Pope Benedict XVI on Catholic Educators
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Pope Benedict XVI urged Catholic educators not to simply transmit knowledge to their students but to bring them to a deeper understanding of faith "which in turn nurtures the soul of a nation." He said "A particular responsibility ... for each of you, and your colleagues, is to evoke among the young the desire for the act of faith, encouraging them to commit themselves to the ecclesial life that follows from this belief…" calling them (the teachers) "bearers of wisdom" and telling them of his "profound gratitude" for their "selfless contributions" and dedication.
The Pope noted that the role of educators is particularly crucial in the modern world where many often question the church's role in the public forum. A primary role of the church, he said, is "upholding the essential moral categories of right and wrong" because without that direction, he said "hope could only wither, giving way to cold pragmatic calculations of utility which render the person little more than a pawn on some ideological chess board." The pope highlighted the importance of Catholic identity -- "Catholic identity is not simply a question of the number of Catholic students," he said. It also is not "dependent upon statistics" nor can it be "equated simply with orthodoxy of course content." Instead, he stressed that the Catholic identity of a school or religious education program "demands and inspires much more: namely that each and every aspect of your learning communities reverberates within the ecclesial life of faith." The pope linked the current "crisis of truth" to a "crisis of faith" and said educators must do more than simply "engage the intellect of our young" but should instead help today's youths to fully live their faith. "The difficulty or reluctance many people have today in entrusting themselves to God" is a "complex phenomenon," he said, adding that it is one which "I ponder continually." He stressed that teachers and administrators in universities and schools have a "duty and privilege to ensure that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice." To not do this, he said, would weaken Catholic identity and cause "moral, intellectual or spiritual" confusion. (April 17, 2008: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0802106.htm) |