Towards Co-Responsibility and Shared Charism

Stephen Cachia

The District of Ireland, Great Britain, and Malta is blessed with many dedicated educators and practitioners who excel in their work and serve as outstanding ambassadors of the Lasallian vocation. Today, we are delighted to highlight and honour one such colleague, Stephen Cachia, Director of Educational Mission, La Salle Malta, and a valued member of the District MEL Council.

Stephen has recently been elected by his peers in Malta to serve as Co-ordinator for the Church Schools Association, a testament to his leadership and commitment to Catholic education.

1.            Stephen, congratulations on your election as Coordinator of the Church Schools Association (CSA) in Malta.  What is the CSA? And what does this development mean for you personally and for La Salle Malta?

The Church Schools Association represents the Rectors, Director and Heads of all the 55 Church Schools operating in the Maltese Islands. These schools offer education to over 30% of students in compulsory education in the Maltese Islands so they are a very important part of the educational system in our country. The CSA works to ensure collegiality between schools while ensuring that the educational system respects the autonomy as well as the specific charism and ethos of each individual Catholic school. We also work very closely with the Secretariat for Catholic Education, which is the office within the local diocese supporting Church Schools. The CSA and the Secretariat are both represented at meetings with the Government, the Church and Trade Unions and thus provides an important voice for its members where needed.

The members of the CSA committee are elected by all the Church Heads of School and then the committee members vote for the different posts. I am truly humbled that my peers have chosen me for this post and I also feel a huge sense of responsibility to continue building on the past work of the Association to make the CSA an important voice for the Church School sector in our country. For La Salle Malta, I think that this role can only strengthen our collaboration with other Church Schools and the wider education sector. I feel that we have a lot to give to the sector and , reversely, we also have a lot to learn.

2.            How does your new role reflect the growing leadership of laypeople in Catholic education, particularly in positions traditionally held by religious or clergy?

Malta is facing the same challenges in relation to religious vocations which other countries are facing. Thankfully, the local Church and the religious orders have worked hard over the years in a pro-active manner to involve many lay persons in the running of Church Schools. All Senior Leadership teams in schools have lay members and many schools are led by lay Heads of School. My election to this new post is just another part of this process which hands us , as lay persons, a huge responsibility to build on the hard work of the religious leaders who came before us. Having said that, there are still a significant number of young and older religious and clergy leading schools and also in the CSA committee. We work extremely well together  and this healthy mix ensures that our sector is a truly vibrant and dynamic one.

3.            What strengths do lay leaders bring to the Catholic education sector, and how can they ensure the mission and identity of Church schools remain strong?

Lay leaders bring with them a strong educational background after years of experience as teachers, deputy heads or in other roles in the education sector. At the same time, lay leaders in Church Schools have a huge responsibility to ensure that the ethos and charism of each individual church school are retained, strengthened and remain relevant to the reality of today’s world.   Church school lay leaders work hard to combine these two aspects of their work to ensure that their schools remain strong academic institutions which provide a wide-ranging holistic education and which, most importantly,  also focuses on the spiritual development of students.  The Church School Sector is presently undertaking a process of internal reflection and implementation  of measures to ensure that the future of Church schools is on a healthy foundation through  updated governance structures, ongoing formation for leaders and staff and support for school leaders.

4.            What challenges do you foresee in coordinating and representing the network of Church schools in Malta, and how do you plan to navigate them?

The role clearly involves a number of challenges. Most notably, the main challenge relates to representing the sector at a national level, particularly when engaging with Government and trade unions. However, the CSA and the Secretariat for Catholic Education work very well together. We have a great team of excellent professionals which means our voice is very well prepared and strong in such discussions. Having said  that, our sector has built very good relationships with both Government and Trade Unions which means that a healthy and respectful dialogue is present during discussions. I feel that building open, transparent and respectful relationships is very important in this regard, even when disagreements and issues arise.

5.            What message would you give to lay colleagues considering leadership roles in Catholic education?

Leadership in all schools is not just about administration or management. It is a vocation of service that works to make a positive difference in the lives of students and of all staff who work to do so. In the case of Catholic schools, this vocational aspect is at the heart of what we do  as our schools provide a holistic formation to our students in the light of the Christian faith, values and spirit epitomised by the figure of Jesus Christ.  The opportunity of trying to live this message in our daily work is truly a beautiful experience of growth , despite the difficulties, challenges and hard work such a job entails. The joy of giving service to others through such a leadership mission is truly an enriching one where you soon realise that you are receiving much more than you are giving. 

Thank you, Stephen, and best of luck with this work.

Situating Stephen’s achievement within the broader picture of shared mission and co-responsibility across the District

The District of Ireland, Great Britain, and Malta has, over the past decade, intensified its efforts to empower lay people to embrace leadership and governance. This is essential for the long-term vitality and sustainability of our mission, ensuring that all Lasallians—Brothers and partners alike—are invited to be the “heart, memory, and guarantors” of the Lasallian Charism and the spiritual and educational vision it embodies. While this work began in the 1990s, it has gained renewed significance in recent years. 

This emphasis is reflected in our current four-year strategic plan (2023–2027), shaped by the deliberations and outcomes of the 2nd District Mission Assembly. The Assembly affirmed that, “in a spirit of co-responsibility” and “to ensure the future of Governance Structures,” the District must proactively include non-domiciled Brothers, committed Lasallians, and other professionals in national trusts and bodies with civil and canonical responsibilities. This anticipates a time when local Brothers may no longer be able to provide direct leadership and stewardship of these resources. 

We are pleased to share that this work is well underway and look forward to providing further updates in the coming months.