By Timna Jacks and Henrietta Cook
Has the bell tolled for priests who run Catholic schools?
A push to overhaul Catholic schools is gaining momentum, with principals and pastors saying that priests do not have the training, time or expertise to manage schools.
Has the bell tolled for priests who run Catholic schools?Credit: Fairfax Media
The Victorian Association of Catholic Primary Schools recently asked Australian Catholic University academics to review the governance of Catholic schools.
"We believe it is becoming more common that the parish priest is just feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities," said Professor Chris Branson, who is leading the review.
Professor Branson said that as Catholic school enrolments had grown, the number of priests had declined and parishes had merged.
"There are some schools where the parish priest has said this is beyond them."
Father Kevin Dillon from St Mary of the Angels Parish in Geelong said running schools has become increasingly complex, particularly when it came to compliance and accountability.
"I have four primary schools in my parish and I am not sure that priests are equipped with the time and expertise to undertake the ultimate responsibility for schools," he said.
"We are not educationalists."
Unlike other states, priests in Victoria have a significant management role in Catholic schools. They have to employ principals, oversee financial processes, staff wellbeing and occupational health and safety protocols.
They can be held legally liable if they fail to carry out these duties, but they do not receive any formal mandatory training for their role as employer in schools. It is expected that the federal royal commission will recommend changes to the role of priests in schools.
Tensions have also erupted between parish priests and school parents – most recently with the case of Mentone-Parkdale parish's Father John Walshe. The priest resigned nearly two weeks ago after parents at affiliated Catholic schools led a fierce campaign against him due to a finding by the church that Father Walshe abused an 18-year-old seminarian in 1982.
(Father Walshe denies committing abuse. Under the Melbourne Response, a finding of sexual abuse is not equivalent to a sexual abuse conviction and can include sex abuse of an adult and sex between consenting adults that violates a priest's vow of celibacy.)
Independent Education Union general secretary Deb James said she received complaints about priests intervening in staff selection decisions, demanding to be on interview panels, and making calls about promotions.
She was aware of one case where a priest insisted on "total financial control" of a school which was engaging in "misuse of fixed-term contracts", and prohibited the principal from making employment decisions.
Principals Association of Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools president Mark Sheehan said parish priests did not have the "interest, expertise or the time" to run schools. "Regional colleges need to be in a position to select, induct and maintain people of a high standard, such as happens with company directors."
St Joseph's College Geelong principal Paul Tobias recently received a standing ovation from about 60 principals after declaring that the Catholic church was "stuck in a time warp".
He told colleagues at a Principals Association of Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools event that it was becoming increasingly difficult to educate young people in religious education.
"Most parish priests are good pastors and managers of their schools," he told Fairfax Media.
"But we need to adopt a more modern structure. Priests should be the pastor but not the manager."
Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Stephen Elder remained tight-lipped on the issue. "We have a rigorous accountability framework to both the Commonwealth and state governments," he said.