PHILOSOPHY PANEL AT ST PAUL’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL

To St Paul's Catholic School, Spencefield Lane, Evington, this morning, where I'm facilitating a "Philosophy Panel" for Year 9 pupils. This is the second year that the school has approached Leicester Council of Faiths to put together the panel. It’s very gratifying to be asked back, almost a year to the day.

At 1100, Seamus O'Looskan, the School Chaplain, meets our party of seven (including me) at reception. The people taking part today are:

• Alastair Ballentyne (Leicester Bahá'ís)
• Dr Allan Hayes (Leicester Secular Society)
• Dr Samuel Lebens (Leicester Hebrew Congregation)
• Kartar Singh (Leicester Sikhs)
• Prof. Martin Stern (Leicester Hebrew Congregation)
• Jim Strupish (Zen Serene Reflection Group)

After a cup of tea and a brief description of what’s going on today, we're taken into the assembly hall to meet the pupils. They’re spaced out around the hall, eight or so pupils per group. There's a seat for each of the representatives, facing the group. Each speaker spends ten minutes or so answering the group's questions, then a bell is rung and they move on to the next group (Martin and Samuel go round together). This whole process is done twice, although second time round we don't quite complete the circuit. This activity is being offered to the pupils as something additional to the curriculum, which gives them greater freedom to ask what they want, rather than just stick to topics on which they'll be examined.

This is a completely different group of participants from the one we put up last year (apart from myself).  Last year, I stood on the sidelines, just in case any of the speakers want to bow out at any time, so I could step in and take their place, but that didn't happen. I was able to speak to several teachers then, so the time was well used - but I insisted that were I to come back with the other representatives, I wanted to speak to the pupils. So I try to respond to their questions with an inter faith perspective. Among the questions the pupils ask me are ones such as: "Have you ever experienced a miracle?"; "What do you believe happens after you die?"; "When was the last time you communicated with God?" and "What is a cult?"

Both sessions with the panel conclude with the recitation of the school prayer, is taken from Micah, 6:

This is what the Lord asks of you: to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God.