The levels of catholicity of the sixteen catholic secondary schools in the Diocese of Iba, Zambales

This study was a response to the Diocese of Iba, Zambales needs to look into the profile and levels of catholicity in the sixteen Catholic secondary schools in the Diocese of Iba, Zambales and its implication to the Diocesan Campus Ministry Program and to the Diocesan Education Plan that would foster effectiveness, relevance and responsiveness of the diocesan education system to the evangelizing mission of the Diocese. The respondents of the study were from the sixteen (16) secondary schools under the Diocese of Iba, Zambales. They consisted of four (4) sectors per Diocesan school namely: Students, Faculty and Staff, Administrators, and Parents. The study utilized the survey instrument, How Catholic Is Your School? The instrument was designed to evaluate the catholicity of a school in terms of six criteria and they are as follows: Criterion 1: Sharing in the Mission of the Church, Criterion 2: Being Filled with the Holy Spirit, Criterion 3: Concern for Integral Formation, Criterion 4: Emphasis on the Role of Educator, Criterion 5: Collaboration with the Community, and Criterion 6: Practice and Living the Faith. The Diocese of Iba, Zambales level of Catholicity was a potential strength. However, the study also revealed uncertainty and discrepancies in some criteria and indicators as answered by the respondents. The Students were not fully aware of the integration of Christ teachings and values in academic subjects (Social Studies, Science, English/Language, Filipino, and Math) except in Christian Living subject. There was insufficient understanding about the Social Doctrines of the Church including issues on pre-marital sex, family planning, divorce, abortion, euthanasia, and homosexuality by both students and faculty. Students were likely not fully aware of the essence of the Eucharistic celebration and the encouragement provided by the faculty in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the school and in the parish. Parents had a minimal awareness of the school\u27s concern, awareness about problems, challenges and solutions to the problems of the youth, families, local community, and the society. Students responses expressed lack of occasions to concretize practice and living the faith in the Catholic school community. With the findings of the study, the Administrators need to re- consider the creation/improvement, enhancement and management of Campus Ministry program in their respective Catholic secondary schools and in the whole of the Diocesan Catholic secondary schools in the Diocese of Iba, Zambales to provide activities and opportunities for practicing and living the faith. To further realize that Religion is the core of the curriculum, with the function of binding together all the other disciplines in the spirit of collaboration among administration, faculty/staff, students, parents, and the wider community, non- Religious Education Teachers are encouraged to take the Proposed Religious Education Curriculum to better equip them with appropriate and adequate knowledge of the Catholic faith and Tradition grounded in Sacred Scriptures and Teachings of the Church. This will enable them to live up to the school community\u27s expectation of them to be true witnesses of the Christian faith and be communicators of the Gospel values in their subjects, leading their students to know, love and serve Jesus Christ and His People