Catholic education breeds division, says bishop

ONE of Scotland’s leading Catholic bishops has admitted that Catholic education is "divisive" and breeds "sectarianism".

The Rt Rev Joseph Devine, the Bishop of Motherwell, and the president of the Catholic Education Commission, said in an interview that "Roman Catholic schooling is divisive" and that denominational education was an enabler of sectarianism but "sometimes it is a price worth paying."

Bishop Devine said: "The Catholic community believes that with denominational schooling comes the creation of a common set of values, a coherent system that has the academic curriculum and moral and spiritual life in tandem."

He added that it was important fans of Rangers and Celtic football clubs realised their connections to Ulster and Ireland, but argued: "They have to put the past behind them".

Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said that the existence of separate denominational schools in Scotland did not promote bigotry and sectarianism.

Mr Kearney said: "Bigotry has been around for a lot longer than Catholic schools have been.

"Bigotry begins at home, not in the school. In the former Yugoslavia, Serbs, Bosnians and Croats went to integrated schools, but that did not stop them wantonly killing each other."

Bishop Devine’s comments come months after a poll, commissioned by the Catholic Education Commission and the Scottish Catholic Media Office, showing that the majority of Scots support denominational schooling.

The survey showed that 52 per cent of Scots think it is important that Catholic schools are available for those who want them, while 80 per cent of Catholics think it important that Catholic schools are available for those who want them.

In February, Donald Gorrie, the Liberal Democrat MSP, called for the ending of Catholic schooling in Scotland, arguing it would help ease sectarianism north of the Border.

The Scottish Executive, police chiefs, racial equality campaigners and the Old Firm football clubs have also met to discuss the problem.

Mr Gorrie said that "society might be better" if the Catholic schools system in Scotland was ended. But he admitted such a move could not materialise until Catholics agreed it was the right course of action.

Last week, it emerged that Celtic Football Club’s chief executive, Ian McLeod, had written to supporters urging them not to chant IRA slogans at matches.

Mr McLeod’s actions came after discussions with the club’s supporters’ associations and the Celtic Trust.

The latest attempt to curb sectarianism, which has long scarred the image of the Old Firm, was prompted after a minority of Celtic fans disrupted the one minute’s silence for the victims of the 11 September atrocities before the start of a match at Motherwell.