h) Parishes

While it is recognised that parish communities have no direct responsibility for Religious Education in school, the active involvement of representatives from parish communities, both lay and clerical, can add to the quality of experience for students and enable them to gain role models on their journey of faith. Hence, such involvement is to be greatly encouraged.

At a wider level, it is acknowledged that many students do not practice their faith on a regular basis. Accordingly, they will have little or no contact with their local parish. For these students especially there is a need today, both at school and at parish level, for a renewed process of evangelisation (the sowing of the seed of the gospel message), aimed at giving young people experiences of God in their lives which are relevant and personally meaningful. However, there are also students who are practising their faith and for whom catechesis (a deepening of an existing faith) is necessary. Liaison will be necessary between schools and local parishes in order to ensure maximum support for initiatives designed to facilitate evangelisation and catechesis either at school or parish level.