Can Catholic Schools Be Administered Democratically?

Abstract

There is a persistent image of the Catholic Church as an authoritarian institution which is opposed to democratic practices. While it is true that the Church retains its right to be authoritarian in what pertains to faith and morals, it is not true that the Church believes it must or should be authoritarian in all matters. So long as the primary ends of administration are assured, the church is not necessarily concerned with the actual form of administration adopted. In recent times, although there has been no negation of the doctrine that all authority is granted by God, the Church has displayed an increasing sympathy for democratic ideals. Indeed, the Church's own institutions have for centuries followed democratic administrative procedures and the more wide‐spread adoption of such procedures in Catholic schools is to be highly commended.

Citation

FOGARTY, R. (1963), "Can Catholic Schools Be Administered Democratically?", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009570