A Derry priest who helped to found Lumen Christi and is a former president of St Columb's has suggested that it would be wrong for the Bishop to intervene in the row over academic selection locally.
In a statement to the Journal, Monsignor Ignatius McQuillan criticised remarks made earlier this week by Fr Paul Farren and issued from the diocesan office.
"It is regrettable to see a younger priest calling for the weight of Episcopal interventio
n to fall upon any Catholic schools that do not conform in every respect to their educational views," he said. "It is not a time for wielding crosiers, rather for seeking to meet the aspirations for their children of as many parents as possible."
Fr Farren, speaking as director of religous education at the Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, said the Church is clear that Bishops should act if a school tries to continue with academic selection. Lumen Christi has announced plans to set its own entrance exam when the 11-plus is scrapped.
Mgr McQuillan congratulated Fr Farren for his interest in the transfer system but said he wished to "question gently" his remarks - they were long on aspiration and on condemnation but short on solutions.
He suggested that Fr Farren should visit "the schools of which he disapproves, and possibly be surprised by the Christian, personal and social development they promote in their students, who are not, as he seems to think, 'simply educated to pass exams and gain certificates'."
He added, "There is no simple easy solution, but it is far from impossible to devise a new transfer system which would satisfy most N.I. parents."
Mgr McQuillan is a former Vicar General of the Derry diocese who now assists in Ardmore parish.
Click here to view Monsignor Ignatius McQuillan's letterThe full article contains 311 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
