杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

鈥淐onsecrated life has always been at the forefront of the educational task,鈥� says 杏MAP导航 Francis in a letter to Pedro Aguado Cuesta, the Superior General of the Piarists, on the occasion of a seminar on the challenge of rebuilding the global education pact.

The working seminar, organised by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Union of Superiors General (USG), taking place 12-14 November, is being held online due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The role of religious in education

In his letter, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted the role religious men and women have traditionally played in education. He pointed to the example of the Piarists鈥� founder St Joseph Calasanctius, the first to provide free schools to the poor.

Over time, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渄ifferent charisms have emerged in all periods of history, which, by God鈥檚 gift, have understood how to adapt to the needs and challenges of every time and place.鈥�

Today, the Church calls on the Piarists 鈥渢o renew that purpose within [their] own identity,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, thanking them 鈥渇or taking up this witness with such commitment and enthusiasm.鈥�

Lines of concrete action

Earlier this year, in a to a Meeting held at the Pontifical Lateran University on the Global Compact on Education, the Holy Father had laid out seven essential commitments of the project. In his letter on Thursday, 杏MAP导航 Francis compressed those commitments into three lines of concrete action: to focus, to welcome, and to involve.

鈥淔ocusing on what is important means to put the person at the centre鈥� of our efforts, the 杏MAP导航 said, helping young people to grow and mature, to find their place in the world. 鈥淰aluing the person makes education a means for our children and young people to grow and mature, acquiring the skills and resources necessary to build a future of justice and peace together,鈥� he explained.

鈥淭o achieve this,鈥� he continued, 鈥渨e need to be welcoming.鈥� This entails listening, including listening to children as well as going beyond 鈥渙ur educational circle.鈥� Welcoming also implies helping children to learn to work together with others, and fostering 鈥渁n empathetic attitude that rejects the culture of discarding.鈥� He added that it is also important that children 鈥渓earn to safeguard our common home.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥淭he last line of action, to involve, is decisive.鈥� Listening, he explained does not mean simply hearing and forgetting, 鈥渂ut must be a platform that allows everyone to be actively involved in this educational work.鈥� It means 鈥渨orking to give children and young people鈥� the tools to understand challenges and propose and work toward solutions that will benefit the whole human family.

An essential part of education

Concluding his letter, 杏MAP导航 Francis assured Father Aguado Cuesta that he was accompanying the efforts of the Institutes represented at the seminar, as well as those of all those working in the field of education, whether consecrated or lay. He prayed that God would continue to ensure that consecrated life remain 鈥渁n essential part of the global educational pact in this historical moment.鈥�