbell and Baroness Nuala O’Loan.

However, I was also impressed by the letter of Julie Connolly (‘A tendency towards pantheism’ IC 20/10/2016) who argued that there was little benefit in defending faith-based schools where the catechetical programmes overseen by the bishops are and have been seriously defective over decades! Given that the ‘new Catechetics’ runs the serious risk of producing pantheists and sceptics who have little or no knowledge or understanding of the supernatural truths of their Catholic Faith, the bishops’ role in continuing to defend such programmes may well be likened to that of the stewards busily re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic! 

If there is theological illiteracy among the young people who attend Catholic Schools whose responsibility is it?

Yours etc.,

Clare Forkin,

Killiney, Co. Dublin.