The right to ‘bricolage’: Catholic pupils’ perception of their religious identity and the implications for Catholic schools in England

TLDR: In this paper, the authors apply the French sociologist Daniele Hervieu-Leger's theories concerning religious identity (the concept of religion as a chain of memory and religious bricolage) to data generated in interviews with a small sample of students in three English Catholic secondary schools.

Abstract: The present article highlights one of the challenges faced by the Catholic Church in maintaining the Catholicity of Catholic schools in England, that is to say, the students’ construction of a fragmented Catholic identity from elements of the Catholic faith tradition. The article explores Catholic students’ perceptions of their Catholic identity. The author applies the French sociologist Daniele Hervieu-Leger’s theories concerning religious identity – the concept of religion as a chain of memory and religious bricolage – to data generated in interviews with a small sample of students in three English Catholic secondary schools. This article will outline Hervieu-Leger’s understanding of religious identity; explore students’ perceptions of their Catholic identity; examine these through the lens of Hervieu-Leger’s theory; and conclude with possible implications for religious education, Catholic schools and future research.