The Challenge for Catholic School Leaders in Transmitting The Charism of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary

This dissertation aims to explore the extent to which the charism of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary is maintained in two schools within the trusteeship of the order in today’s educational climate. It pays particular attention to the impact that the Catholic school leaders have on this. The research material is used to: - Outline the history of the religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) and retrieve its distinctive charism - Investigate the meaning of the concept of charism and explore the two principal paradigms of Vatican II, that of the sacramental perspective and collaborative ministry, in this context. - Examine the concomitant challenges that face Catholic school leaders in the present educational landscape. - Investigate and compare to what extent the charism is lived out in two Sacred Heart of Mary schools. The literature review uses Church documents and contemporary authorities in Catholic education to examine leadership (at all levels) in terms of the sacramental perspective and collaborative ministry. The results from the qualitative and quantitative research are then analysed in light of the literature reviewed. The dissertation draws its research data from the staff and headteachers at two Sacred Heart of Mary schools within the same province. It then compares how alive the charism is in each school before concluding by making a series of recommendations as to how the charism can be maintained and transmitted to future generations of pupils.