Vatican City, Dec 26, 2013 / 08:02 am (CNA/EWTN
News).- A recently released Vatican document is
calling for a fresh commitment to Catholic identity
within what it calls an increasingly secularized
educational system.
At a press conference held Dec. 19, Cardinal Zenon
Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for
Catholic Education, said, “the Catholic identity of the
school is fundamental.”
Noting the many challenges facing Catholic schools,
the Cardinal added, “today one of the greatest
problems is when large organizations want to
impose gender ideology.”
“Today, due to the advanced process of
secularization, Catholic schools find themselves in a
missionary situation, even in countries with an
ancient Christian tradition,” reads the
congregation's “Educating To Intercultural Dialogue
in Catholic Schools.”
“Catholic schools' primary responsibility is one of
witness. In the various situations created by
different cultures, the Christian presence must be
shown and made clear, that is, it must be visible,
tangible and conscious,” the document continues.
“Catholic schools have in Jesus Christ the basis of
their anthropological and pedagogical paradigm;
they must practice the 'grammar of dialogue,' not as
a technical expedient, but as a profound way of
relating to others. Catholic schools must reflect on
their own identity, because that which they can give
is primarily that which they are.”
Cardinal Grocholewski reaffirmed this vision at the
press briefing. “Catholic schools are best not just
because they give knowledge and competence, but
because they show interest in the person for the
good,” he said.
According to data from the Annual Church Statistics
given at the press conference, the number of
students in Catholic schools has risen from nearly
55 million in 2008 to around 58 million in 2011.
The document notes, however, that “Catholic
schools are seeing an ever growing presence of
students with different nationalities and religious
beliefs. In many countries of the world, most
students profess a non-Catholic religion and the
theme of interreligious encounter is now
unavoidable.”
Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Secretary for the
Congregation of Catholic Education, said today that
“the differences between cultures are not
obstacles, but opportunities.”
The goal of Catholic schools should be to find
balance between the two cultural extremes found in
the world today, advises the document.
On the one hand, “one needs the ability to witness
and dialogue, without falling into the trap of that
facile relativism which holds that all religions are
the same and are merely manifestations of an
Absolute that no-one can truly know.”
On the other, “what is important is to give answers
to the many young people 'without a religious
home,' the result of an ever more secularized
society.”
“The final aim of education in intercultural dialogue,”
Cardinal Grocholewski concluded, “is the
construction of a civilization based on love. The
civilization of love, for Christians, does not mean a
vague solidarity, but rather an expression of
Christ's charity.
“This is the service through which Catholic schools,
which always strive to join their work of education
with the explicit proclamation of the Gospel, are a
most valuable resource for the evangelization of
culture, even in those countries and cities where
hostile situations challenge us to greater creativity
in our search for suitable methods.”
Tags: Vatican , Catholic Schools
News).- A recently released Vatican document is
calling for a fresh commitment to Catholic identity
within what it calls an increasingly secularized
educational system.
At a press conference held Dec. 19, Cardinal Zenon
Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for
Catholic Education, said, “the Catholic identity of the
school is fundamental.”
Noting the many challenges facing Catholic schools,
the Cardinal added, “today one of the greatest
problems is when large organizations want to
impose gender ideology.”
“Today, due to the advanced process of
secularization, Catholic schools find themselves in a
missionary situation, even in countries with an
ancient Christian tradition,” reads the
congregation's “Educating To Intercultural Dialogue
in Catholic Schools.”
“Catholic schools' primary responsibility is one of
witness. In the various situations created by
different cultures, the Christian presence must be
shown and made clear, that is, it must be visible,
tangible and conscious,” the document continues.
“Catholic schools have in Jesus Christ the basis of
their anthropological and pedagogical paradigm;
they must practice the 'grammar of dialogue,' not as
a technical expedient, but as a profound way of
relating to others. Catholic schools must reflect on
their own identity, because that which they can give
is primarily that which they are.”
Cardinal Grocholewski reaffirmed this vision at the
press briefing. “Catholic schools are best not just
because they give knowledge and competence, but
because they show interest in the person for the
good,” he said.
According to data from the Annual Church Statistics
given at the press conference, the number of
students in Catholic schools has risen from nearly
55 million in 2008 to around 58 million in 2011.
The document notes, however, that “Catholic
schools are seeing an ever growing presence of
students with different nationalities and religious
beliefs. In many countries of the world, most
students profess a non-Catholic religion and the
theme of interreligious encounter is now
unavoidable.”
Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Secretary for the
Congregation of Catholic Education, said today that
“the differences between cultures are not
obstacles, but opportunities.”
The goal of Catholic schools should be to find
balance between the two cultural extremes found in
the world today, advises the document.
On the one hand, “one needs the ability to witness
and dialogue, without falling into the trap of that
facile relativism which holds that all religions are
the same and are merely manifestations of an
Absolute that no-one can truly know.”
On the other, “what is important is to give answers
to the many young people 'without a religious
home,' the result of an ever more secularized
society.”
“The final aim of education in intercultural dialogue,”
Cardinal Grocholewski concluded, “is the
construction of a civilization based on love. The
civilization of love, for Christians, does not mean a
vague solidarity, but rather an expression of
Christ's charity.
“This is the service through which Catholic schools,
which always strive to join their work of education
with the explicit proclamation of the Gospel, are a
most valuable resource for the evangelization of
culture, even in those countries and cities where
hostile situations challenge us to greater creativity
in our search for suitable methods.”
Tags: Vatican , Catholic Schools
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