In 2022, the Identity of the Catholic School for a Culture of Dialogue was issued by the Congregation for Catholic Education. It instructs all those who work in the field of Catholic education.
All faculty and administrators are responsible for
the religious formation and instruction of students in accordance with
the principles of the Gospel and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In a Catholic school, all personnel, not solely religion teachers,
participate as ministers of the Church and support the religious
instruction and formation program of the school. The Congregation for Catholic Education has described this principle in a series of documents, among them Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith. All teachers need to be
knowledgeable about the Catholic faith and supportive of Church
teaching. It is the responsibility of the principal to provide personnel with adequate opportunities for religious formation and an
understanding of Church teaching.
Teachers in a
Catholic school have a particular ministerial role.
To assist in meeting the standards for all teachers, the
Department of Catholic Schools provides programs for certification as
well as workshops and opportunities for ongoing formation and learning. In addition, the Department of
Catholic Schools sponsors in-service training and recommends
participation in the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, national
and regional religious education conferences, and courses at Catholic
colleges and universities.
Teachers in a Catholic school are expected to become familiar with the purpose and
philosophy of Catholic education, a basic theology of Catholic ministry,
and the charism, mission, and history of the school in which they
teach.
Elementary school teachers are required to participate
in catechetical formation, and all elementary school teachers who are
Catholic are required to obtain and maintain certification as catechists as set forth by the California Catholic Conference.
High
school teachers (including teachers at private Catholic schools) are required to participate in the high school religious formation program for a minimum of ten hours each academic year. This formation program is offered in a four year cycle that follows the parameters established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the California Catholic Conference.
A copy of the Annual Report Form Regarding Catholic Identity and Faculty Faith Formation of High Schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is to be submitted to the Department of Catholic Schools by June 30 each year.
Religion teachers are required to be practicing Catholics and meet the professional and personal standards set forth in policies for hiring, certification, and renewal of certification for religion teachers and campus ministers.
See Qualifications of the High School Religion Teacher.
4-1-2022