Cothú

St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Castlebar, is a member of the CEIST (Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust) family. CEIST, the trust responsible for the patronage and governance of over one hundred voluntary Catholic post-primary schools in Ireland, supports schools in living out their Mercy charism and Catholic ethos in a contemporary and inclusive way, guided by the CEIST Charter and its core values of dignity, care, justice, community, and excellence. As part of this commitment, St. Joseph’s is involved in Cothú, a reflective, faith-rooted process that supports school communities in nurturing and sustaining a living Catholic ethos.

Cothú (the Irish word for “nurture”) is a reflective, faith-rooted process that helps school communities foster the holistic growth of every person, supporting spiritual, moral, emotional, intellectual, and social development in line with Catholic tradition and the teachings of the Sisters of Mercy and their founder, Sr Catherine McAuley. It is not a programme or evaluation tool but a journey of formation, enabling educators to speak confidently about ethos in everyday school life and ensuring that the values at the heart of the school remain visible, meaningful, and actively lived.

At St. Joseph’s, Cothú inspires us to create a welcoming and supportive environment where every individual is valued, talents are nurtured, and young people are guided to reach their full potential. Our community lives out the core values of the Sisters of Mercy—mercy, justice, hospitality, service, compassion, and respect for the dignity of each person—by listening, caring, and encouraging one another, fostering a sense of belonging, faith, and responsibility, particularly for those who are most vulnerable or marginalised.