What chaplaincy looks like in a Catholic school

School chaplaincy is the ministry that holds together prayer, sacrament and pastoral care across the school week. It is one of the most visible signs that a school is Catholic, not just in name but in life. In the Diocese of Shrewsbury, chaplaincy provision is part of the Catholic Schools Inspection (CSI) framework and the Bishop's expectation for every one of our 112 schools and academies.

A school chaplain is most often the parish priest, with a designated lay chaplain in larger secondaries. Either way, chaplaincy is shared work involving the headteacher, RE leader, parish priest and a small team of staff or older pupils.

The school-parish link

The single most important relationship in school chaplaincy is the link with the parish. The school sits within a parish boundary, drawing children from parish families and feeding them back to parish life. A healthy chaplaincy plan keeps this link strong.

1. Name your parish priest as chaplain in your CSED and on the school website.
2. Schedule a termly meeting between headteacher, RE lead and parish priest.
3. Map the year together, agreeing dates for school Masses, sacramental preparation and parish visits.
4. Invite the priest to school events, especially key feasts and end-of-term liturgies.
5. Send pupils into the parish, not only the parish into the school.

Sacramental preparation

First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation preparation are the responsibility of the parish, not the school. The school's role is to support, encourage and provide context, while parents lead and the parish administers. Use the school setting to remind families of parish dates and the importance of Sunday Mass. Avoid replacing parish catechesis with school programmes.

The rhythm of prayer in school

A chaplaincy programme runs on a few simple, repeated practices. Aim for these as a baseline:

• Morning prayer daily in every classroom, written and led by pupils where possible.
• Mass at least once a half-term, with a class Mass cycle in primaries and a year-group Mass cycle in secondaries.
• Adoration once a half-term, even briefly, in the school hall or chapel.
• Stations of the Cross during Lent, walked through by each class or year group.
• Marian devotion in May and October, with the Rosary prayed in tutor groups.
• Examination of conscience ahead of Reconciliation services in Advent and Lent.

The role of the lay chaplain

In larger schools, particularly secondaries and sixth-form colleges, a designated lay chaplain works alongside the parish priest. The lay chaplain is normally a practising Catholic with a CCRS or equivalent qualification. Their work includes:

1. Coordinating the prayer and liturgy programme with RE staff.
2. Running a chaplaincy team of pupils, usually drawn from across year groups.
3. Supporting bereaved or struggling pupils, alongside the pastoral team.
4. Hosting retreats, including off-site days at diocesan venues.
5. Building the link with the parish and other Catholic schools.

Diocesan support

The Diocese of Shrewsbury supports chaplaincy through the Education team based at the Curial Office, 2 Park Road South, Prenton, Wirral CH43 4UX. Canon David Roberts, Episcopal Vicar to Education, oversees the wider mission. School Support Officers, including Carol Morgan, Richard Woods, Damian Cunningham and Julia Cunningham, can advise on chaplaincy plans and connect schools with parish priests.

Email education@dioceseofshrewsbury.org for advice, retreat venue suggestions, or to be put in touch with another school running a strong chaplaincy programme. Telephone 0151 652 9855.

Why it matters

The Catholic Church has always seen education as a way to be able to witness to the faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ in a convincing and gentle way.

Bishop Davies' words sit at the heart of why chaplaincy matters. A Catholic school is a place where children meet Christ. They meet him in their teachers, in scripture, in the sacraments, in the kindness of the lunch staff and the silence of an empty chapel at the end of the day. Chaplaincy is the work of giving this meeting room to happen.

To start, agree your termly chaplaincy meeting with your parish priest and write the dates for the next academic year into the school calendar.