Via Weasel Zippers we found this sad, but ultimately unsurprising story.
(Daily Star) – A CATHOLIC school faces being taken over by a mosque after it was revealed that 95% of its pupils are Muslim.
It is believed to be the first case of its kind in Britain.
Church leaders say it is no longer “appropriate” for them to run Sacred Heart RC Primary School which has just six Christian pupils.
Just 10 years ago more than 90% of pupils were Catholic. But now most are of Asian origin, do not speak English as their first language and follow Islam.
The school in Blackburn, Lancs, could be handed to the nearby Masjid-e-Tauheedul mosque.
Harry Devonport of Blackburn with Darwen Council Children’s Services, said the decision to abandon the school was made by the Diocese of Salford.
Diocese education director Geraldine Bradbury said: “We have never experienced a change to this extent before. We would not be serving the local community by insisting that we run the school. It brings things like having a Catholic headteacher and devoting 10% of the timetable to RE.
“It would be wrong of us to insist on putting a school community through that.”
The mosque runs an Islamic girls’ secondary school. Head Hamid Patel said: “Given that almost all of the pupils are Muslim, it makes sense.”
All in 10 years. Astonishing.
December 28, 2010 at 5:42 pm
The school must be located in what became a little ghetto once the mosque was built.
December 28, 2010 at 6:01 pm
I read several years ago about simliar problems in Scotland. One wonders how "catholic" are these schools? The same can be said here in the US. Where I live, most parochial schools take in non-Catholics. Even evangelicals children attend them. In years past, the Church allowed this as long as the children became Catholic. Somehow I don't think that this was what was intended when the Pope called for a New Evangelization. And in the UK, the only people who will be evangelized will be the Catholics.
December 28, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Don't know if you saw the article in the Washington Post (sorry – just can't use those abbreviations:-) about Catholic universities in the US and the influx of Muslim students. Some universities are providing prayer rooms as well as Muslim chaplains (huh?) for the students. CU in DC is not willing to do that, even though students there are finding the faith aspect positive due to their own beliefs. CU is standing firm about its faith and not wavering about being "inclusive".
It was interesting, to say the least. After reading this morning about Hagar and how God saw her, I am deeply saddened about the whole conflict. I'm not confused, just saddened.
Anyway, very interesting article, considering that there are so many questions about Catholic higher education in the US.
December 28, 2010 at 8:55 pm
If so called 'Catholic Schools' were ACTUALLY teaching The Faith you would not have this problem. For one thing a Muslim would not let their child be taught The Catholic Faith and Second Catholic would hear that birth control and abortion are WRONG and we would start to see Catholic Families as the should be FLOURISHING.
December 28, 2010 at 9:34 pm
A very clear result of what "diversity", political "correctness" and a complete lack of fortitude gets you. The U.K. is finished and they deserve to be.
December 29, 2010 at 12:00 am
Well that's horrifying.
December 29, 2010 at 12:22 am
Obviously this wasn't much of a Catholic school to begin with.
December 29, 2010 at 2:29 am
How many Muslims have taken over SSPX Schools?
Oh, sorry; the Modernists Roman Protestants claim the SSPX is not really Catholic.
*
December 30, 2010 at 5:08 am
Sacred Heart RC Primary Academy is an elementary school with fewer than 200 students – and around 6 are Catholic. Its admissions policy gives no preference to students who worship at Sacred Heart Church, or any Catholic church in Blackburn.
In contrast, Holy Souls RC in Blackburn give preference to Roman Catholic children – and esp. those who worship at Holy Souls or nearby Good Shepherd.
This school got what it asked for.