Meeting God in Friend and Stranger
Catholic identity, interreligious dialogue and the school community: forming pupils to live with understanding, respect and a commitment to the common good.
The question for governors
How does our school remain confidently Catholic while helping pupils build respectful relationships with people of other religions?
For governors, this reaches beyond a visit or a special event. It invites questions about curriculum quality, daily relationships, family experience, staff confidence and the school’s contribution to its wider community.
What does the document ask us to see?
Meeting God in Friend and Stranger is the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales’ 2010 teaching document on interreligious dialogue.
Dialogue is part of daily life
Paragraphs 1–4 describe constructive relationships with people of other religions. Dialogue includes everyday encounter and cooperation.
Catholic faith and openness belong together
The foreword connects faith in Christ with learning about and cooperating with people of other religions. Dialogue calls for honesty about belief and respect for difference.
Schools have a particular contribution
Paragraphs 199–207 consider Catholic schools, including communities with pupils of other faiths. They connect education with positive relationships and life in a religiously diverse society.
Understanding should shape relationships
The school section links learning about religions with reflection, good neighbourliness and contribution to community life.
Suggested reading: begin with paragraphs 1–4 and 199–207. Chapter 4 addresses prayer and worship; use it alongside relevant diocesan guidance when considering particular activities.
Questions for challenge and support
Choose two or three questions relevant to your school. Ask leaders what the evidence shows, identify practical support and agree when to review the difference made.
1. Are identity and openness visible together?
Your roleKeep Catholic mission central to strategic direction and ask how it shapes relationships with others.
Ask leadersCan staff and pupils explain why a Catholic school values dialogue with people of other religions? How do we communicate our beliefs clearly while listening respectfully to others?
Evidence to considerCatholic life evaluation, staff formation, pupil voice and examples from daily school life.
Support leadersMake time for formation and access to diocesan expertise. Encourage thoughtful evaluation of how the mission is experienced.
2. Is learning about other religions accurate?
Your roleSeek assurance about curriculum quality, progression and the suitability of resources.
Ask leadersHow do pupils build accurate, age-appropriate knowledge of other religions? How are misconceptions identified? Do resources recognise diversity within traditions and avoid stereotypes?
Evidence to considerCurriculum plans, resource review, pupils’ work and explanations, and leaders’ evaluation of teaching.
Support leadersEnable subject expertise, suitable resources and professional development. Ask how encounters contribute to planned learning.
3. How do pupils and families experience belonging?
Your roleAsk whether the school’s welcome and pastoral systems work for families of different religions.
Ask leadersDo families understand the school’s Catholic character and know how to raise questions? Do pupils feel respected? Are we hearing from those who are less confident approaching school?
Evidence to considerAccessible family feedback, pupil voice, induction information and themes from concerns or complaints.
Support leadersBack clear communication, patient conversation and appropriate pastoral advice. No pupil or parent should be expected to speak for an entire religion.
4. Do encounters deepen understanding?
Your roleSeek assurance that visits, visitors and partnerships have a clear educational purpose and are appropriately planned.
Ask leadersWhat do pupils learn before, during and after an encounter? How are partners selected and activities reviewed? How do leaders distinguish learning about a religious practice from participating in it?
Evidence to considerLearning intentions, planning and review arrangements, family information and pupil reflection.
Support leadersEnable preparation time and advice from diocesan education, RE and interreligious dialogue specialists. Follow appropriate safeguarding and visit procedures.
5. How effectively do we challenge prejudice?
Your roleOversee the effectiveness of safeguarding, behaviour and anti-bullying systems.
Ask leadersHow are religious prejudice, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hostility and other forms of harassment identified and addressed? Can pupils report concerns, and how do leaders know the response helps?
Evidence to considerAnonymised incident trends, pupil feedback, staff training and evaluation of follow-up.
Support leadersResource training and pastoral support. Encourage prompt, informed responses and learning that challenges misconceptions without placing responsibility on affected pupils.
6. What difference do partnerships make?
Your roleEvaluate whether relationships with local communities strengthen pupils’ formation and contribution to the common good.
Ask leadersHow do partnerships help pupils listen, cooperate and serve? What has changed in their understanding or relationships? How do leaders know that the work benefits everyone involved?
Evidence to considerPupil reflection, partner feedback, examples of shared action and evaluation over time.
Support leadersEncourage sustainable partnerships with clear aims. Prioritise depth and mutual respect when reviewing time, resources and impact.
Keeping the governance role clear
Governors oversee policy, strategic direction and the effectiveness of provision. Leaders manage curriculum delivery, visits, visitors and individual pastoral situations within their responsibilities.
Apply these questions within your governing body’s remit or trust scheme of delegation, following relevant diocesan protocols and current education and safeguarding requirements.
The document was published in 2010. Its formation value should be distinguished from references to the education landscape, curriculum terminology or organisations of that period. Use current guidance for operational decisions.
From encounter to understanding
Before the meeting: read paragraphs 199–207 and invite governors to consider what positive relationships look like in the school’s own context.
- Pause and pray — 2 minutes. Use the prayer below and reflect quietly on a time when listening changed an assumption.
- Reflect — 3 minutes. What does a confident Catholic identity contribute to respectful dialogue?
- Apply — 5 minutes. Consider a proposed visit to a place of worship of another religion. What assurance should governors seek about purpose, preparation, safeguarding, family communication and evaluation?
- Agree action — 5 minutes. Identify one strategic question, one practical way to support leaders and a review date. Agree what evidence would show deeper understanding or better relationships.
Use a fictional example or anonymised school evidence. Personal sharing about religious belief should be optional.
A prayer for understanding and friendship
Loving God,
you call us to love our neighbours
and to recognise the dignity of every person.
Deepen our faith in Jesus Christ.
Give us humility to listen,
courage to speak with honesty,
and patience to understand those whose lives
and beliefs differ from our own.
Bless our pupils, families, staff and neighbours.
Help us challenge prejudice,
build trust and friendship,
and work together for peace and the common good.
Guide our decisions as governors and trustees,
so that our school’s Catholic mission
is visible in its learning, welcome and service.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read the source and continue your formation
The Bishops’ Conference’s resource page also provides summaries, presentations and working materials for further study.
This bonus reflection complements the Governing with Hope themes of Belonging and Fraternity and Love the Stranger. Interreligious dialogue and migration are distinct subjects, with useful connections through dignity, welcome and community relationships.