4.1 Catholic school culture
Organisations, from football clubs to the Australian Army, now recognise that there are cultures that can enhance the lives and work of members or indeed distract and even compromise their mission and ethos. We speak of 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' or even 'toxic' cultures.
Culture has been defined in many different ways, each capturing something of its essence. One popular definition over recent years has been, 'Culture is the way we do things around here'. Your induction can be thought of as an introduction to "the way things are done", the underlying beliefs and values, traditions and day to day life of your new school and the Diocese of Broken Bay. Catholic Stories Stories are one of the key ways that we transmit meanings. You will come to know the stories associated with your new school; stories of its establishment and early years, of memorable principals and teachers, of achievements and difficulties.
You will also hear, in many and various ways, a larger story - the story of God the Creator and His love for all people, His Chosen People and the love revealed in the Word made flesh - Jesus Christ. This story continues with the history of the Catholic Church and of Catholic education in Australia. This larger story is the backdrop for your school's story and now your own story. These can range from making the Sign of the Cross to whole school Masses but also include traditional Catholic devotions such as praying the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.
Catholic Symbols
Another definition of culture points to the things that both shape peoples' relationships and commitments and express the underlying beliefs and values of a society or a community. Clifford Geertz (1966, 89) defined culture as a pattern of meanings embodied in symbols by means of which people communicate and develop their knowledge about and attitudes towards life. What Catholics believe and value, their attitude towards life, is also expressed in symbols. Catholic schools are usually rich in symbols - the symbols on the school crest, crucifixes, pictures and statues of Our Lady and the saints, the symbols in prayer spaces, rooms and chapels, and sacred spaces such as Peace gardens and memorials. There may be new staff who are not so familiar with these stories, symbols or rituals or who have misunderstandings of them. It's always good to ask especially when you are new. Colleagues, especially teachers of Religious Education, will be happy to explain their meaning.
Staff who are not Catholic should always know that respect for their religious freedom is highly valued. Staff of other Christian churches will feel able to participate in liturgies of the Word and the praying of the Our Father for example. With an open mind, all can benefit in some way from the wisdom of the Catholic Christian religious tradition and people who, like them, have struggled, contemplated and discussed all the great questions of life. All staff are expected to model for others a respectful presence at school prayer and liturgy.
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