From the outside, Catholic schools probably look like places where Catholic children are taught Catholicism by Catholic teachers. That assumption was never entirely accurate – and with each passing year, it becomes less so.
The reality is that many Catholic schools are now struggling to recruit practising Catholic teachers to roles where being an active member of the faith is a formal requirement. This reflects a wider trend: church attendance is down, religious affiliation is fading and the pool of eligible Catholic teachers is shrinking.
