An independent classical primary school ‘committed to providing authentic Catholic education’ is set to open its doors in Limerick in September 2022.
Stella Maris School, based in Limerick City, aims to provide authentic Catholic education in ‘all its goodness, truth and beauty’. The school says it ‘puts Jesus Christ at the centre of each pupil’s education, so as to provide an unparalleled academic, human and spiritual formation’.
In a statement, the Board of Directors of Stella Maris School said that the classical education to be provided by their school is “exactly what is needed for the renewal of our country, and its return to love of faith, family and fatherland”.
According to Stella Maris principal, Mr Richard Casey, the ultimate goal of the school is to help children to attain their ultimate purpose in life, which is “to encounter Our Lord and to come into communion and intimacy with him”.
“The classical education model is one which has proven enormously popular and effective in America in recent years, and Stella Maris School will combine the successful American model with rigorous teaching of an Irish Primary School Curriculum,” Mr Casey said.
“In Stella Maris School, children will be provided with a thorough classical education in grammar and logic, as is proving so successful in America. This type of education is ultimately aimed at forming virtuous and wise people, who can think logically and speak and write eloquently. This type of education in reason naturally leads to faith in God,” he added.
Students at the primary school will be guided ‘along the path of sainthood’ and will grow in ‘wisdom and virtue’ as they progress through the different levels of their education.
The school says it aims to help children to grow into “virtuous and wise people who serve God, their families and their communities”.
Stella Maris School believes it is “through knowing, loving and serving God that children flourish and experience fulfilment in their lives” according to a statement posted to its website.
“An education centred on Christ, who is Truth and Goodness incarnate, enables children to grow in a natural, happy and purposeful environment”.
Mr Casey said there is a need for an independent classical primary school which provides teaching in-line with the Catholic Church, as he described a growing appetite for a ‘new type of education’ promoting ‘truth, beauty and goodness’ in Ireland.
“The need for an independent classical primary school which provides education in keeping with the magisterium of the Catholic Church is clearly manifest,” he said. “This school will provide an unparalleled academic, human and spiritual formation that will lead to the true flourishing of the child.
“There is a growing desire for a new type of education to be provided in Ireland; one that, in addition to meeting recognised basic academic needs in literacy, numeracy and general knowledge, brings children in contact with truth, goodness and beauty. Stella Maris School is set to offer such an education; it will help children to encounter Christ, who is the very essence of Truth, Goodness and Beauty. This will help children to become the best they can be, which is the very reason for this initiative,” he said.
The formation of the school comes at a time when Catholic education is very much under siege in Ireland in the eyes of many parents, clergy and commentators.
In November 2021, Gript reported that a majority of opposition parties in the Dáil, with the exception of Aontú and the Rural Independent Group, united to severely limit the rights of Catholic and denominational schools and to support the Education (Health, Relationships and Sex Education) Bill 2021 brought forward by the Social Democrats.
As reported by David Mullins, “The Private Members Bill would prohibit parents from having the right to withdraw their children from relationship and sex education classes that conflict with their values or which they felt were age- inappropriate or overtly ideological in nature”.
Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of the diocese of Waterford and Lismore was among those to hit out at the Labour Party for its attack on Catholic education TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was guilty of “almost inciting hatred” in the party’s bid to limit the rights of Catholic and denominational schools.
“Mr Ó Ríordáin’s attitude seems to be one of almost inciting hatred and I would suspect that many reasonable people were very shocked,” Bishop Cullinan said.
“I was wondering is this the official attitude of the Labour Party to religious run schools? Does Mr Ó Ríordáin realise that our schools are generally working extremely well?” the Bishop penned in a letter which was circulated extensively last Autumn.
Despite a push to secularise education, a survey published in February of this year found that 78% of parents in Ireland support the Church having a role in Catholic school ethos.
The survey, Articulating A New Positioning For Catholic Education In Ireland, included 500 parents, and was commissioned by the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA), the Catholic Education Partnership (CEP) and the Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools.
Ahead of the opening of Stella Maris Primary School, Mr Casey said that the education offered there will go “far beyond educating children to be economically productive members of society” – but that pupils would be aided to think rationally to make decisions that “are of benefit not only to themselves but also to the wider community”.
Education of ‘the highest standard’ will be provided in the Irish Language, English, Maths, Catechesis, Music, The Arts, Geography, History, Science, PE, as well as in Latin and French.
“This wide array of subjects is unmatched in state-funded Irish primary education and is truly something special”, the headmaster added.
Two parents’ information evenings have taken place at the school since late May, and important points relating to school funding, policy development and recreation were discussed. Further, the future success of the school was entrusted to Our Lady – the patron saint of Stella Maris School.
The school management says it is an ‘exciting’ time for the school, and children have been enrolled to begin in September. Enrolment continues to take place, and those who are interested in finding out more about the school, or who wish to enrol their children, should contact Mr Casey. Numbers are limited for the first year in the school, so early application is advisable.
Stella Maris School is currently in the process of applying for charitable status from the Charity Regulators Office and says it will depend greatly upon donations from the public for its income.