The Role of the Catholic High School Chaplain

Laity in Ministry

  • Vatican II: return to understanding that the entire Christian community is the body of Christ.
    • Sharing Christ's prophetic, priestly, and kingly role.
    • "Ordained" in baptism to evangelical witness.
  • Catechism of the Catholic Church reinforces this view.
    • Calls all people to participate in Christ's prophetic office as a witness and to actively provide all with a sense of faith.
    • Quotes St. Thomas Aquinas: "To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer" (no. 904).
  • Canon law is ambiguous regarding laity as chaplains.
    • Vatican documents and other writings offer guidance.
    • Maria Harris: ministry is "engaging in priestly activities."
      • A priest is something that the community calls you to be.
      • Lay ministers function in traditional roles of a priest-chaplain.
        • Calling community to prayer.
        • Providing counsel and spiritual guidance.
        • Acting as a family mediator.
        • Supporting staff.
        • Arranging celebration of the sacraments, though not presiding.
  • Vatican document, Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priest, clarifies the role of the laity and their work in a parish.
    • Spells out the role of the ordained ministry and the laity and how both are called to serve God.
    • Addresses the use of the term "chaplain" for lay people (no. 7).
    • The role of chaplain by the non-ordained faithful is supported by Canon 517, 2 (no. 9) and documents such as Christifideles laici.
  • Vatican documents regarding Catholic schools emphasize the need for evangelization and ministry.
    • The number of "religious" in schools is decreasing.
    • Lay Catholics are taking over the role of Christian teacher and witness to the faith.
    • All teachers are missionaries to the youth culture in a school.

The Teacher as Chaplain

  • Prior to the creation of the chaplain position, the religious studies department head was expected to carry out many of the duties of a chaplain.

    • Unlike other department heads, the religious studies coordinator was also responsible for pastoral ministry in the school.
    • Tasks included:
      • Developing curriculum in the area of religious studies for grades 10 to 12 and CALM (Career and Life Management).
      • Encouraging teacher professional development in the area of religious studies.
      • Preparing school liturgies.
      • Planning staff spiritual development (a yearly reflection day, as well as ongoing parish and local college courses).
      • Fostering the school's Catholic identity.
      • Running spiritual/sacramental preparation and student development programs.
      • Arranging retreats.
      • Serving as a parish/community liaison.

  • The time available was not sufficient to accomplish the tasks.

  • The school principal and department head of religious studies recognized the need to address the spiritual dimension of the student and staff of the school.

  • Encouraged by the work of former high school chaplain Sr. Teresita Kambeitz, the school investigated various models of high school chaplaincy.

  • The teacher-chaplain model was chosen.

  • The book Bridges to Faith by Catherine Pead and Sr. Teresita Kambeitz provided the theory and model that was settled on.

  • An alternative model of chaplaincy can be found in the Calgary Catholic schools.

    • They employ chaplains trained in pastoral work/youth ministry rather than teachers.

  • Definition of chaplain: "a person who oversees a chapel."

    • Responsible for an extraordinary situation.
    • A specialized setting is one that is interim or temporary with a specific purpose.
    • The extraordinary situation in this case is the school.
    • Pead: "Schools are settings designed to provide learning to students for a specific period of time or towards a particular 'degree.' When a certain grade or degree is reached, students move on to ordinary circumstances."

  • Those assigned to minister in a specialized setting must have some preparation and training for that particular task.

    • A hospital chaplain should know something of the health system.
    • A prison chaplain should have a background in criminology and the prison system.
    • A school chaplain should be prepared to work in the educational milieu.
      • Ideally, a successful teacher with an understanding of the learning process, familiar with philosophies of education, and have experience with families and students at different stages of development.

  • Being a chaplain involves entering into relationship with a particular community of persons who are part of a common endeavor.

  • The high school chaplain is designated by the Church to minister to those involved in the educational process.

    • Specifically, to minister to the spiritual needs of a particular school community.

  • Chaplaincy is not the same as youth ministry.

    • Chaplains minister to youth in their role as students.
    • Youth ministry tends to focus on those youth connected to a particular parish.
    • Chaplaincy focuses not only on the students, but all those involved in the educational setting.
      • Teachers, parents, and support staff.

  • Chaplains who are not members of the teaching staff find it difficult to comprehend fully the workings of an educational institution and the needs of students.

Roles and Responsibilities of Chaplains

  • What does a chaplain "do"?
    • Pead: chaplains are defined not by what they do but more importantly by who they are.
    • A school chaplain is "a person designated to minister to the spiritual needs of a particular school community."
    • Spiritual needs are far more than just the sacramental.
      • Lay chaplains cannot administer the sacraments but can arrange the opportunity.
      • Other spiritual needs include the need for healing, encouragement, prophetic instruction, challenge, empowerment, and affirmation.
  • The presence of a chaplain does not lessen the responsibility of teachers to give witness to the faith.
    • All teachers are missionaries to the youth culture in a school.
    • The chaplain serves as a model, provides leadership in spiritual matters, and acts as a resource for teachers.
    • All teachers should have leadership roles in the evangelical task of the school.
    • Teachers must be involved in liturgy, retreat programs, spiritual dialogue, and parish life.
  • The chaplain's responsibility also includes the spiritual well-being of all members of the school community—teachers, students, and support staff.
  • Chaplains must remember that within the present church structure, our central focus of community is still the parish.
    • The one place where faith is initiated and continues to be sustained long after the student has left school.
    • It is thus important that a close link between the school and the parish be maintained.
    • The chaplain tends to minister to a temporary community.
    • Finding links to the more stable parish community is an essential task.
    • One of the key relationships is between the chaplain and the parish priests as well as lay ministers within the parish team.
  • The bonds between priest/chaplain or parish/school can be strengthened in a number of ways:
    • Inviting priests into school and classrooms.
    • Working together on joint parish school activities.
    • Providing priests with opportunities to participate in classes and retreats.
    • Dealing with family issues and bereavement.
    • Presiding at school liturgies.
    • Attending deanery meetings and diocesan workshops.
    • Providing encouragement to students to participate in parish activities.
  • The bishop is the spiritual head of the Catholic school and ultimate authority in issues of faith for the chaplain.
  • The parish priest is the representative of the bishop, and the chaplain must respect their opinions and wishes.
  • The chaplain must also recognize the important role of the principal as spiritual leader of the school.
    • Principals, through their actions, goals, and attitude toward students and staff, set a tone for the Catholic identity of the school.
    • The principals' own personal commitment to Catholicism and the schools' spiritual atmosphere can hinder or enhance the work of the chaplain.

Ministry of Presence

  • Schools are being organized to run like a business that must meet goals and objectives.
    • Administrators will want to quantify the job of a chaplain.
      • How many retreats and liturgies do you organize?
      • How many students come to your office?
      • How can we justify your salary?
  • The roles and responsibilities of the chaplain in a Catholic high school will be as varied as the number of chaplains that live out their vocation in schools.
    • Personality, individual faith, education, the school setting, the level of administrative support, the cooperation of the parish and parish priests, resources available, and an endless list of other factors.
    • Attempts to standardize their functions in detail can be a mistake.
  • Creating a list of functions might create no more than a functionary or employee with a fixed task.
    • There is no set manner of doing the work of drawing people in and inviting them to meet Jesus and live with gospel values.
  • Such a list of functions might "protect" the chaplain from countless demands.
    • Prevent the chaplain from becoming a school "jack-of-all-trades."
    • The school principal must work with the chaplain to ensure these things do not happen.
  • Essentially the role of the chaplain is the ministry of presence.
    • It involves the ability to coordinate activities that open people to faith and provide Christian leadership.
    • Even more importantly, it means being open to the spiritual needs of the staff and students, while also being an effective liaison with the larger Catholic Christian community and the resources available there.
    • The role of chaplains, as of all Catholic teachers, must be that of Christian role models.
  • The chaplain is a facilitator of conversation within the school.
  • The chaplain builds bridges of communication wherever they are needed.
  • The school is the ideal place for this.

Chaplain Job Description

  • The chaplain works to establish and encourage the existing relationships within the school community and larger community in which it is a part.
    • Establishing and maintaining contacts between the staff, parish, parents, and students.
    • Working with the parish(es) with regards to the sacramental life of the school.
    • Organizing and coordinating events to include the parish and the school.
    • Working with staff and students to support opportunities for interaction and service to the community at large both locally and globally.
    • Ministering to students and staff in times of hospitalization or bereavement.
    • Working with students and staff in the integration of faith and Christian values to all dimensions of the school.
  • The chaplain coordinates the general prayer and sacramental life of the school.
  • The chaplain serves as a resource person for all student and staff retreats and professional development.
  • The chaplain establishes a personal presence in the school and is available to all for spiritual assistance and counseling.
  • The chaplain serves and assists in all ways the interpretation and application of the Gospel as lived in the Catholic school community.
  • The chaplain also advises and assists the administration on issues relative to the Catholic identity of the school.

Vision for High School Chaplaincy

  • Phrases to describe the role of high school chaplain: ministry of presence, loitering with intent, creative loafing in the adolescent world.
  • It is essential in our Catholic schools that we take the time and effort to ensure that the school is permeated by the gospel values of Jesus.
  • Catholic schools are special faith communities where students are encouraged to grow academically and spiritually within a Christ-centered environment.
  • Traditionally, religious orders provided the impetus that created this environment.
  • As the religious orders left the schools, lay Catholics were called upon to build Christian community, foster the growth and the development of student faith life, and continue the close spiritual relationship between parish, family, and school.
  • Unless this responsibility is embraced by an individual who makes it his or her mission, it will not happen.
  • The position of chaplain can be an integral ministry in the Catholic high school.
  • For too long our youth have been overlooked by the Church in regards to spiritual development.
  • We must, as a community, reach out and meet our youth in a setting in which they feel at home.
  • In order for the lay chaplain to be a credible witness and proper minister of faith the role of chaplain must be one recognized by the bishop and commissioned before the community.
    • Commissioning school chaplains during a Mass at the cathedral can demonstrate the bishop's support of their ministry.