THE
P RTAL
January 2018
Page 19
The diary
of a school chaplain
Laura Magson reviews: “Building the Kingdom in the Classroom”
by Matthew Pittam
“
Building the Kingdom in the Classroom” is the diary of a school chaplain - Ordinariate priest
Fr Matthew Pittam, who also works in the parish and the hospital. It covers a single academic year,
beginning with the “eerily quiet and lifeless” corridors of a training day the day before term starts, and
ending on the final day of the school year.
Through the stories of pupils
and staff, supplemented with
their Mass intentions and gospel
readings of the day, Fr Pittam
tells us of his work in the school,
a ministry that “is like no other
form of ministry”. Its uniqueness
is partly due to the age group with
which he predominately deals.
He says that much of his work
is “listening to teenage angst”
and “helping students who have
fallen out with each other” and he
explains how he must be careful to
treat things seriously even though
they may seem trivial to an adult’s
understanding.
Fr Pittam also explains that it
is not only Catholics he works
with; there are non–Catholic
students, many of whom have
come into the sixth form from
other schools, and staff who
have never worked in a Catholic
school before, who are in danger
of feeling excluded from much of
the life of the Catholic school. It
is encouraging to hear that a
number of these non-Catholic
students are so supportive and
enthusiastic, and that through
his work the school is “growing
in many ways into a real and
vibrant Eucharistic community”.
Following the story of the
Another aspect which makes
school year, there is what could
ministry in schools different
be a depressing chapter on the
from other forms is the fact that
“challenging issues faced by
students leaving the school as they
Catholic in secondary schooling
come to the end of their time there means “a fifth of in the UK”. However, he keeps up the positivity that is
the community leaves each year.”
present throughout the book, to say where chaplaincy
engagement can help.
He tells us how a significant part of the role is a
“ministry of availability”, that “One of the most fruitful
Fr Pittam concludes by explaining what can be done
parts … is spent just treading the tarmac and ‘wasting to try and save Catholic education, and that he hopes
time’ with students” and how important his role as a “…that more Catholics will step up to the challenge
school confessor is.
and serve our school communities”. “Building the
Kingdom in the Classroom” gives an informative and
His story demonstrates that a chaplain’s ministry optimistic insight into the role of a school chaplain, as
is not only for the students, he is a chaplain to the well as the world of education in general.
whole school. He has a responsibility to the staff
as well, and to the families of the staff and students.
Building the Kingdom in the Classroom
These can be seen in his support towards staff when
by Matthew Pittam
they are experiencing personal problems or excessive
Published by St Pauls Publishing,
workload, his visits to grandparents and parents of
ISBN: 978-1-910365-31-1
students who are in hospital, and in the funerals of
p/b, 201 pages, £11.99
students’ family members that he is asked to do.