theological foundation of catholic education

Catholic EducationThe Theological Foundation

Ministry of Educating

Among the many ministries which are open to the laity in the church, the most prized is the task and Ministry of educating. The Church acknowledges this by including in the law of the Church a whole section on Catholic education

Role of Parents

The Church acknowledges that Catholic parents and those who take their place have the duty and Right to choose those means and institutes which in their opinion can best promote the Catholic education of their children (canon 793)

Role of the Church

If parents have this right then the Church has a duty and so the C.L of the Church also states:

a) The Church has in a special way the duty and right of educating for it has a divine mission of helping all to arrive at the fullness of Christian Life.

b) Pastors of souls have the duty of making all possible arrangements so that all the faithful may avail themselves of a Catholic education (c. 794 1&2)

Role of Church 2

The education given by the Church must be integral human formation and so the Law also states:

Since true education must strive for complete formation of the human person that looks to his/her final end as well as the common good of societies, children and youth are to be nurtured in such a way that they are able to develop their physical moral and intellectual talents harmoniously, acquire a more perfect sense of responsibility and right use of freedom and are formed to participate actively in social life. (Canon 795)

Two Linkages

This canon makes two important linkages

A) The final end of human beings is linked to the common good of societies

B) Integral human development is the way for human beings to achieve their final end and the common good of societies.

The Common Good is built on Harmony

Without harmonious interpersonal relationships the common good can not be achieved.

Education therefore must lead to an assiduous search for harmony.

For Catholic education this search is a vocation which flows from baptism and confirmation.

God’s Vision for the world 1A) HarmonyBible is constructed between 2

powerful images of harmony; The Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem

All of history is a journey from Harmony lost to Harmony regained

God formed a people to model for the world how harmony is constructed and lived

God’s Vision for the World 2

God gave this people laws to help them in the quest for harmony: The Deuteronomic Code and the Ten commandments.

He placed them at the crossroads of the trade routes so that people travelling on these routes would see and experience what a society living in harmony was like

God’s Vision for the World 3

When Israel forgot and strayed from the path, God raised up prophets whose message was always about harmonious living. Cf. Is:2: 4 -5; Is.11: 6 – 9; Micah 4: 3 – 7

Finally came Jesus, whom scripture says was raised on high to gather all who were scattered.

Jesus’ life and ministry was one of making the excluded know that they were included eg. lepers

God’s Vision for the World 4

A letter from Pope Leo the Great to the Ephesians says this:

The almighty Son of God could have come to teach and justify men with only the outward appearance of our humanity, exactly as he appeared to patriarchs and prophets. This he did when he wrestled with Jacob or entered into conversation, or when he did not refuse hospitable entertainment, and even partook of the food set before him. These outward appearances had a hidden meaning which proclaimed that his reality would be taken from the stock of his forefathers. Hence God’s plan for reconciliation formed before all eternity was not realized by any of these prefigurations. It was realized in Jesus Christ

God’s Vision for the World 5

After the Resurrection and Pentecost the Church, the new Israel is formed.

The Symbols used by the Acts of the Apostles to describe the formation of Church are all symbols of harmony see. Acts 2: 5 – 12.

The description of the First Christian community “See how they love one another” see Acts 2: 44 -47

God’s Vision for the World 6

St. Paul calls the mission of the Church: A mission of Reconciliation.

In the letter to the Philippians Paul urges them: Make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love and being one in soul and mind. Phil 2:2

God’s Vision for the World 7

After the Apostolic age the Fathers of the Church also spoke of harmony as the purpose of Church

Clement who died in AD 100 has this to say And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises.

God’s Vision for the World 8

Down through the ages the Popes have worked tirelessly for peace and have spoken out against wars.

JPII called the world to a fourfold reconciliation with God, amongst human beings, with nature and within oneself

God’s Vision for the World 9

Purpose of Church: To be an agent of harmony

Benedict XVI on Nov. 29, 2006 had this to say “May Isaiah's prophecy soon be fulfilled: "They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Is 2:4). We all need this universal peace; and the Church is called to be not only the prophetic herald, but even more, the "sign and instrument" of this peace.

God’s Vision for the World 10

If Church is called to be not only the prophetic herald, but even more, the "sign and instrument" of this peace, Every institution of the Church (family, parish, Archdiocese and school) must also be a sign and instrument of this peace.

This peace is not the peace of the grave. It is the peace which flows from persons of diverse backgrounds and cultures living in harmony.

God’s Vision for the World 10

This Universal Vision of God must be concretized in T&T and therefore the Church here in T&T has stated very clearly:

The Purpose of Church as defined above is the same as the Mission of the Archdiocese of POS

We are the People of God in Trinidad and Tobago, building the Civilization of Love - reconciliation with God, neighbour, creation and selfand self

Catholic Education in T&T

As agents of harmony Catholic schools must set about preparing students to be protagonists in bringing about this fourfold reconciliation here in T&T.

Lack of Harmony – Lack of Respect

Lack of Harmony and Lack of Respect go together.

Lack of Respect for God as the author of Life

Lack of Respect for the transcendent dignity of the human person. (Benedict XVI: Message 2009)

Lack of Respect for oneself as a Son or Daughter of God

Lack of Respect for nature

Consequences of Lack of Respect 1

These four Lacks of Respect are the cause of the total disharmony which we experience in T&T.

Where God is concerned, we have lost a sense of sin. Consciences have been dulled

Catholic Education must therefore address the issue of conscience if harmony with God on a societal level is to be restored.

Consequences of Lack of Respect 2

Lack of Respect for the transcendent dignity of the human person, flows from the Lack of respect for God and manifests itself in the inability to recognize the other as a son or daughter of God.

We see this in the disregard for the good name of others, seen almost daily in our parliament, in the disregard for the basic needs of others and in the violation of life and property.

Consequences of Lack of Respect 3

Lack of Respect for the dignity of the Human person leads to the lack of respect for the environment.

It makes no difference to us the environment that we leave behind for others.

To me the argument used by the government to justify its industrial programme just does not make sense. Because our population may be small does not say that we can do what we want with the environment.

Consequence of lack of Respect 4.

The Lack of Respect for God, for other human beings and for the environment leads eventually to disregard for ourselves as sons and daughters of God.

Lack of Respect is a habit which sooner or later defines us

Role of Catholic Education in this ContextThrough the curriculum which we

deliver and through the Structures which we espouse, the fourfold reconciliation needed because of the Lack of Respect on those 4 levels, must be nurtured.

Our students must be brought to a habitual stance of Respectful engagement on those four levels.

Marks of Church

As a Catholic Institution, Catholic Schools must reproduce in their structure and in their behaviour what Church is meant to be because the life of the Church is in fact the sum of the lives of its members

Marks of the Church 2

While accepting and valuing the 4 traditional marks of the Church, i.e. the Church is One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, I believe that their are 4 attributes of Church which must be understood, practised and lived.

1) Imaginative

The first attribute which must be practised and lived is that of imagination.

We must find ways of gripping the imagination of students from the very first classes so that the gospel imperative becomes not only possible but desirable.

Available

The behaviour of teachers and school structures must teach that discipleship means availability for the work of the Kingdom.

We must remember that the Kingdom comes into being even now as we eliminate from our lives everything which is an obstacle to the harmony which is God’s desire for the universe.

Inclusivity

There is only one heaven and there must only be one earth. The New earth is a place in which there are no outsiders.

Decision making can create insiders and outsiders (Democracy as it is practised)

New forms of decision making must be taught and practised.

Ecumenism is one of the marks of our present church

Martyrdom(Witness)

Emotional involvement makes us do crazy things for the One with whom we are emotionally involved.

That is what happened with the martyrs.

The willingness to be martyred must become once again the mark of the Christian

I AIM

Catholic education is in fact an “AIMING”

In Catholic Education we aim at the Integral development of the human person so that the 2 inseparable ends are achieved, i.e. a good Christian and a good citizen.

May our AIM be true