Choose religion over ethics for your kids, Archbishop urges parents

The Church has sent circulars to its parish priests, instructing them to use this weekend's Mass to encourage parents to choose religion over ethics as a school subject for their children.

In the circular, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said that Catholic parents have a duty to choose a religious education for their children.

“When your children are still young, you are responsible – through your words and actions - for helping them grow in faith and by ensuring that they receive the required educational formation,” he said.

The circular quotes Pope Francis’ recent post-synodal exhortation Amoris Laetitia as clearly stating that it is one of the main duties of parents to provide their children with a complete education.

It also confirms that the Curia is working to update religion curricula at schools, to render it more relevant to students.

Ethics was originally introduced three years ago as a pilot project in five government schools as an alternative subject to religion. It is now offered as a subject in 13 government schools and 14 middle schools, and as of next scholastic year will be extended to six new primary schools and three new middle and secondary schools.

Read more: Ethics instead of religion: what is the new subject students are getting?