“I thank you for the work you do with dedication every day, and I invoke upon you the gifts of the Holy Spirit to give you strength in your delicate ministry of education…”
Pope Francis expressed this in his address on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, to the plenary session of the Congregation for Catholic Education (of Seminaries and Institutes of Study) in the Vatican.
This dicastery has authority in three diverse sectors: over all seminaries (except those falling within the jurisdiction of the Congregations for the Evangelization of Peoples and for Oriental Churches) and houses of formation of religious and secular institutes; over all universities, faculties, institutes and higher schools of study, either ecclesial or civil dependent on ecclesial people; and over all schools and educational institutes depending on ecclesiastical authorities.
The Holy Father thanked the Congregation for its efforts, noting their plenary in these days has given them the opportunity “to review the dense work carried out over the past three years, and to outline future commitments with an open heart and with hope.”
“The field of competence of the Dicastery engages you in the fascinating world of education, which is never a repetitive action, but the art of growth, of maturation, and for this reason it never stays the same,” Francis said.
Reminding education is a dynamic reality, the Pope decided to reflect on its different aspects, particularly ecologically, socially and as a team. He also reflected on the upcoming Global Educational Pact Day this coming May 14,and why he felt compelled to promote it.
“It is an appeal,” he said, “to all those who have political, administrative, religious and educational responsibilities to rebuild the “village of education”. The aim of being together is not to develop programs, but to find the common step “to revive the commitment for and with the younger generations, renewing the passion for a more open and inclusive education, capable of patient listening, constructive dialogue and mutual understanding.
“The educational pact must not be a simple order, it must not be a “reconstitution” of the positivisms we have received from an Enlightenment education. It must be revolutionary,”
The Holy Father thanked all those present and Catholic educators for the commitment they put into their work every day.
For text of Pope’s address see –
[[] https://zenit.org/articles/pope-praises-those-dedicated-to-catholic-education-for-their-work-each-day/? ]
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