Thomas Groome, leading authority on religious education, retires

鈥淭om has been a major figure in religious education, both in the United States and abroad,鈥� said Clough School Dean Michael McCarthy, S.J. 鈥淚REPM鈥攁nd later DREPM鈥攈as had an enormous impact under his leadership. But what I most value about Tom is his dedication to being present. He rarely misses a faculty meeting, a Thursday Mass, or any important school event.

鈥淚n a world that has shifted its focus to smartphones and virtual attendance, Tom reminds us that commitment to flesh-and-blood presence really is the heart of community. That is part of the culture at the CSTM that students, faculty, and administrators value most. Tom is a model of commitment to that.鈥�

Fr. McCarthy was among the speakers on April 11 at 鈥淎 Shared Praxis: Renewing Religious Education,鈥� a one-day conference at Simboli Hall inspired by Groome鈥檚 scholarly leadership that included a panel discussion, 鈥淭he Story and Vision of Thomas H. Groome.鈥�

Groome鈥檚 career trajectory has coincided with a transformative鈥攁nd often controversial鈥攅ra for the Catholic Church, marked by the Second Vatican Council鈥檚 array of changes to Church practices and disciplines. In many ways, he reflects this period of metamorphosis, as a former laicized priest who left diocesan priesthood to be married, and who holds progressive views on matters such as the ordination of women and LGBTQ acceptance in Church life.

But Groome is above all adamant in his love for Catholicism, derived from lived experience as well as years of study at St. Patrick鈥檚 College in Ireland, Fordham University, Union Theological Seminary, and Columbia University Teachers College, and his teaching and research in academia.

鈥淚 developed a deep conviction that the Catholic faith is a marvelous way to live,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t has an extraordinarily rich tradition, offers a grace-filled, transcendent horizon and a positive resonance in people鈥檚 lives. But the faith was often poorly taught, through rote memorization and repetitiveness. To me, teaching the faith is the key to keeping it strong and relevant in people鈥檚 lives: It has to be a participatory, reflective conversation that builds upon the experiences of participants.

鈥淛esus started out talking to ordinary people living ordinary lives to get them to reflect on and listen to the Gospels. He wanted them to see the truth for themselves, and then invited them to put it to work.鈥�

Groome sees the post-Vatican II era as a time when the religious and secular spheres connected in fascinating and beneficial ways, with IREPM as a prime example.

鈥淚 would talk with people from professional and academic circles about serving those in need; a sociologist told me, 鈥楢 lot of what I see has to do with the spiritual,鈥欌�� explained Groome, who was appointed IREPM director in 2003, and continued in that position for seven years after it became a department of the Clough School in 2008. 鈥淭hen, I would speak with someone in pastoral ministry about their observations, and they鈥檇 say, 鈥楢 lot of what鈥檚 needed has to do with social work.鈥� That鈥檚 what IREPM was, and is, all about: You bring together those seemingly disparate skills and perspectives for the good of humanity.鈥�

UU直播鈥檚 leadership role in charting new territory within the Catholic tradition also was evident, said Groome, in its establishment of the Church in the 21st Century Center in 2002 to explore issues raised by the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Through C21, the University offered symposia, lectures, conferences, published papers, and other resources to assist the Church in moving from crisis to renewal.聽

鈥淐21 was a good experience, in that through candid introspection and conversation it affirmed the Church鈥檚 purpose and mission,鈥� said Groome, who directed C21 for three years. 鈥淚 am proud of the work we did in its early years, and what C21 continues to do.鈥�

The constant in Groome鈥檚 UU直播 career has been a devotion to Catholic/Christian religious education and identity, as exhibited in his acclaimed books such as What Makes Education Catholic: Spiritual Foundations (which earned a Catholic Media Association award), What Makes Us Catholic: Eight Gifts for Life, and the foundational 1980 release Christian Religious Education: Sharing our Story and Vision, which a reviewer described as 鈥渙ne of the most important books鈥攊f not the most important鈥攐n Christian education published during the last 50 years.鈥� 聽

As Groome recalls, the seed for Christian Religious Education was planted shortly after he was hired at UU直播 by then-College of Arts and Sciences Dean Thomas O鈥橫alley, S.J., who was dubious about Groome鈥檚 chances of getting tenure as a scholar of religious education: 鈥淗e said, 鈥榊ou鈥檒l need to publish a landmark book.鈥欌�� Groome went to work, completed a manuscript and found a publisher; Christian Religious Education wound up selling 50,000 copies and was subsequently reissued as a textbook that remains in use today (鈥淚 still get the occasional $100 royalty check,鈥� quipped Groome).

Groome thinks the time is ripe for leaving UU直播, in part because of health reasons (he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer), but after a half-century at the Heights he feels his connection to the University is as strong as it鈥檚 ever been.

鈥淚 love this community. There is such a wide spectrum of fascinating discussions taking place, and equally interesting research and writing. Boston College is so Catholic in the very best way, and its Catholic, Jesuit identity has been embraced by religious and lay alike. Long may it continue.鈥�