Cathal Barry
A number of clear cut recommendations have been made to college authorities, reports Cathal Barry
The national seminary in Maynooth has been in the headlines recently after a number of student priests were reportedly asked to take time out of formation because they were ‘too conservative’.
St Patrick’s College President, Msgr Hugh Connolly rejected the claim, insisting that there has been “nothing out of the ordinary in terms of usual action between students, dioceses and the seminary in making a decision on what is the best next step for a particular student”.
Msgr Connolly said it was “not a question of conservativism” but rather a question of “getting the right experience”.
It has now emerged that the Vatican’s quality control watchdog for Church-run universities has warned Maynooth authorities of a “perception” that the Pontifical University is too “clerical”.
The watchdog’s evaluation report also revealed “problems in governance” and that trustees (the bishops) displayed “no active interest” in the university’s mission “apart from its service to the seminary”.
The extensive review was conducted last year by AVEPRO, the Holy See’s Agency for the Evaluation and Promotion of Quality in Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties.
Evaluation
The evaluation commission, headed by Prof. Emmanuel Agius (University of Malta), included Prof. Eamonn Conway (Mary Immaculate College, Limerick), Prof. Jim Corkery, SJ (Milltown Institute, Dublin) and Fr Luke McNamara, OSB (Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome).
As part of the review, nine full-time faculty members were surveyed about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats concerning the faculty of theology.
From the outset, the reviewers acknowledged that the university is a “rich resource” for the mission of the Church in Ireland and an academic institution of “high quality” theological education that can play a “leading role” in culture and society.
The report noted that the college in recent years has been faced with a number of converging challenges, including the reduction of funds, declining student numbers and the changing landscape of third level education with greater emphasis on economic and technological dividends.
Nonetheless, reviewers recognised the university’s “considerable efforts, creativity and commitment to preserve and safeguard the sustainability” of the institution, to “guarantee its future” and to “secure its place” in the higher education landscape.
Responding to the challenges highlighted in the report, Maynooth Vice-President Prof. Michael Mullaney said making theology “attractive” was among the college’s top priorities.
“The challenge is already in the humanities with the shift towards the sciences, computers, technology. Humanities as a whole is under pressure and theology is part of that. Making theology itself attractive to school leavers is our main challenge,” he told The Irish Catholic.
Noting that theology may not be as attractive for a school leaver as it is would be for a more mature student, Prof. Mullaney said there was a need to highlight its “relevance” in helping students to “understand the culture that we live in, to understand current affairs, world religions and the role they have in society and the world today”.
“Students find it useful and interesting and it prepares them for any number of things they might like to pursue in the future,” he said.
Prof. Mullaney also said marketing the college was important going forward.
“We have to market the college. People are probably not aware of what we offer.
“We have limited resources for marketing and advertising so we need to find new strategies to make people aware of the quality of the teaching, resources and courses that are available,” he said.
The canon lawyer said people choose to study theology for a “variety of reasons” and part of the challenge for the college is “to make people aware that we can cater for all of them”.
Among the university’s strengths, the AVEPRO review panel observed its determination to provide a “wide range” of fundamental theological disciplines, to “increase the numbers” of postgraduate students and to “consolidate and develop” the spiritual and liturgical supports for students and staff.
The report also listed among the university’s strengths its resolve to “welcome the emergence of a young, vibrant and creative community of lay theologians”.
In the following section outlining the universities “weaknesses” as identified by the faculty, however, reviewers noted that there was “no active interest” among trustees “in the broader mission of the faculty and place of theology in Ireland and third level”.
Rejecting the observation, Prof. Mullaney insisted that the college’s trustees get “very regular updates” and are “very interested” in the life of both sides of the college.
“That might be an observation of some but I would be satisfied that the trustees are up to date and interested in the life of the college, not only the seminary but also the Pontifical University,” he said, adding that some bishops very often help the college authorities fundraise abroad.
The review panel also reported “problems in governance” and a “perception, internally and externally” that the university is too “clerical”, with a small number of fulltime lay/female lecturers.
Prof. Mullaney said he didn’t “fully share” such an observation.
“I wouldn’t see that as a problem in any way at all. It could be a case that people just aren’t aware of the complexity or variety that’s in place. Maynooth is synonymous with the national seminary and the training of priests and that’s a positive and I wouldn’t apologise for that. That’s one of our strengths,” he said.
Weaknesses
- Among the other weaknesses identified by the faculty were:
- the lack of a system for external review and evaluation of new and existing courses and degrees;
- teaching staff burdened with too many administrative responsibilities;
- the decreasing number of students and the low academic ability of some in-coming students in recent years;
- lack of incentive to engage in research and publication.
The reviewers noted that the faculty perceived as a “threat” the trustees’ “apparent disinterest” regarding the university’s mission apart from its service to the seminary.
- It also listed as threats:
- the reduction and/or abolition of State grants and funding;
- the lack of job opportunities for qualified lay theologians;
- the negative publicity about the Church due to scandals;
- the decline of faith and of confidence in the Church and the progressive secularisation of Irish society.
At the same time, AVEPRO’s review panel observed and commended the university for:
- the spirit of collaboration and commitment evidenced among the faculty;
- the academic expertise and commitment of staff;
- the staff’s availability to students;
- the commitment to high quality research by many members of staff;
- the desire for more effective structures of governance.
Noting that the college is “very much conscious of and conscientious in regard to its mission and objectives”, the review panel observed that the university is “actively striving” to achieve its principal aims as outlined in its mission statement.
The report stated that the “initiatives” taken during the last decades to “consolidate academic excellence” by setting in place structures of quality control and assurance was having “positive results” in terms of higher standards at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Moreover, the review panel observed the college’s “sustained and genuine efforts” to promote excellence and innovation in teaching, research and publication, and to respond to contemporary developments in ecumenical, inter-religious and cultural dialogues in an increasingly complex and diverse Irish society.
While noting that St Patrick’s College offers a “sterling service” to both the Church and civil society, the AVEPRO reviewers made a number of recommendations to the pontifical university.
Chief among these recommendations was the implementation of a five-year strategic plan, with progress to be reviewed on an annual basis.
As part of the plan, it was recommended that an “open dialogue” take place between college authorities and the trustees “at the earliest possible opportunity”.
The review panel suggested that the university “urgently” needs a second vice president whose sole responsibility is academic affairs. It was noted that this was the situation in the past, when the college had one vice-president for the seminary and another for academics.
A number of key recommendations were also made in respect of recruitment and remuneration of staff.
Acknowledging the “high quality” of the college’s staff, it was suggested that new posts be established with particular consideration to be given to senior posts in religious education, patristics and pastoral theology.
It is also made clear that remuneration grades “should reflect excellence” in teaching, learning, administrative duties, research and external service.
The review panel recommended the introduction of new academic grades and a promotions procedure which would be merit-based rather than seniority-based, which would “enhance staff development and motivation”.
Procedures in regard to recruitment of staff “need to be clear and transparent”, the reviewers stated, to make possible the recruitment of the best candidates “regardless of gender or clerical status”. “This also requires further work on the development of appropriate remuneration scales,” the report stated.
Prof. Mullaney acknowledged that such a recommendation would “need to be kept in mind for future staff development”.
He noted that many of the college’s teaching staff are priests who work “because they are passionate about theology”. “They do it for the love of the students who are interested in theology and money isn’t an issue,” he said.
Prof. Mullaney conceded, however, that in a future with less priests, the college “will have to look for more lay staff who will need to be appropriately remunerated”.
“They will have families and financial obligations that priests wouldn’t have had so that is something we will have to look at,” he said.
Overall, the review portrayed St Patrick’s College, Maynooth as an “attractive and desirable” place to study, teach and research theology with efforts being made to ensure the continuation of its “valid and valuable” contribution to society and the mission of the Church in Ireland.
Prof. Mullaney agreed.
“I think the report identified clearly all the very good strengths of the college, the range of subjects that are delivered, the tradition, qualifications and dedication of the staff, the quality of the students and the resources that are available. I think it accurately reflects the quality learning experience that is in the Pontifical University,” he said.
There are a number of weak points that need to be promptly addressed but the implementation of the recommended five-year strategic plan should be enough to quash any of the Vatican’s concerns.
“We have done a lot of work on the report since. We have an ongoing quality control committee that is implementing the report’s recommendations. It’s a constant review but it’s great that quality control is kept on the table all the time,” Prof. Mullaney said.
