The Catholic school / Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education.


THE SACRED CONGREGATION
FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION





THE SACRED CONGREGATION
FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION

THE

CATHOLIC

SCHOOL

1977

PUBLICATIONS OFFICE
UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005



Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/catholicschoolsacath



CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3

I. THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND THE SALVIFIC MISSION OF
THE CHURCH 4
The Salvific Mission of the Church 4

Means available for the Mission of the Church 4

Contribution of the Catholic school towards the Salvific Mission

of the Church 5

The Church’s educational involvement and cultural pluralism 5

II. PRESENT DIFFICULTIES OVER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 6
Objections raised against Catholic schools 7

Some aspects of schools today 8

III. THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF HUMAN FORMATION 9
The general purpose of a school 9

School and attitudes of life 9

The school in today's society 10

IV. THE EDUCATIONAL WORK OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL 11
Specific character of the Catholic school 11

Integration of faith and culture 12

Integration of faith and life 13

Religious teaching 14

The Catholic school as the center of the educative Christian

community 15
Other aspects of the educational process in Catholic school 16

The participation of the Christian community in the Catholic
schools’ work 17

The Catholic school as a service to the Church and to society .... 18

V. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL TODAY 18

VI. PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS 20
The organization and planning of the Catholic school 20
Ensuring the distinctive Catholic character of the school 21
Involvement of Religious In the school apostolate 22
The Catholic school in mission countries 23
Pastoral care of teachers 23
Economic situation of Catholic schools 24

VII. COURAGEOUS AND UNIFIED COMMITMENT 25

CONCLUSION 27



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INTRODUCTION

1. The Catholic school is receiving more and more atten-

tion in the Church since the Second Vatican Council, with par-

ticular emphasis on the Church as she appears in the Consti-

tutions Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes. In the Council’s

Declaration Gravissimum Educationis it is discussed in the

wider sphere of Christian education. The present document

develops the idea of this Declaration, limiting itself to a

deeper reflection on the Catholic school.

2. The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education is

aware of the serious problems which are an integral part

of Christian education in a pluralistic society. It regards as a

prime duty, therefore, the focusing of any attention on the

nature and distinctive characteristics of school which would

present itself as Catholic. Yet the diverse situations and legal

systems In which the Catholic school has to function in Chris-

tian and non-Christian countries demand that local problems

be faced and solved by each Church within Its own social-

cultural context.

3. While acknowledging this duty of the local Churches,

the Sacred Congregation believes that now is the opportune
moment to offer its own contribution by re-emphasizing clearly
the educational value of the Catholic school. It is in this value

that the Catholic school's fundamental reason for existing and

the basis of its genuine apostolate is to be found. This docu-

ment does not pretend to be an exhaustive treatment of the

subject; it merely proposes to state the premises that will

lead to further fruitful study and implementation.

4. To Episcopal Conferences, pastorally concerned for all

young Catholics whatever school they attend, ^ the Sacred

Congregation for Catholic Education entrusts this present

document In order that they may seek to achieve an effective
system of education at all levels which corresponds to the

total educational needs of young people today in Catholic
schools. The Sacred Congregation also addresses itself to all
who are responsible for education—parents, teachers, young
people and school authorities—and urges them to pool all
their resources and the means at their disposal to enable
Catholic schools to provide a service which is truly civic
and apostolic.

' Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cra-
vissimum Educationis/' 7.

The post-
conciliar

Catholic school

The content and
importance of

the document

The raison
d’§tre of the
Catholic school

Addressees of
the document

3



I.

God the
Father’s plan...

... is fulfilled

in the Church...

... for the

salvation of

mankind...
'

The school as

part of the

Church’s

Mission...

THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND THE SALVIFIC MISSION OF
THE CHURCH

The Salvific Mission of the Church

5. In the fullness of time, in His mysterious plan of love,

God the Father sent His only Son to begin the Kingdom of God

on earth and bring about the spiritual rebirth of mankind. To

continue His work of salvation, Jesus Christ founded the Church

as a visible organism, living by the power of the Spirit.

6. Moved by the same Spirit, the Church is constantly

deepening her awareness of herself and meditating on the

mystery of her being and mission. ’ Thus she is ever re-

discovering her living relationship with Christ “In order to

discover greater light, energy, and joy in fulfilling her mission

and determining the best way to ensure that her relationship

with humanity is closer and more efficacious” 2—that humanity
of which she is a part and yet so undeniably distinct. Her

destiny is to serve humanity until it reaches its fullness in

Christ.

7. Evangelization is, therefore, the mission of the Church;

that Is, she must proclaim the good news of salvation to all,

generate new creatures in Christ through Baptism, and train

them to live knowingly as children of God.

Means available for the Mission of the Church

8. To carry out her saving mission, the Church uses, above

all, the means which Jesus Christ has given her. She also uses
other means which at different times and in different cultures
have proved effective in achieving and promoting the develop-

ment of the human person. The Church adapts these means
to the changing conditions and emerging needs of mankind.

^

In her encounter with differing cultures and with man's pro-

gressive achievements, the Church proclaims the faith and

reveals “to all ages the transcendent goal which alone gives

life its full meaning.” ^ She establishes her own schools
because she considers them as a privileged means of pro-
moting the formation of the whole man, since the school is

' Cf. PAUL VI, Encyclica! Letter "Ecclesiam suam," 7.
2 Ibid. 13.

^ Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the
Modern World "Gaudium et Spes,” 4.

* PAUL VI, Allocution to Cardinal Gabriel-Marie Garrone, November 27th,
1972.

4



a center in which a specific concept of the world, of man,

and of history is developed and conveyed.

Contribution of the Catholic school towards the Salvific Mission

of the Church

9 The Catholic school forms part of the saving mission

of the Church, especially for education in the faith. Remem-

bering that “the simultaneous development of man’s psycho-

logical and moral consciousness is demanded by Christ almost

as a pre-condition for the reception of the befitting divine gifts

of truth and grace," ’ the Church fulfills her obligation to foster

in her children a full awareness of their rebirth to a new life .

2

It is precisely In the Gospel of Christ, taking root In the minds

and lives of the faithful, that the Catholic school finds Its

definition as It comes to terms with the cultural conditions of

the times.

The Church's educational involvement and cultural pluralism

10. in the course of the centuries “while constantly hold-

ing to the fullness of divine truth" ^ the Church has progress-

sively used the sources and the means of culture in order to
deepen her understanding of revelation and promote construc-

tive dialogue with the world. Moved by the faith through which
she firmly believes herself to be led by the Spirit of the Lord,

the Church seeks to discern in the events, needs and hopes

of our era^ the most insistent demands which she must answer
if she Is to carry out God’s plan.

11. One such demand is a pressing need to ensure the
presence of a Christian mentality in the society of the present

day, marked, among other things, by cultural pluralism. For
it is Christian thought which constitutes a sound criterion of
judgment in the midst of conflicting concepts and behavior:
“Reference to Jesus Christ teaches man to discern the values
which ennoble from those which degrade him.” ^

12. Cultural pluralism, therefore, leads the Church to re-
affirm her mission of education to Insure strong character

' PAUL VI, Encyclical Letter "Ecclesiam suam,” 15.
^ Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education “Gra-

vissimum Educationis," 3.
^ SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation

"Dei Verbum," 8.
*

Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the
Modern World "Caudium et Spes," 11.

® PAUL VI, Allocution to the Ninth Congresss of the Catholic International Edu-
cation Office (O.I.E.C.), in "L'Osservatore Romano,” June 9th, 1974.

... is Gospel

centered

Mission of the

Church and
culture...

... and cultural
pluralism

Importance of

the education

in a pluralistic

society

5



Plurality of

school

systems...

... and the
Catholic school

Presence of the

Church in the
educational

field

Objections to

the Catholic

school...

formation. Her children, then, will be capable both of resisting

the debilitating influence of relativism and of living up to the

demands made on them by their Baptism. It also stimulates
her to foster truly Christian living and apostolic communities,

equipped to make their own positive contribution, in a spirit

of cooperation, to the building up of the secular society. For

this reason the Church is prompted to mobilize her educa-

tional resources In the face of the materialism, pragmatism

and technocracy of contemporary society.

13. The Church upholds the principle of a plurality of

school systems in order to safeguard her objectives in the

face of cultural pluralism. In other words, she encourages

the co-existence and, if possible, the cooperation of diverse

educational institutions which will allow young people to be

formed by value-judgments based on a specific view of the

world and to be trained to take an active part in the construc-

tion of a community through which the building of society

itself is promoted.

14. Thus, while policies and opportunities differ from place

to place, the Catholic school has its place in any national

school system. By offering such an alternative the Church

wishes to respond to the obvious need for cooperation in a

society characterized by cultural pluralism. Moreover, in this

way she helps to promote that freedom of teaching which
champions and guarantees freedom of conscience and the

parental right to choose the school best suited to parents'

educational purposes.^

15. Finally, the Church Is absolutely convinced that the

educational aims of the Catholic school in the world of today

perform an essential and unique service for the Church herself.

It is, in fact, through the school that she participates in the

dialogue of culture with her own positive contribution to the
cause of the total formation of man. The absence of the
Catholic school would be a great loss ^ for civilization and for

the natural and supernatural destiny of man.

II.

PRESENT DIFFICULTIES OVER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

16. In the light of her mission of salvation, the Church

considers that the Catholic school provides a privileged en-

' Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cra-
vissimum Educationis, 8.

* Cf. PAUL VI, Allocution to the Ninth Congress of the O.I.E.C., in "L'Osser-
vatore Romano," June 9th, 1974.

6



vironment for the complete formation of her members, and

that it also provides a highly Important service to mankind.

Nevertheless, she Is aware of the many problems that exist
and objections that are made against Catholic schools some-
times regarding the very validity of their existence and their

functions. The issue is really part of a much wider problem
which faces all institutions as such in a society as the present,

characterized by rapid and profound change.

Objections raised against Catholic schools

17. In the debate about Catholic schools there are some
easily identifiable central objections and difficulties. These

need to be borne in mind If discussion is to be relevant to the

actual situation and if teachers are to make a serious attempt
to adapt their work to the needs of the contemporary world.

18. In the first place many people, both inside and outside
the Church, motivated by a mistaken sense of the lay role

in secular society, attack Catholic schools as institutions. They
do not admit that, apart from the individual witness of her

members, the Church also may offer witness by means of
her Institutions, e.g., those dedicated to the search for truth

or to works of charity.

19. Others claim that Catholic schools make use of a
human institution for religious and confessional purposes.
Christian education can sometimes run into the danger of a
so-called proselytism, of imparting a one-sided outlook. This

can happen only when Christian educators misunderstand the
nature and methods of Christian education. Complete educa-
tion necessarily includes a religious dimension. Religion is an
effective contribution to the development of other aspects of
a personality in the measure In which it is integrated Into
general education.

20. According to others. Catholic schools have outlived
their time;—as institutions they were a necessary substitute
in the past but have no place at a time when civil authority
assumes responsibility for education. In fact, as the State
increasingly takes control of education and establishes its
own so-called neutral and monolithic system, the survival of
those natural communities, based on a shared concept of life,
is threatened. Faced with this situation, the Catholic school
offers an alternative which is in conformity with the wishes of
the members of the community of the Church.

... encourage
renewal

Rejection of all

Church institu-

tions

Danger of
proselytism

Outdated

institution

7



Class distinc-

tion

Lack of

professional

achievement

The content of
the debate

The importance

of the school

today

21. In some countries Catholic schools have been obliged

to restrict their educational activities to wealthier social

classes, thus giving an impression of social and economic

discrimination in education. But this occurs only where the

State has not weighed the advantages of an alternative pres-

ence in their pluralistic society. From such nearsightedness

considerable difficulties have arisen for Catholic schools.

22. Allied to these points, objections are raised concerning

the educational results of the Catholic school. They are some-

times accused of not knowing how to form convinced, articu-

late Christians ready to take their place in social and political

life. Every educational enterprise, however, involves the risk

of failure and one must not be too discouraged by apparent

or even real failures, since there are very many formative
influences on young people and results often have to be

calculated on a long-term basis.

23. Before concluding these comments on the objections

raised against Catholic schools, one must remember the con-

text in which contemporary work in the field of education is

undertaken, and especially In the Church. The school problem

in our rapidly changing society is serious for everyone. The

Second Vatican Council has encouraged a more openminded

approach which has sometimes been misrepresented in theory

and practice. There are difficulties In the provision of adequate

staff and finance. In such a situation should the Church per-

haps give up her apostolic mission in Catholic schools, as

some people would like her to do, and direct her energy to
a more direct work of evangelization in sectors considered to

be of higher priority or more suited to her spiritual mission,
or should she make State schools the sole object of her
pastoral activity? Such a solution would not only be contrary
to the directives of the Vatican Council, but would also be

opposed to the Church’s mission and to what is expected of
her by Christian people. What follows emphasizes this fact.

Some aspects of schools today

24. To understand the real nature of the Catholic school
one cannot divorce it from wider modern problems concerning
schools in general. Apart from the .ideas advanced by the
promoters of de-schooling—a theory which now seems of
minor significance—contemporary society tends to place
greater importance than ever on the specific function of the

school: its social significance (parental participation, increased

8



democratization, equality of opportunity); its tendency to

coordinate and eventually include the educational work of

other institutions; the extension of the statutory duration of

attendance at school.

THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF HUMAN FORMATION

25. To understand fully the specific mission of the Catholic

school it is essential to keep in mind the basic concept of

what a school is; that which does not reproduce the charac-

teristic features of a school cannot be a Catholic school.

The general purpose of a school

26. A close examination of the various definitions of
school and of new educational trends at every level, leads one

to formulate the concept of school as a place of integral for-

mation by means of a systematic and critical assimilation of

culture. A school Is, therefore, a privileged place in which,
through a living encounter with a cultural inheritance, integral

formation occurs.

27. This vital approach takes place in the school in the

form of personal contacts and commitments which consider

absolute values in a life-context and seek to insert them into a
life-framework. Indeed, culture Is only educational when young
people can relate their study to real-life situations with which

they are familiar. The school must stimulate the pupil to
exercise his intelligence through the dynamics of understand-
ing to attain clarity and inventiveness. It must help him spell
out the meaning of his experiences and their truths. Any school
which neglects this duty and which offers merely pre-cast
conclusions hinders the personal development of Its pupils.

School and attitudes of life

28. From this it Is clear that the school has to review Its
entire program of formation, both Its content and the methods
used, in the light of that vision of the reality from which it
draws its inspiration and on which it depends.

29. Either Implicit or explicit reference to a determined
attitude to life (Weltanschauung) is unavoidable in education
because It comes into every decision that is made. It is,

Nature of

school

Personal

assimilation

of culture

Education and
conception of

life

The school’s
view of reality

9



Ethical dimen-

sion of the

school

The need for a
truly educative

school

Cultural values

and values of
life

therefore, essential, if for no other reason than for a unity

in teaching, that each member of the school community,

albeit with differing degrees of awareness, adopts a common
vision, a common outlook on life, based on adherence to a

scale of values in which he believes. This is what gives teachers

and adults authority to educate. It must never be forgotten

that the purpose of instruction at school is education, that is,

the development of man from within, freeing him from that

conditioning which would prevent him from becoming a fully

Integrated human being. The school must begin from the

principle that its educational program is intentionally directed

to the growth of the whole person.

30. It is one of the formal tasks of a school, as an institu-

tion for education, to draw out the ethical dimension for the

precise purpose of arousing the individual’s inner spiritual

dynamism and to aid his achieving that moral freedom which

complements the psychological. Behind this moral freedom,

however, stand those absolute values which alone give mean-

ing and value to human life. This has to be said because the
tendency to adopt present-day values as a yardstick is not

absent even In the educational world. The danger is always

to react to passing, superficial ideas and to lose sight of the

much deeper needs of the contemporary world.

The school in today's society

31. Precisely because the school endeavors to answer the

needs of a society characterized by depersonalization and a

mass production mentality which so easily result from scien-
tific and technological developments, it must develop Into an

authentically formational school, reducing such risks to a

minimum. It must develop persons who are responsible and
inner-directed, capable of choosing freely In conformity with

their conscience. This is simply another way of saying that
the school is an institution where young people gradually learn
to open themselves up to life as it is, and to create in them-

selves a definite attitude to life as it should be.

32. When seen in this light, a school Is not only a place
where one is given a choice of intellectual values, but a place

where one has presented an array of values which are actively

lived. The school must be a community whose values are
communicated through the interpersonal and sincere relation-
ships of Its members and through both individual and corpora-
tive adherence to the outlook on life that permeates the school.

10



IV.

THE EDUCATIONAL WORK OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Specific character of the Catholic school

33. Having stated the characteristics of the Catholic school

from the point of view of “school,” we can now examine its

Catholic quality, namely its reference to a Christian concept

of life centered on Jesus Christ.

34. Christ is the foundation of the whole educational

enterprise in a Catholic school. His revelation gives new

meaning to life and helps man to direct his thought, action
and will according to the Gospel, making the beatitudes his

norm of life. The fact that in their own individual ways all

members of the school community share this Christian vision,
makes the school “Catholic”; principles of the Gospel in this

manner become the educational norms since the school then

has them as its internal motivation and final goal.

35. The Catholic school is committed thus to the develop-

ment of the whole man, since in Christ, the Perfect Man, all

human values find their fulfillment and unity. Herein lies the
specifically Catholic character of the school. Its duty to cultivate

human values in their own legitimate right In accordance with
its particular mission to serve ail men has its origin in the
figure of Christ. He is the One Who ennobles man, gives mean-
ing to human life, and is the Model which the Catholic school
offers to Its pupils.

36. If, like every other school, the Catholic school has

as its aim the critical communication of human culture and
the total formation of the Individual, it works towards this
goal guided by its Christian vision of reality “through which

our cultural heritage acquires Its special place in the total

vocational life of man.” ^ Mindful of the fact that man has
been redeemed by Christ, the Catholic school alms at forming
in the Christian those particular virtues which will enable him
to live a new life in Christ and help him to play faithfully his
part in building up the Kingdom of God.^

37. These premises indicate the duties and the content of
the Catholic school. Its task is fundamentally a synthesis of
culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and life: the first

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the
Modern World "Caudium et Spes," 57.

^ Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cra-
vissimum Educationis,” 2.

Jesus Christ is

the center of

the Christian

outlook on the

world, ...

... foundation-

stone of the

Catholic

school, ...

... model of the
whole man...

... and of
Christian man

The role of the
Catholic school

11



The aim of the
school curricu-

lum

Knowledge is
research of,

truth...

... of eternal

Truth...

... and of other
human values

is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human

knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the

Gospel; the second In the growth of the virtues characteristic

of the Christian.

Integration of faith and culture

38. In helping pupils to achieve through the medium of
its teaching an integration of faith and culture, the Catholic

school sets out with a deep awareness of the value of knowledge

as such. Under no circumstances does it wish to divert the

imparting of knowledge from its rightful objective.

39. Individual subjects must be taught according to their

own particular methods. It would be wrong to consider subjects

as mere adjuncts to faith or as a useful means of teaching

apologetics. They enable the pupil to assimilate skills, knowl-

edge, intellectual methods and moral and social attitudes, all

of which help to develop his personality and lead him to take

his place as an active member of the community of man.
Their aim is not merely the attainment of knowledge but the

acquisition of values and the discovery of truth.

40. Since the educative mission of the Catholic school Is

so wide, the teacher is in an excellent position to guide the

pupil to a deepening of his faith and to enrich and enlighten

his human knowledge with the data of the faith. While there
are many occasions in teaching when pupils can be stimulated
by Insights of faith, a Christian education acknowledges the

valid contribution which can be made by academic subjects
towards the development of a mature Christian. The teacher
can form the mind and heart of his pupils and guide them to
develop a total commitment to Christ, with their whole per-
sonality enriched by human culture.

41. The school considers human knowledge as a truth to
be discovered. In the measure in which subjects are taught
by someone who knowingly and without restraint seeks the
truth, they are to that extent Christian. Discovery and aware-
ness of truth leads man to the discovery of Truth itself. A
teacher who is full of Christian wisdom, well prepared in his
own subject, does more than convey the sense of what he Is
teaching to his pupils. Over and above what he says, he guides
his pupils beyond his mere words to the heart of total Truth.

42. The cultural heritage of mankind includes other values
apart from the specific ambient of truth. When the Christian

12



teacher helps a pupil to grasp, appreciate and assimilate these

values, he Is guiding him towards eternal realities. This move-

ment towards the Uncreated Source of all knowledge highlights

the importance of teaching for the growth of faith,

43. The achievement of this specific aim of the Catholic

school depends not so much on subject matter or methodology

as on the people who work there. The extent to which the

Christian message Is transmitted through education depends

to a very great extent on the teachers. The integration of culture

and faith is mediated by the other Integration of faith and life

In the person of the teacher. The nobility of the task to which

teachers are called demands that. In Imitation of Christ, the

only Teacher, they reveal the Christian message not only by

word but also by every gesture of their behaviour. This Is what

makes the difference between a school whose education Is

permeated by the Christian spirit and one in which religion is

only regarded as an academic subject like any other.

Integration of faith and life

44. The fundamental aim of teaching is the assimilation of

objective values, and, when this is undertaken for an apostolic

purpose, it does not stop at an integration of faith and culture

but leads the pupil on to a personal integration of faith and

life.

45. The Catholic school has as its specific duty the com-

plete Christian formation of Its pupils, and this task is of special

significance today because of the inadequacy of the family and

society. It knows that this integration of faith and life is part

of a life-long process of conversion until the pupil becomes
what God wishes him to be. Young people have to be taught
to share their personal lives with God. They are to overcome

their individualism and discover, in the light of faith, their

specific vocation to live responsibly in a community with others.
The very pattern of the Christian life draws them to commit
themselves to serve God in their brethren and to make the
world a better place for man to live in.

46. The Catholic school should teach its pupils to discern
in the voice of the universe the Creator Whom it reveals and,
in the conquests of science, to know God and man better. In
the daily life of the school, the pupil should learn that he is

called to be a living witness to God’s love for men by the way
he acts, and that he is part of that salvation history which
has Christ, the Saviour of the world, as its goal.

The personality

of the teacher

Formation of

the Christian

personality...

... who is a
living witness.

13



... active and

responsible...

... through the

practice of the

virtues

The Catholic

school and the
“parallel”

school

Importance of

religious

instruction...

47. Being aware that Baptism by itself does not make a

Christian—living and acting in conformity with the Gospel is
necessary—the Catholic school tries to create within its walls
a climate ’ in which the pupil's faith will gradually mature and

enable him to assume the responsibility placed on him by

Baptism. It will give pride of place in the education it provides

through Christian Doctrine to the gradual formation of con-

science in fundamental, permanent virtues—above all the theo-
logical virtues, and charity in particular, which is, so to speak,

the life-giving spirit which transforms a man of virtue into a

man of Christ. Christ, therefore, is the teaching-center, the

Model on Whom the Christian shapes his life. In Him the
Catholic school differs from all others which limit themselves

to forming men. Its task is to form Christian men, and, by its

teaching and witness, show non-Christians something of the

mystery of Christ Who surpasses all human understanding.^

48. The Catholic school will work closely with other Chris-

tian bodies (the family, the parish and Christian community,

youth associations, etc.). But one must not overlook many

other spheres of activity in society which are sources of infor-

mation and in their various ways have an educational influence.

Alongside this so-called “parallel school,” the school proper is

an active force through the systematic formation of the pupils’

critical faculties to bring them to a measure of self-control ^

and the ability to choose freely and conscientiously In the face

of what is offered by the organs of social communication. They

must be taught to subject these things to a critical and per-

sonal analysis,^ take what is good, and integrate it into their

Christian human culture.

Religious teaching

49. The specific mission of the school, then, is a critical,

systematic transmission of culture in the light of faith and

the bringing forth of the power of Christian virtue by the inte-

gration of culture with faith and of faith with living. Conse-

quently, the Catholic school Is aware of the importance of the

Gospel-teaching as transmitted through the Catholic Church.

It Is, Indeed, the fundamental element in the educative process

' Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cra-
vissimum Educationis/’ 8.

2 Cf. Eph. 3, 18-19.
^ Cf. Pastoral Instruction "Communio et Progressio,” 67.
Cf. Ibid. 68.

14



as it helps the pupil towar^is his conscious choice
of living a

responsible and coherent way of life.

50. Without entering into the whole problem of teaching

religion in schools, It must be emphasized that, while such

teaching Is not merely confined to “religious classes” within

the school curriculum, it must, nevertheless, also be imparted

explicitly and in a systematic manner to prevent a distortion

in the child's mind between general and religious culture. The

fundamental difference between religious and other forms of

education is that its aim is not simply Intellectual assent to

religious truths but also a total commitment of one’s whole

being to the Person of Christ.

51. It is recognized that the proper place for catechesis is

the family helped by other Christian communities, especially

the local parish. But the importance and need for catechetical

instruction in Catholic schools cannot be sufficiently empha-

sized. Here young people are helped to grow towards maturity

in faith.

52. The Catholic school must be alert at all times to devel-

opments in the fields of child psychology, pedagogy and par-

ticularly catechetics, and should especially keep abreast of

directives from competent ecclesiastical authorities. The

school must do everything In its power to aid the Church to

fulfill its catechetical mission and so must have the best pos-

sible qualified teachers of religion.

The Catholic school as the center of the educative Christian

community

53. For all these reasons. Catholic schools must be seen

as “meeting places for those who wish to express Christian
values in education.” i The Catholic school, far more than any

other, must be a community whose aim Is the transmission of

values for living. Its work Is seen as promoting a faith-relation-

ship with Christ in Whom all values find fulfillment. But faith
is principally assimilated through contact with people whose
daily life bears witness to it. Christian faith, in fact, is born

and grows inside a community.

54. The community aspect of the Catholic school Is neces-
sary because of the nature of the faith and not simply because

' PAUL VI, Allocution to the Ninth Congress of the O.I.E.C., in “L'Osserva-
tore Romano,” June 9th, 1974.

... which is

necessarily

systematic...

... in the

Catholic school

itself.

... In order to

fulfill the

catechetical

mandate of the
Church

The Catholic
school is a

community of
faith...

... sustained by

the Word of
God...

15



... a meeting

place with

Christ

... and
communion
with man

Education is

sharing...

... and a thirst

for justice

of the nature of man and the nature of the educational pro-

cess which is common to every school. No Catholic school can
adequately fulfill its educational role on its own. It must con-

tinually be fed and stimulated by its Source of life, the Saving

Word of Christ as it is expressed in Sacred Scripture, in Tradi-

tion, especially liturgical and sacramental tradition, and in the

lives of people, past and present, who bear witness to that

Word.

55. The Catholic school loses its purpose without constant

reference to the Gospel and a frequent encounter with Christ.

It derives all the energy necessary for its educational work

from Him and thus “creates in the school community an

atmosphere permeated with the Gospel spirit of freedom and

love.” 1 In this setting the pupil experiences his dignity as a

person before he knows its definition. Faithful, therefore, to

the claims of man and of God, the Catholic school makes its
own contribution towards man’s liberation, making him, in

other words, what his destiny implies, one who talks con-
sciously with God, one who is there for God to love.

56. “This simple religious doctrine is the corner-stone of

the existential, Christian metaphysic.’’ ^ This is the basis of a

Catholic school’s educational work. Education is not given for

the purpose of gaining power but as an aid towards a fuller

understanding of, and communion with man, events and
things. Knowledge is not to be considered as a means of
material prosperity and success, but as a call to serve and to

be responsible for others.

Other aspects of the educational process in Catholic schools

57. Whether or not the Catholic community forms Its
young people in the faith by means of a Catholic school, a
Catholic school in itself is far from being divisive or presump-

tuous. It does not exacerbate differences, but rather aids co-

operation and contact with others. It opens Itself to others and
respects their way of thinking and of living. It wants to share
their anxieties and their hopes as it. Indeed, shares their
present and future lot in this world.

58. Since It Is motivated by the Christian ideal, the Catho-

lic school is particularly sensitive to the 'call from every part

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cravis-
simum Educationis,” 8.

^ PAUL VI, Valore dell’oblazione nella vita, in "The Teachings of Pope Paul
VI," vol. 8 (1970), p. 97.

16



of the world for a more just society, and it tries to make its

own contribution towards it. It does not stop at the courageous

teaching of the demands of justice even in the face of local

opposition, but tries to put these demands into practice in its

own community in the daily life of the school. In some coun-

tries, because of local laws and economic conditions, the

Catholic school runs the risk of giving counter-witness by

admitting a majority of children from wealthier families.

Schools may have done this because of their need to be
financially self-supporting. This situation is of great concern

to those responsible for Catholic education, because first and

foremost the Church offers its educational service to “the poor

or those who are deprived of family help and affection or those

who are far from the faith.” ^ Since education is an important

means of improving the social and economic condition of the
individual and of peoples, if the Catholic school were to turn its

attention exclusively or predominantly to those from the

wealthier social classes, it could be contributing towards main-

taining their privileged position, and could thereby continue to

favor a society which is unjust.

59.

It is obvious that in such a demanding educational
policy all participants must be committed to it freely. It cannot
be Imposed, but is offered as a possibility, as good news, and

as such can be refused. However, in order to bring it into being

and to maintain it, the school must be able to count on the
unity of purpose and conviction of all its members.

The participation of the Christian community in the Catholic
schools' work

60. From the outset the Catholic school declares its pro-
gram and its determination to uphold It. It is a genuine
community bent on Imparting, over and above an academic
education, all the help it can to Its members to adopt a Chris-
tion way of life. For the Catholic school mutual respect means
service to the Person of Christ. Cooperation is between
brothers and sisters in Christ. A policy of working for the
common good Is undertaken seriously as working for the build-
ing up of the Kingdom of God.

61. The cooperation required for the realization of this aim
Is a duty in conscience for all the members of the community

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Gravis-
simum Educationis," 9.

The need for
cooperation

The relation of
the educational

plan...

... is laid as a

duty on the

whole com-
munity

17



Presence of the

Church in the

field of culture

through the

Catholic school

An authentic

apostolate

Responsibility

of the

Catholic school

—^teachers, parents, pupils, administrative personnel. Each
has his or her own part to play. Cooperation of all, given in the

spirit of the Gospel, Is by its very nature a witness not only to

Christ as the corner-stone of the community, but also as the

light Who shines far beyond it.

The Catholic school as a service to the Church and to society

62. The Catholic school community, therefore, is an irre-

placeable source of service, not only to the pupils and its

other members, but also to society. Today especially one sees

a world which clamors for solidarity and yet experiences the

rise of new forms of individualism. Society can take note from

the Catholic school that it is possible to create true communi-

ties out of a common effort for the common good. In the plural-
istic society of today the Catholic school, moreover, by main-

taining an institutional Christian presence in the academic

world, proclaims by Its very existence the enriching power of

the faith as the answer to the enormous problems which afflict

mankind. Above all, it is called to render a humble loving

service to the Church by ensuring that she is present in the

scholastic field for the benefit of the human family.

63. In this way the Catholic school performs “an authentic

apostolate."'^ To work, therefore, in this apostolate “means
performing a unique and invaluable work for the Church." 2

V.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL TODAY

64.

The real problem facing the Catholic school is to

identify and lay down the conditions necessary for it to fulfill

its mission. It is, therefore, a problem requiring clear and posi-

tive thinking, courage, perseverance and cooperation to tackle

the necessary measures without being overawed by the size of

the difficulties from within and without, nor “by persistent and

outdated slogans," 2 which in the last analysis aim to abolish

Catholic schools.^ To give into them would be suicidal. To favor

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cravis-
simum Educationis," 8.

* PAUL VI, to Prof. Giuseppe Lazzati, Rector of the University of the Sacred
Heart (Milano), in "The Teachings of Pope Paul VI," vol. 9, p. 1082.

’ PAUL VI, Allocution to the Ninth Congress of the O.I.E.C., in "L'Osserva-
tore Romano," June 9th, 1974.

Cf. above, nn. 18, 20, 23.

18



in a more or less radical form a merely non-institutional pres-

ence of the Church in the' scholastic field, Is a dangerous

illusionJ

65. At great cost and sacrifice our forebears were inspired

by the teaching of the Church to establish schools which en-

riched mankind and responded to the needs of time and place.

While it recognizes its own inadequacies, the Catholic school

is conscious of its responsibility to continue this service. To-

day, as in the past, some scholastic institutions which bear
the name Catholic do not appear to correspond fully to the

principles of education which should be their distinguishing

feature and, therefore, do not fulfill the duties, which the

Church and the society has every right to expect of them.

Without pretending to make an exhaustive enquiry into the

factors which may explain the difficulties under which the
Catholic school labors, here are a few points In the hope of

encouraging some thought as a stimulus to courageous reform.

66. Often what is perhaps fundamentally lacking among
Catholics who work In a school is a clear realization of the
Identity of a Catholic school and the courage to follow all the

consequences of Its uniqueness. One must recognize that,
more than ever before, a Catholic school’s job is infinitely

more difficult, more complex, since this is a time when Chris-
tianity demands to be clothed in fresh garments, when all man-
ner of changes have been introduced in the Church and In

secular life, and, particularly, when a pluralist mentality domi-
nates and the Christian Gospel Is increasingly pushed to the

sidelines.

67. It is because of this that loyalty to the educational

aims of the Catholic school demands constant self-criticism
and return to basic principles, to the motives which inspire the

Church’s involvement in education. They do not provide a quick
answer to contemporary problems, but they give a direction
which can begin to solve them. Account has to be taken of new
pedagogical insights and collaboration with others, irrespective

of religious allegiance, who work honestly for the true develop-
ment of mankind—first and foremost with schools of other
Christians—in the Interests, even in this field of Christian unity
but also with State schools. In addition to meetings of teach-

ers and mutual research, this collaboration can be extended to
the pupils themselves and their families.

' Cf. PAUL VI, Allocution to the Ninth Congress of the O.I.E.C., in "L'Osser-
vatore Romano," June 9th, 1974.

Difficulties

of the

Catholic school

The school’s

proper identity

Constant self-

criticism and
cooperation

19



Financial

difficulties

Participation

and subsidiarity

68.
In conclusion it is only right to repeat what has been

said above’ about the considerable difficulties arising from

legal and economic systems operating in different countries

which hinder the activities of the Catholic school, difficulties

which prevent them from extending their service to all social

and economic classes and compel them to give the false im-

pression of providing schools simply for the rich.

VI.

PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS

69. After reflecting on the difficulties which the Catholic

school encounters, we turn now to the practical possibilities
open to those who work in, or are responsible for, these
schools. The following more serious questions have been

selected for special comment: organization and planning, en-

suring the distinctive Catholic character of the school, the

involvement of Religious in the school apostolate, the Catholic

school In mission countries, pastoral care of teachers, profes-

sional associations, the economic question.

The organization and planning of the Catholic school

70. Catholic education is inspired by the general principles

enunciated by the Second Vatican Council concerning collab-

oration between the hierarchy and those who work in the
apostolate. In consequence of the principle of participation and

co-responsibility, the various groupings which constitute the

educational community are, according to their several com-
petencies, to be associated in decision-making concerning the

Catholic school and in the application of decisions once taken .

2

It is first and foremost at the stage of planning and of putting

into operation an educational project that this principle of the

Council is to be applied. The assigning of various responsibili-

ties is governed by the principle of subsidiarity, and, with ref-

erence to this principle, ecclesiastical authority respects the

competence of the professionals in teaching and education.

Indeed, “the right and duty of exercising the apostolate is

common to all the faithful, clerical and lay, and laypeople
have their own proper competence in the building up of the
Church.” 3

' Cf. above, n. 58.
^ Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the

Modern World "Gaudium et Spes,” 43.
^ SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity "Aposto-

licam Actuositatem," 25.

20



71. This principle enunciated by the Second Vatican Coun-

cil Is particularly applicable to the apostolate of the Catholic

school which so closely unites teaching and religious education

to a well-defined professional activity. It is here, above all, that

the particular mission of the lay person Is put Into effect, a

mission which has become “all the more imperative in view of

the fact that many areas of human life have become very
largely autonomous. This Is as it should be, but It sometimes

involves a certain withdrawal from ethical and religious in-

fluences and thereby creates a serious danger to Christian

life.” ^ Moreover, lay involvement In Catholic schools is an in-

vitation “to cooperate more closely with the apostolate of the

Bishops," 2 both in the field of religious instruction ^ and in

more general religious education which they endeavor to

promote by assisting the pupils to a personal integration of

culture and faith and of faith and living. The Catholic school

In this sense, therefore, receives from the Bishops in some
manner the “mandate" of an apostolic undertaking.^

72. The essential element of such a mandate is “union

with those whom the Holy Spirit has assigned to rule God's
Church," 5 and this link is expressed especially In overall pas-

toral strategy. “In the whole diocese or in given areas of it

the coordination and close Interconnection of all apostolic

works should be fostered under the direction of the Bishop. In

this way all undertakings and organization, whether catechet-

ical, missionary, charitable, social, family, educational, or any

other program serving a pastoral goal will be coordinated.

Moreover, the unity of the diocese will thereby be made more
evident.” * This is something which is obviously indispensable

for the Catholic school, inasmuch as it involves “apostolic

cooperation on the part of both branches of the clergy, as well

as of the religious and the laity.” ^

Ensuring the distinctive Catholic character of the school

73. This is the framework which guarantees the distinctive

Catholic character of the school. While the Bishop's authority

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity "Aposto-
licam Actuositatem," 1.

2 SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, "Lumen
Gentium," 33.

3 Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity
"Apostolicam Actuositatem," 10.

^ Ibid., 24.
5 Ibid., 23.
‘ SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Bishop's Pastoral Office in the

Church "Christus Dominus," 17.
^ SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity "Aposto-

licam Actuositatem," 23.

The apostolic

“mandate”

Union with

hierarchy

Guarantee of

the identity

21



Teaching

religious...

... and the
value of the

school

apostolate

is to watch over the orthodoxy of religious instruction and the

observance of Christian morals in the Catholic schools, it is

the task of the whole educative community to ensure that a

distinctive Christian educational environment is maintained in

practice. This responsibility applies chiefly to Christian parents

who confide their children to the school. Having chosen it does

not relieve them of a personal duty to give their children a

Christian upbringing. They are bound to cooperate actively

with the school—^which means supporting the educational
efforts of the school and utilizing the structures offered for

parental involvement, in order to make certain that the school

remains faithful to Christian principles of education. An equally

Important role belongs to the teachers in safeguarding and

developing the distinctive mission of the Catholic school, par-

ticularly with regard to the Christian atmosphere which should

characterize its life and teaching. Where difficulties and con-

flicts arise about the authentic Christian character of the

Catholic school, hierarchical authority can and must intervene.

Involvement of religious in the school apostolate

74. Some problems arise from the fact that certain Reli-
gious Institutes, founded for the school apostolate, have subse-

quently abandoned school work because of social or political

changes and have involved themselves in other activities. In

some cases they have given up their schools as a result of

their efforts to adapt their lives and mission to the recom-

mendations of the Second Vatican Council and to the spirit of

their original foundation.

75. It is necessary, however, to re-assess certain argu-

ments adopted against the teaching apostolate. Some would say
they have chosen a “more direct” apostolate, ’ forgetting the

excellence and the apostolic value of educational work in the

school. 2 Others would appeal to the greater importance of

individual over community involvement, of personal over institu-

tional work. The advantages, however, of a community aposto^

late In the educational field are self-evident. Sometimes the

abandonment of Catholic schools is justified on the grounds of

an apparent failure to gain perceptible results in pursuing

certain objectives. If this were true, it would surely be an

Invitation to undertake a fundamental revision of the whole

conduct of the school, reminding everyone who ventures into
education of the need for humility and hope and the conviction

22

' Cf. above, 23.
^ Cf. above, nn. 38-48.



that his work cannot be assessed by the same rationalistic

criteria which apply to other professionsJ

76. It Is the responsibility of competent local ecclesiastical

authority to evaluate the advisability and necessity of any

change to other forms of apostolic work whenever particular

circumstances dictate the need for a re-assessment of the

school apostolate, keeping in mind the observations above on

overall pastoral strategy.^

The Catholic school in mission countries

77. The Importance of the Catholic school apostolate is

much greater when it Is a question of the foreign missions.
Where the young Churches still rely on the presence of foreign

missionaries, the effectiveness of the Catholic school will

largely depend on its ability to adapt to local needs. It must

ensure that it is a true expression of the local and national

Catholic community and that it contributes to the community’s

willingness to cooperate. In countries where the Christian com-

munity is still at its beginning and Incapable of assuming

responsibility for its own schools, the Bishops will have to
undertake this responsibility themselves for the time being,

but must endeavor little by little to fulfill the aims outlined

above In connection with the organization of the Catholic

schools.3

Pastoral care of teachers

78. By their witness and their behavior teachers are of
the first importance to impart a distinctive character to Cath-

olic schools. It is, therefore, indispensable to ensure their
continuing formation through some form of suitable pastoral
provision. This must aim to animate them as witnesses of
Christ in the classroom and tackle the problems of their par-
ticular apostolate, especially regarding a Christian vision of

the world and of education, problems also connected with the
art of teaching in accordance with the principles of the Gospel.
A huge field is thus opened up for national and international
organizations which bring together Catholic teachers and edu-
cational institutions at all levels.

79. Professional organizations whose aim is to protect the
Interests of those who work in the educational field cannot

Reorganization

Updating of

teachers

Professional

associations

' Cf. above n. 22.
^ Cf. above, nn. 70-72.
3 Cf. above, nn. 70-72.

23



Duties of

teachers

Variety of

situations

themselves be divorced from the specific mission of the

Catholic school. The rights of the people who are involved in
the school must be safeguarded in strict justice. But, no matter

what material Interests may be at stake, or what social and
moral conditions affect their professional development, the

principle of the Second Vatican Council has a special applica-

tion in this context: “The faithful should learn how to distin-
guish carefully between those rights and duties which are theirs

as members of the Church, and those which they have as
members of society. Let them strive to harmonize the two,
remembering that in every temporal affair they must be guided

by a Christian conscience.” ^ Moreover, “even when preoccupied
with temporal cares, the laity can and must perform valuable
work for the evangelization of the world.” 2 Therefore, the

special organizations set up to protect the rights of teachers,

parents and pupils must not forget the special mission of the

Catholic school to be of service in the Christian education of

youth. “The layman is at the same time a believer and a citizen
and should be constantly led by Christian conscience alone.” ^

80. In the light of what has been said, these associations,

while being concerned for the rights of their members, must
also be alive to the responsibilities which are part and parcel

of the specific apostolate of the Catholic school. Catholic

teachers who freely accept posts in schools, which have a
distinctive character, are obliged to respect that character

and give their active support to it under the direction of

those responsible.

Economic situation of Catholic schools

81. From the economic point of view the position of very
many Catholic schools has improved and in some countries
is perfectly acceptable. This is the case where governments

have appreciated the advantages and the necessity of a plurality

of school systems which offer alternatives to a single State

system. While at first Catholic schools received various public

grants, often merely conceded, they later began to enter into

agreements, conventions, contracts, etc., which guarantee both

the preservation of the special status of the Catholic school

and its ability to perform its function adequately. Catholic

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church "Lumen
Gentium," 36.

2 SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church "Lumen
Gentium," 35.

^ SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity "Aposto-
licam Actuositatem," 5.

24



schools are thereby more or less closely associated with the

national system and are assured of an economic and juridical

status similar to State schools.82.

Such agreements have been reached through the good

offices of the respective governments, which have recognized

the public service provided by Catholic schools, and through

the determination of the Bishops and the Catholic community

at the national level. These solutions are an encouragement

to those responsible for Catholic schools in countries where

the Catholic community must still shoulder a very heavy burden

of cost to maintain an often highly important network of

Catholic schools. These Catholics need to be assured, as they

strive to regularize the frequent Injustices In their school situa-

tion, that they are not only helping to provide every child with

an education that respects his complete development, but they

are also defending freedom of teaching and the right of parents

to choose an education for their children which conforms to

their legitimate requirements.^

VII.

COURAGEOUS AND UNIFIED COMMITMENT

83. To commit oneself to working in accordance with the
alms of a Catholic school is to make a great act of faith in
the necessity and influence of this apostolate. Only one who
has this conviction and accepts Christ’s message, who has
a love for and understands today’s young people, who appre-
ciates what people’s real problems and difficulties are, will be

led to contribute with courage and even audacity to the pro-

gress of this apostolate in building up a Catholic school, which
puts its theory into practice, which renews Itself according to
its ideals and to present needs.

84. The validity of the educational results of a Catholic
school, however, cannot be measured by Immediate efficiency.
In the field of Christian education, not only is the freedom-

factor of teacher and pupil relationship with each other to be
considered, but also the factor of grace. Freedom and grace
come to fruition in the spiritual order which defies any merely
temporal assessment. When grace Infuses human liberty. It
makes freedom fully free and raises it to its highest perfection
in the freedom of the Spirit. It is when the Catholic school adds

' Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Cra-
vissimum Educationis/' 6.

A lesson of
success

Faith in the

validity of

school

apostolate

Trust in the

power of grace

25



Openness to
non-Christians

Necessity of

adaptation

Motives for

perseverance

Appear to
teachers...

... and to

Religious

Congregations

its weight, consciously and overtly, to the liberating power of

grace, that it becomes the Christian leaven in the world.

85. In the certainty that the Spirit is at work in every

person, the Catholic school offers itself to all, non-Christians

included, with all Its distinctive aims and means, acknowledg-

ing, preserving and promoting the spiritual and moral qualities,

the social and cultural values, which characterize different

civilizations. ’

86. Such an outlook overrides any question of the dispro-

portion between resources available and the number of children

reached directly by the Catholic school; nothing can stop it from

continuing to render its service. The only condition It would

make, as is its right, for Its continued existence would be

remaining faithful to the educational aims of the Catholic

"school. Loyalty to these aims Is, moreover, the basic motive

which must inspire any needed reorganization of the Catholic

school institution.

87. If all who are responsible for the Catholic school would
never lose sight of their mission and the apostolic value of

their teaching, the school would enjoy better conditions in

which to function in the present and would faithfully hand

on its mission to future generations. They themselves, more-

over, would most surely be filled with a deep conviction, joy

and spirit of sacrifice in the knowledge that they are offering

innumerable young people the opportunity of growing in faith,

of accepting and living its precious principles of truth, charity

and hope.

88. The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, to

foster the full realization of the aims of the Catholic school,

extends once more its warmest and heartfelt encouragement

to all who work in these schools. There can be no doubt
whatever of the importance of the apostolate of teaching in the

total saving mission of the Church.

89. The Church herself In particular looks with confidence

and trust to Religious Institutes which have received a special

charism of the Holy Spirit and have been most active In the

education of the young. May they be faithful to the inspiration
of their founders and give their wholehearted support to the

apostolic work of education in Catholic schools and not allow

' Cf. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on the Relationship of the Church
to Non-Christian Religions "Nostra Aetate," 2.

26



themselves to be diverted from this by attractive invitations to

undertake other, often seemingly more effective, apostolates.90.

A little more than ten years after the end of the Second

Vatican Council the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Educa-

tion repeats the final exhortation of the Declaration on Christian

Education to the priests, religious and lay people who fulfill

their mission in the Catholic school. It reads: “They are urged

to persevere generously in their chosen duty, continuing to

Instill into their pupils the spirit of Christ; let them endeavor

to excel in the art of teaching and In the advancement of

knowledge. Thus they will not only foster the internal renewal

of the Church, but will safeguard and Intensify her beneficial

presence In the modern world, and above all, in the world of

the intellect.” ^

CONCLUSION

91. This document in no way wishes to minimize the value

of the witness and work of the many Catholics who teach in
State schools throughout the world. In describing the task

confided to the Catholic school it is intended to encourage

every effort to promote the cause of Catholic education, since

in the pluralistic world in which we live, the Catholic school
is in a unique position to offer, more than ever before, a most
valuable and necessary service. With the principles of the

Gospel as its abiding point of reference, it offers its collabora-

tion to those who are building a new world—one which is
freed from a hedonistic mentality and from the efficiency

syndrome of modern consumer society.

92. We appeal to each Episcopal Conference to consider
and to develop these principles which should inspire the
Catholic school and to translate them into concrete programs
which will meet the real needs of the educational systems
operating in their countries.

93. Realizing that the problems are both delicate and
highly complex, the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Educa-
tion also addresses Itself to the whole People of God. In the
economy of salvation we poor humans must confront problems,
suffer their consequences and work might and main to solve

' SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Declaration on Christian Education "Gravis-
simum Educationis,” Conclusion.

Reminding the
Council

Encouragement

Appeal to

Episcopal

Conferences...

...and to the

whole People
of God

27



them. We are certain that in the last analysis success in any
venture does not come from trust in our own solutions but
from trust in Jesus Who allowed Himself to be called Teacher.
May He inspire, guide, support and bring to a safe conclusion
all that is undertaken in His name.

Rome, March 19th, 1977, the Feast of St. Joseph

GABRIEL-MARIE Cardinal GARRONE, Prefect

Antonio M. Javierre, Secretary

Titular Archbishop of Meta









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