Luigi Giussani and an Accompaniment Model for Religious Education in Rural Australia

Abstract

The rapid secularisation of society has made the work of religious education in Catholic secondary schools increasingly difficult. Contemporary RE teachers are often faced with wildly disparate knowledge and interest levels in their classrooms, to say nothing of their own religiosity. Many systems focus on new curricula, new forms of professional development opportunities, or tertiary courses as a means of enriching what is happening in the classroom. This article examines the approach developed in a small rural diocese in accompanying the RE teachers working in its five secondary schools. It is an accompaniment model that is grounded in the theological and pedagogical insights of Luigi Giussani and adapted to the realities of contemporary education in an Australian setting. The results are a surprising proliferation of enrichment and innovation that can be immediately shared with students in each RE classroom. Moreover, accompaniment offers a more sustainable, agile, and targeted mode of supporting the evangelising work of RE teachers working in Catholic secondary schools.