Her comments followed an article published on the weekend suggesting religious education was being replaced by religious studies.

The article went on to suggest religious studies would primarily focus on the likes of religious diversity, cultural differences and bullying, and there would also be a place for non-religious people in the curriculum.

The article said that religious education would be part of "Social Studies".

The DRS confirmed that Religious Education will be absorbed into the Social Studies department. However, it is not the end of Religious Education as Catholic schools know it.

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is currently trying to standardise Level 1, 2, and 3 achievement standards in New Zealand. These achievement standards are generally taught in secondary schools.

"Catholic schools are by far the largest group using religious education standards and will be able to comply with the new standards," the DRS assured CathNews.

"I've trialled the new standards for two years, and while no system is perfect, there's no worry; we will still be able to teach the Catholic faith in Catholic schools."

She said the biggest challenge in working with NZQA is the involvement of people of little or no system of belief or faith framework to hinge the curriculum on.

Hesitant at the progress the school was making in the first year of the trial, she said something in NZQA has changed this year, and it's much better.

Asked about the role of the religious education programme in countering the likes of bullying and understanding other faith perspectives and cultures, she said it's built into Catholic faith teaching.

"Catholic students are taught about difference, respect and dialogue."

"That said, we can only propose not impose."

She took ‘as a positive' that visiting and relieving teachers frequently commented on the ‘tolerant' school environment.

To overcome these social concerns, it is very important the school walk the talk, not only teach but reinforce them in the overall environment in the school.

"A functioning Catholic school will reinforce both belief and its application in other elements of Faith in the school's programme and environment such as retreats, school camps, leadership training, prayer, sacramental programmes and a restorative justice discipline system."

"A significant problem we have is unsupportive parents who enrol their child in a Catholic school and want to excuse them from these 'values reinforcing' co-curricular events," she said.

New curriculum

The weekend article gave a brief outline of the new primary and intermediate school curriculum.

From next year, it will include a focus on diverse religious studies. The new content will be rolled into the refreshed social science curriculum.

The Ministry of Education says it is still reviewing NCEA religious studies standards in the secondary curriculum.

It notes, however, that "One of the principles of the NCEA Change Programme is inclusion and equity whereby every student deserves the same high-quality learning opportunities to succeed".

Source

• Stuff
• CathNews
• The person interviewed is not named, nor is the school identified. She did not want to draw attention to herself or school. The interview was conducted over the phone.

Cardinal Scherer, 63, is a well-respected Latin American prelate, of German extraction, he is considered to be "measured" and who speaks good Italian.

He worked in the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops from 1994 to 2001 and with Cardinal Re, who later became head of Congregation for Bishops and ensured Scherer became a bishop.

Among the proponents of this initiative are two leading cardinals - Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, and Giovanni Battista Re, the Deputy Dean, and the man who because Sodano is over 80, will take over from Sodano once the Conclave is formed.

It is no secret that Sodano and the current Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone do not see eye-to-eye.

At the same time as promoting Scherer, Sodano and Re are suggesting, as part of a 'ticket', either Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, or Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as the Secretary of State.

Both Piacenza and Sandri are said to know the Roman Curia well.

Sandri had the post of 'Substitute', that is the third ranking position in the Vatican, in the last phase of the pontificate of John Paul II and the beginning of Benedict XVI's reign.

However, John Allen in his NCR blog, is quick to point out that Andrea Tornielli, widely seen as the best-connected of the Italian Vatican writers, maintains that no one enjoys the early obvious support that Ratzinger did at the last conclave.

Allen also draws attention to Tornielli's colleague, Giacomo Galeazzi, who in a separate piece in La Stampa, points out the obvious, that even if there are 38 voting cardinals from the Roman Curia voting as one in this conclave, they number well short of a two-thirds majority, which also means they are in a position to stop the election of a candidate, but not impose their own.

Source

• Vatican Insider
• NCR
• NCR (Photo)