At noon today in the Sala Clementina at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with those participating in the Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for Catholic Education (from the Institutes of Study).
Following words of greeting offered by the Prefect of the Congregation, His Eminence, Zenon Grocholewski, the Pope addressed his greetings to those who were present.
Your Eminences,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopacy and the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I wish to welcome the Cardinals and Bishops who have recently been named as members to this Congregation, and I want to thank the Cardinal Prefect for the words with which he has introduced this gathering.
The themes on your agenda are challenging, such as the updating of the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia christiana, the consolidating of the identities of the Catholic universities and the preparations for the celebrations of various anniversaries which will take place in 2015: the 50th anniversary of the Council declaration Gravissimum educationis and the 25th anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae. Catholic education is one of the most important challenges facing the Church, as we work toward carrying out the new evangelization in a historical and cultural context that is in constant transformation. From this perspective, I would like to draw your attention to three aspects.
The first aspect considers the value of dialogue in education. In recent times, you have developed the theme of education and intercultural dialogue in the Catholic school with the publication of a specific document. In fact, Catholic schools and universities are attended by many students who are not Christian, and even by non-believers. To all of them, Catholic educational institutions offer an educational opportunity that proposes the integral development of each person who takes advantage of the right which belongs to everyone to access the knowledge that is offered. But we are called to offer this knowledge to everyone with equality and with full respect for each person's freedom, with regard to the methods employed within the school environment to promote the Christian understanding that Jesus Christ is model for our way of life, for the universe and for all of history.
Jesus began preaching the good news in the Galilee of the Gentiles, making up a mixture of people of different cultures, races and religions. This context was similar in some respects to today's world. The profound changes that have led to the ever widening spread of multicultural societies, require of those involved in schools and universities that they become involved in educational programs of exchange and dialogue, while possessing a bold and innovative loyalty which seeks to bring together the Catholic identity with the various souls of a multicultural society. I am thankful for the contribution that Catholic institutes and other Church institutions offer toward the establishment and management of Catholic schools in the context of heightened cultural and religious pluralism.
The second aspect regards the qualified preparation of the formators (those entrusted with the responsibility of forming seminarians and preparing them for priesthood). We cannot improvise. We must engage seriously. In the meeting I had with the General Superiors, I stressed that today, education is addressed to a generation that changes; therefore, every educator – and the whole Church which is Mother Educator – is called to change, in the sense of being able to communicate with the young people she has before her.
I would like to limit myself to recalling the guidelines of the figure of the educator and his specific task. To educate is an act of love, it is to give life. And love is demanding, it calls for using the best resources, for awakening passion and for beginning with patience together with young people. Educators in Catholic schools must be, first of all, very competent, qualified and, at the same time, rich in humanity, capable of being in the midst of young people with a pedagogical style, to promote their human and spiritual growth. Young people are in need of quality teaching, together with values not just enunciated but witnessed. Coherence is an indispensable factor in the education of young people. Coherence! We cannot make them grow, we cannot educate them without coherence: coherence, witness.
Because of this, educators themselves are in need of ongoing formation. Therefore, it is necessary to invest, so that docents and directors can maintain their professionalism at high levels and also their faith and the strength of their spiritual motivations. And in this continuing formation I also allow myself to suggest the need for retreats and Spiritual Exercises for educators. It is good to have courses in this domain, but it is also necessary to have courses of Spiritual Exercises, retreats, and to pray! -- because coherence is an effort, but above all it is a gift and a grace. And we must ask for it!
A last aspect concerns the educational institutions, that is, the Catholic and ecclesial schools and Universities. The 50th anniversary of the Conciliar Declaration, and the 25th of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the updating of Sapientia Christiana induce us to reflect seriously on the numerous formative institutions spread throughout the world and on their responsibility to express a living presence of the Gospel in the field of education, science and culture. Catholic academic institutions must not be isolated from the world; they must be able to enter with courage in the Areopagus of present-day cultures and engage in dialogue, aware of the gift they have to offer everyone.
Beloved, the issue of education is a great open yard, in which the Church has always been present with her own institutions and projects. Today it is necessary to boost this commitment at all levels and to renew the task of all the subjects committed to you in the perspective of the New Evangelization. In this horizon I thank you for all your work and, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, I invoke the constant assistance of the Holy Spirit upon you and your initiatives. I ask you, please, to pray for me and for my ministry, and I bless you with all my heart. Thank you!
Following words of greeting offered by the Prefect of the Congregation, His Eminence, Zenon Grocholewski, the Pope addressed his greetings to those who were present.
Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with participants in the
Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for Catholic Education
Your Eminences,
Venerable brothers in the Episcopacy and the Priesthood,
Dear brothers and sisters,
I wish to welcome the Cardinals and Bishops who have recently been named as members to this Congregation, and I want to thank the Cardinal Prefect for the words with which he has introduced this gathering.
The themes on your agenda are challenging, such as the updating of the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia christiana, the consolidating of the identities of the Catholic universities and the preparations for the celebrations of various anniversaries which will take place in 2015: the 50th anniversary of the Council declaration Gravissimum educationis and the 25th anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae. Catholic education is one of the most important challenges facing the Church, as we work toward carrying out the new evangelization in a historical and cultural context that is in constant transformation. From this perspective, I would like to draw your attention to three aspects.
The first aspect considers the value of dialogue in education. In recent times, you have developed the theme of education and intercultural dialogue in the Catholic school with the publication of a specific document. In fact, Catholic schools and universities are attended by many students who are not Christian, and even by non-believers. To all of them, Catholic educational institutions offer an educational opportunity that proposes the integral development of each person who takes advantage of the right which belongs to everyone to access the knowledge that is offered. But we are called to offer this knowledge to everyone with equality and with full respect for each person's freedom, with regard to the methods employed within the school environment to promote the Christian understanding that Jesus Christ is model for our way of life, for the universe and for all of history.
Jesus began preaching the good news in the Galilee of the Gentiles, making up a mixture of people of different cultures, races and religions. This context was similar in some respects to today's world. The profound changes that have led to the ever widening spread of multicultural societies, require of those involved in schools and universities that they become involved in educational programs of exchange and dialogue, while possessing a bold and innovative loyalty which seeks to bring together the Catholic identity with the various souls of a multicultural society. I am thankful for the contribution that Catholic institutes and other Church institutions offer toward the establishment and management of Catholic schools in the context of heightened cultural and religious pluralism.
The second aspect regards the qualified preparation of the formators (those entrusted with the responsibility of forming seminarians and preparing them for priesthood). We cannot improvise. We must engage seriously. In the meeting I had with the General Superiors, I stressed that today, education is addressed to a generation that changes; therefore, every educator – and the whole Church which is Mother Educator – is called to change, in the sense of being able to communicate with the young people she has before her.
I would like to limit myself to recalling the guidelines of the figure of the educator and his specific task. To educate is an act of love, it is to give life. And love is demanding, it calls for using the best resources, for awakening passion and for beginning with patience together with young people. Educators in Catholic schools must be, first of all, very competent, qualified and, at the same time, rich in humanity, capable of being in the midst of young people with a pedagogical style, to promote their human and spiritual growth. Young people are in need of quality teaching, together with values not just enunciated but witnessed. Coherence is an indispensable factor in the education of young people. Coherence! We cannot make them grow, we cannot educate them without coherence: coherence, witness.
Because of this, educators themselves are in need of ongoing formation. Therefore, it is necessary to invest, so that docents and directors can maintain their professionalism at high levels and also their faith and the strength of their spiritual motivations. And in this continuing formation I also allow myself to suggest the need for retreats and Spiritual Exercises for educators. It is good to have courses in this domain, but it is also necessary to have courses of Spiritual Exercises, retreats, and to pray! -- because coherence is an effort, but above all it is a gift and a grace. And we must ask for it!
A last aspect concerns the educational institutions, that is, the Catholic and ecclesial schools and Universities. The 50th anniversary of the Conciliar Declaration, and the 25th of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the updating of Sapientia Christiana induce us to reflect seriously on the numerous formative institutions spread throughout the world and on their responsibility to express a living presence of the Gospel in the field of education, science and culture. Catholic academic institutions must not be isolated from the world; they must be able to enter with courage in the Areopagus of present-day cultures and engage in dialogue, aware of the gift they have to offer everyone.
Beloved, the issue of education is a great open yard, in which the Church has always been present with her own institutions and projects. Today it is necessary to boost this commitment at all levels and to renew the task of all the subjects committed to you in the perspective of the New Evangelization. In this horizon I thank you for all your work and, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, I invoke the constant assistance of the Holy Spirit upon you and your initiatives. I ask you, please, to pray for me and for my ministry, and I bless you with all my heart. Thank you!
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