In recent years the literature on Catholic school leadership in Australia and elsewhere has grown considerably. Comparatively little has been written from the persepective of practitioners. In general, the findings of this research study suggest that lay principals of Catholic secondary schools understand the role of principal of a diocesan secondary school as a ministry within the Catholic Church. While the informants did not use overtly theological terms to articulate this understanding, the accounts of their experience in principal-ship and the insights gained through reflection on their...