Catholic education is a “prophetic component” of the Church and represents a vocation that goes far beyond the simple transmission of knowledge. It is not about proselytizing or proselytizing at all, but rather that schools offer lessons for life. This was underlined by Pope Francis in a letter read on Thursday on the occasion of a three-day international congress on education in Marseille.
As an “imperative duty” and an “urgent challenge”, education is “a way for the Christian to participate in the prophetic role that Jesus bequeathed to his Church”, according to the Pope’s introductory definition in his letter addressed to the Secretary general of the International Office for Catholic Education (OIEC), Philippe Richard. His institution had organized the educational congress in Marseilles.
“So when we deal with education, we cannot do it thinking of something purely human and restricting the question to curricula, training, resources and welcoming spaces” because the Christian vocation requires from us “a word to give voice that is not ours, that surpasses us, that transcends us», Francis explained in his letters his vision of education and the particular mission of Catholic teaching institutions.
“Logically” the teaching of Catholic schools is not limited to confessional issues and is open to all branches of knowledge and to anyone who wants to receive this education. «But just as we say that the activity of the school is not limited to the teaching of subjects, but to the formation of people as a whole, so when we speak of the Catholic school that prophetic component is equally indispensable which gives man the ability not only to acquire knowledge, but also to know oneself and to know oneself as a being capable of loving and being loved”.
No proselytizing at school
“It is not a question of proselytizing and even less of excluding from our schools those who do not think like us”, the Pope clarified. Rather, it is important to conceive of school “as a life lesson in which various elements are integrated” and which must work closely with other authorities such as family or society.
In this way, “in the imperceptible, in the experience”, Catholic schools will be able to “make themselves present and dialogue”, “be a word that at the same time challenges people of faith and builds bridges of dialogue with non-believers”, argued the Dad.
Characteristics of Catholic schools
The church leader stressed that the answer to the question of how Catholic schools can live up to their purpose lies in Jesus himself. Some features of educational institutions should take this into account. “Our classes are not monads, our schools are not sealed departments”, the Pope recalled, referring to Jesus sending his disciples, emphasizing the communion with the universal and local Church “in a common project that transcends us and overcome”.
Furthermore, the Catholic school must continue to move in the footsteps of Jesus, with its initiatives that address social problems at the local and universal levels. This means that he must learn, teach, open his mind to new situations and concepts, walk together without excluding anyone, create meeting places and adapt the language so that it can also attract the attention of people far from the world of the Catholic Church.
Francis concluded by acknowledging that, if it is certainly necessary to give students the best possible formation, it is also essential “to make them men and women who are not satisfied with accumulating knowledge” but that “this teaching allows them to acquire the wisdom of which St. Benedict speaks , which will make them grow and make others grow wherever the Lord sends them”. In short, they should be able to attain “the great knowledge of God”.
(Vatican news – cs)
