An investigation into chaplaincy in Irish Catholic voluntary secondary schools

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates chaplaincy in voluntary Catholic secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland. It is an exploratory study in which focus groups, interviews and a questionnaire were used to elicit the perceptions of the chaplains regarding their objectives, functions, role and experiences in connection with their work as school chaplains. The study's emphasis is not on the effectiveness of school chaplaincy but on its structure and internal processes. As no equivalent research on Catholic school chaplaincy could be found it is an innovative research study.