I support/teach in a state school and the other day we were visited by a boyband. I popped in at the end of one of their sessions and heard them say "be faithful and don't forget to visit our website!" to the wildly enthusiastic hall full of 13 and 14 year old girls and boys.
Christian evangelist project springs to mind? Think again! While the Catholic Education Service and the Bishops of England and Wales are busy letting Catholic schoolchildren find out what Connexions have to offer:
this is how Inju5tice are guiding our British schoolchildren to Be Faithful...
We have no money for luxuries like textbooks, photocopying or building maintenance in British schools, or time to teach them how to pray - gone is the pretence to even bother with collective worship -
but schools up and down the country are edutaining schoolchildren including Catholics thus during the hot summer months presumably at the expense of the taxpayer:
google:
Inju5tice
- Jul 8
INJU5TICE LATEST TOUR NEWS. The School Tour just grows and grows . ... Many a "Long Long Way From Home" from Southampton to Scotland, check out our tour ... Summer Festivals and Pride Events including Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham. ...
www.inju5tice.co.uk/
What company we keep:
The Royal Masonic School for girls
join several schools around the country including the following Catholic schools in putting Child Exploitation and Online Protection at the top of their priority list
Cardinal Heenan High school in Liverpool interestingly their online contact facility has been temporarily suspended, but their contact page at the bottom has info about their school radio sessions - they'll be able to relive the concert on Friday - would be interesting to hear their reactions
St Bernards Rotheram maybe you might like to ask the headteacher, David Bulter, exactly how he is helping the catholic children in his care to be faithful to the words "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" as per their school homepage.
St John Fisher High Peterborough speak to the governors including Fr David Jennings their Parish Priest and Parent Champion evidently! See if it makes any difference!!
Nota Bene:
Students at St John Fisher in Peterborough will be getting a taste of non-liturgical entertainment at 12pm this Monday, 12th July 2010 (their headteacher's award to Dr Ian Paisley for a laugh on this auspicious day)
The Bishop of East Anglia doesn't have an email, but he has a child protection officer with an online email facility:
Diocese of East Anglia Bishop: Right Rev Michael Evans M.Th.
Bishop's House:
The White House, 21 Upgate, Poringland, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 7SH
Tel: (01508) 492202 Fax: 01508 495358
Diocesan Child Protection Coordinator
Mrs Barbara Warwick
Tel: (01362) 699015
while those at Cardinal Heenan in Liverpool will be getting the indoctrination on Wednesday, 15th July 2010 at 1pm
Diocese of Liverpool
Archbishop The Most Reverend Patrick A Kelly
Residence:
Archbishop's House
Lowood, Carnatic Road
Liverpool
L18 8BY
Tel: 0151 724 6398
Fax: 0151 724 6405
Email: archbishop.liverpool@rcaolp.co.uk
whereas St Barnards students have already been entertained on 29th June 2010
Hallam Diocese Bishop
Rt Rev John Rawsthorne
Residence
Bishop's House, 75, Norfolk Road, Sheffield S2 2SZ
Tel & Fax: 0114 278 7988
E mail: bishopofhallam@btinternet.com
Image source above from Changing Voices: An Approach to Adolescent Voice Training (unconnected to this post)
I'm a bit confused. The " be faithful" quote made me think that perhaps they promoting an abstinence/fidelity message.But a glance at their website suggests not. The fact that they give "pride events" a mention is a big clue too.
ReplyDeleteWhy are they touring schools? I don't geddit?
Are schools helping boybands with their promotional activities now? Do they get a kickback? That sort of exposure to the target audience must be worth a fortune.
Why did your school have them in? I'm curious to know what reason they gave.
Yes Clare, your comment
ReplyDelete"The " be faithful" quote made me think that perhaps they promoting an abstinence/fidelity message."
was exactly what went through my mind when I heard them say it.
"Why did your school have them in? I'm curious to know what reason they gave. "
Don't ask me - I'm only there to tidy up the messes / fill the gaps, even though I am fully qualified as a secondary maths teacher, am only employed as one of those dreaded supervisors that there's so much fuss about nowadays.
Clare, it was only last night when I decided to check out the boyband's website that I realised what it was actually all about.
ReplyDeleteFrom a basic level, separate altogether from any religious reasons, I feel so sorry for the kids today with all the mixed messages they are getting. The day the boyband came (they were there from about 9am to 10am) there were two sessions, and all the girls were "in love" for the rest of the day. But presumably when they went home and went on the websites that night they discovered that they were in competetion with boys/men as well as all the other girls! This is the reality for kids now - because bisexality is
is the latest game being promoted for all.
Have just seen this post from Living Water:
ReplyDeleteFairly relevant question to ask leading lay Catholics and their pastors, eh? "How can people say that homosexuality isn't natural"
Schools tours are commonly used these days by new artists to promote their music and build up a fan base. The bands on a school tour work incredibly hard, visiting as many venues as possible in an attempt to create a fan base and succeed in a highly competitive career market. There is no hidden agenda, bands must be hard working, highly motivated and dedicated to have a chance of success.
ReplyDeleteAlex:
ReplyDeleteI do not think parents send their children to school to provide a client base for the next business enterprise of the pop music industry!
I find this as unethical as, for instance, a governing body permitting Max Factor to come into school to promote its facecreams or McDonalds to promote its latest burgers.
Many schools have incorporated bands' performances into a fundraising activity for the school or launch of a new initiative which will benefit the children or local community. I'm sure parents expect schools to be enterprising in their fundraising and if this is coupled with providing a fun and entertaining experience for children then I don't see the problem. Talented, young people who are prepared to work hard to be successful in their chosen path are offering a good example for today's children.
ReplyDeleteAh yes Alex, we're back to the CafodCatholic mentality - feed the hungry, care for the oppressed, pat ourselves on the back for being such good christians, but to hell with their / our souls!
ReplyDeleteDear Epsilon
ReplyDeleteSorry that we have not been this way for some time once again!
After reading about this on your blog last week we e-mailed Archbishop Patrick Kelly to ask him to intervene regarding Cardinal Heenan High School on Merseyside.
We also telephoned Cardinal Heenan High School - on Thursday - and tried to speak to the Headteacher. We were not able to get put through to them but by a little 'detective' work we discovered that Inju5tice did not perform at the school in the end.
However it does not appear that they were stopped for any religious reason. It seems that they did not want to play to an all male audience - Cardinal Heenan is a boys' school...
And so it seems they tried to get into Broughton Hall Catholic School for Girls down the road...
We duly telephoned them also and after a little more 'detective' work learned that they did not perform there either. And yet again it seems that this was not for any religious reason but that the band were trying to get in at 'too short notice' by 'just turning up' on the day at the school.
However we cannot be totally certain as to the real reason as we had to deal with school secretaries and were not able to reach the head teachers or those responsible for inviting Inju5tice in the first place - although we tried.
It all shows how cynical this whole thing is - these guys singing impure lyrics to young girls in order to take their money. At the same time appealing to a radical homosexual culture in order to make money but refusing to play to an all male school when they realise that there wont be any screaming school girls to build up a future client base from.
The lesson here is for young people to see how they are being exploited and manipulated.
We also need our bishops to defend the Faith and teach the Truth to the young people in their care - a point we mentioned in our e-mail to the Archbishop.
At this time we still await a reply.
God bless and thank you for raising awareness of this mockery and abuse of Catholic youngsters.
In Christ
Alan and Angeline
It is so heartening to hear that you have taken this action Alan and Angelina, and to get this feedback.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the reasons for the cancellations, I'm glad they happened. Truly, it seems the only way to challenge the Catholic leadership in this country is publicly, because if you give them due respect (for the positions they hold) by speaking to them privately they just blank you. I just hope the Pope will speak very plainly to them in the gaze of the public media when he comes here in September!