St Anselm’s seek to act as a part of the Church through Catholic Social Teaching (See Catholic Social Teaching in Ethos). These general principles are taken up by the School placed in the context of our Charism, which stands for the specific traditions and prayer life that have been given to us by our founders, the Christian Brothers. This has produced our ‘Eight Edmund Rice Essentials.’ These Essentials are how St Anselm’s is able to uphold Catholic Social Teaching whilst also maintaining the value and integrity of our Charism; the Christians Brothers did not establish us a generally Catholic College, but instead gave us a specific place and identity within the Church which we value and cherish.
The Eight Essentials are listed and explained below:
- Evangelising the Modern World. This is an inherent part of a Catholic Education. The Congregation of Christian Brothers calls us to “The Evangelisation of Youth through the Apostolate of Christian Education.” All that we seek to learn at St Anselm’s is aimed towards God; we understand our Academic disciplines in the light of Creation, and believe that each of them is exploring a part of a broader divine picture.
- Promoting the Spiritual: We seek to show students how to live ‘beyond the material dimension’; to recognise that it is the intangibles, Love, Hope and Faith which hold the most value in our lives.
- Building a Christian Community: we were established as a Christian Community by the Brothers, and no faith, however strong, can be fulfilled in this life. Therefore we act as a college to ever more grow and deepen our faith, seeking to realise ever more fully that each student has an inherent dignity and value bestowed on them by God.
- Compassion for those in Need: This involves the College in and inward and an outward facing role. Inwardly we look out for our most vulnerable students, seeking to create a safe environment where they can explore their interests and are encouraged to grow and develop. Outwardly, through the traditional charities like the SVP which are a legacy of the Christian Brothers, we seek to follow the example of Christ in giving aid to the poor and needy in our community and intentionally.
- Concern for the Whole Person: Our Catholic School setting allows us to address all the dimensions of personal growth: religious, moral, intellectual, cultural, physical and social. We believe that God has given us gifts – talents and interests. These have to be used and explored and encouraged. We believe that the best way to do that is through faith, which draws in the whole person. This is as Christ commanded; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (22:37)
- Striving for Excellence: Relating to our ‘Concern for the Whole Person’ – one of the traditions the Christian Brothers have given us is that of excellence in Academia and in Sport. We view our work in all areas as an outpouring and expression of indwelling faith – as our Motto says ‘Faith, Seeking, Understanding.’ Since we seek the greatest possible depth of faith, we believe that our studies and sportsmanship and extra-curricular activities should be a reflection of this.
- Education as a Christian Calling: Pursuing the example of the Christian Brothers, men of God who sought to serve him in education, we likewise regard our teachers and support staff as Ministers in the Church. Education is a gift that can be given to the young, and teaching itself is a vocational act.
- Education for Justice: Just as the Christian Brothers sought to carry their Mission all over the world, so to do we feel called to seek the advancement of all; setting out a vision for a more just society that better reflects and embodies the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
The Edmund Rice Network
Connecting to our final Essential, Education for Justice, we are connected to and seek to work with Christian Brother institutions in this country and all over the world. Our Edmund Rice Network is currently headed by Ann Nicholls, who works for the realisation of our Eight Essentials in our schools, and also connects us to the Edmund Rice International Charity that operates in Geneva. Through Prayer and Action (such as the charitable connections we have maintained with Christian Brother schools in Sierra Leone and by lobbying and advocacy through our own Edmund Rice Society) we strive together to bring about a more just society.
