The Role of the Chaplain in Blakestown Community School 
My name is Mairead Monaghan and I have worked as a Religion Teacher in Blakestown Community School since 1996. In 2003, on completion of the Chaplainry Studies Course, the Archbishop and the Board of Management appointed me as a lay Chaplain.
The Chaplain is a member of the Religious Education Department of Blakestown Community School. The Chaplain along with the Principal provides opportunity for Religious instruction and worship for the students in the school, in accordance with the wishes of the parents and the local bishop.
The Chaplain will exercise her Pastoral role by
• Providing personal contact with individual students.
• By class contact
• Through Religious worship
• By maintaining an interest in extracurricular activities in the school.
• By getting to know as many individual students as possible personally
The Chaplain will exercise her Religious role by
• Arranging the celebration of mass with the Catholic students in the school
• Ensuring the provision of liturgies and Para liturgies in the school with particular reference to celebrations and events that take place.
• Marking the major feast that take place in the Church Year.
• Providing prayer or Meditation time with Religion Classes.
The Chaplain will exercise her role in extracurricular activities by
• By organising and being available to go on School Trips
• By supporting teachers who organise extracurricular activities
• Promoting Justice and Peace Groups
• By supporting Charity fundraising
• By encouraging young people to get involved in extracurricular activities.
The Chaplain will exercise her role relation to meeting the needs of Minority Groups by
• Acknowledging the many different faiths in the School
• By providing space in the school where all denominations are welcome
• By providing ecumenical services to mark times of celebration in the school
• By providing displays of the different faiths Feast Days on notice boards.
The Chaplain will exercise her role in relation to the staff by
• Cooperating with the principal and all members of staff
• In keeping with her pastoral role will be available to the staff
• Working closely with the Guidance Counsellors, and Pastoral Care Team.
• Be a member of the Care Team and attend meetings.
The Chaplain will exercise her role in relation to Parents by
• Being available to parents
• Offering support and encouragement to parents who are in difficulty
• Being present at Parent Teacher meetings
The Chaplain will exercise her apostolic role by
• Encouraging links with the Parish
• Encouraging students to take part in the life of their Parish.
• Meeting the Parish Priest regularly
• Inviting the Parish Priest to take part in special School celebrations.
“You should learn to recognise Jesus in the young people you teach and adore him in their person.
(Saint John the Baptist De La Salle)