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APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND VISIT TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERS
MEETING WITH CATHOLIC EDUCATORS
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Conference Hall of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Your Eminences,
Education is integral to the mission of the
Dear Brother Bishops,
Church to proclaim the Good News. First
Distinguished Professors, Teachers and
and foremost every Catholic educational
Educators,
institution is a place to encounter the
“How beautiful are the footsteps of those
living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his
who bring good news” (Rom 10:15-17).
transforming love and truth (cf. Spe Salvi,
With these words of Isaiah quoted by
4). This relationship elicits a desire to
Saint Paul, I warmly greet each of you –
grow in the knowledge and understanding
bearers of wisdom – and through you the
of Christ and his teaching. In this way
staff, students and families of the many
those who meet him are drawn by the
and varied institutions of learning that you
very power of the Gospel to lead a new
represent. It is my great pleasure to meet
life characterized by all that is beautiful,
you and to share with you some thoughts
good, and true; a life of Christian witness
regarding the nature and identity of
nurtured and strengthened within the
Catholic education today. I especially
community of our Lord’s disciples, the
wish to thank Father David O’Connell,
Church.
President and Rector of the Catholic
The dynamic between personal
University of America. Your kind words of
encounter, knowledge and Christian
welcome are much appreciated. Please
witness is integral to the diakonia of truth
extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire
which the Church exercises in the midst
community – faculty, staff and students –
of humanity. God’s revelation offers every
of this University.
generation the opportunity to discover the
ultimate truth about its own life and the
goal of history. This task is never easy; it
and the nation. Some, like Saint
involves the entire Christian community
Katharine Drexel, devoted their lives to
and motivates each generation of
educating those whom others had
Christian educators to ensure that the
neglected – in her case, African
power of God’s truth permeates every
Americans and Native Americans.
dimension of the institutions they serve.
Countless dedicated Religious Sisters,
In this way, Christ’s Good News is set to
Brothers, and Priests together with
work, guiding both teacher and student
selfless parents have, through Catholic
towards the objective truth which, in
schools, helped generations of
transcending the particular and the
immigrants to rise from poverty and take
subjective, points to the universal and
their place in mainstream society.
absolute that enables us to proclaim with
This sacrifice continues today. It is an
confidence the hope which does not
outstanding apostolate of hope, seeking
disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5). Set against
to address the material, intellectual and
personal struggles, moral confusion and
spiritual needs of over three million
fragmentation of knowledge, the noble
children and students. It also provides a
goals of scholarship and education,
highly commendable opportunity for the
founded on the unity of truth and in
entire Catholic community to contribute
service of the person and the community,
generously to the financial needs of our
become an especially powerful
institutions. Their long-term sustainability
instrument of hope.
must be assured. Indeed, everything
Dear friends, the history of this nation
possible must be done, in cooperation
includes many examples of the Church’s
with the wider community, to ensure that
commitment in this regard. The Catholic
they are accessible to people of all social
community here has in fact made
and economic strata. No child should be
education one of its highest priorities.
denied his or her right to an education in
This undertaking has not come without
faith, which in turn nurtures the soul of a
great sacrifice. Towering figures, like
nation.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and other
Some today question the Church’s
founders and foundresses, with great
involvement in education, wondering
tenacity and foresight, laid the
whether her resources might be better
foundations of what is today a remarkable
placed elsewhere. Certainly in a nation
network of parochial schools contributing
such as this, the State provides ample
to the spiritual well-being of the Church
opportunities for education and attracts
committed and generous men and
clear (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22)? Are we
women to this honorable profession. It is
ready to commit our entire self – intellect
timely, then, to reflect on what is
and will, mind and heart – to God? Do we
particular to our Catholic institutions. How
accept the truth Christ reveals? Is the
do they contribute to the good of society
faith tangible in our universities and
through the Church’s primary mission of
schools? Is it given fervent expression
evangelization?
liturgically, sacramentally, through prayer,
All the Church’s activities stem from her
acts of charity, a concern for justice, and
awareness that she is the bearer of a
respect for God’s creation? Only in this
message which has its origin in God
way do we really bear witness to the
himself: in his goodness and wisdom,
meaning of who we are and what we
God chose to reveal himself and to make
uphold.
known the hidden purpose of his will (cf.
From this perspective one can recognize
Eph 1:9; Dei Verbum, 2). God’s desire to
that the contemporary “crisis of truth” is
make himself known, and the innate
rooted in a “crisis of faith”. Only through
desire of all human beings to know the
faith can we freely give our assent to
truth, provide the context for human
God’s testimony and acknowledge him as
inquiry into the meaning of life. This
the transcendent guarantor of the truth he
unique encounter is sustained within our
reveals. Again, we see why fostering
Christian community: the one who seeks
personal intimacy with Jesus Christ and
the truth becomes the one who lives by
communal witness to his loving truth is
faith (cf. Fides et Ratio, 31). It can be
indispensable in Catholic institutions of
described as a move from “I” to “we”,
learning. Yet we all know, and observe
leading the individual to be numbered
with concern, the difficulty or reluctance
among God’s people.
many people have today in entrusting
This same dynamic of communal identity
themselves to God. It is a complex
– to whom do I belong? – vivifies the
phenomenon and one which I ponder
ethos of our Catholic institutions. A
continually. While we have sought
university or school’s Catholic identity is
diligently to engage the intellect of our
not simply a question of the number of
young, perhaps we have neglected the
Catholic students. It is a question of
will. Subsequently we observe, with
conviction – do we really believe that only
distress, the notion of freedom being
in the mystery of the Word made flesh
distorted. Freedom is not an opting out. It
does the mystery of man truly become
is an opting in – a participation in Being
itself. Hence authentic freedom can never
The Church’s primary mission of
be attained by turning away from God.
evangelization, in which educational
Such a choice would ultimately disregard
institutions play a crucial role, is
the very truth we need in order to
consonant with a nation’s fundamental
understand ourselves. A particular
aspiration to develop a society truly
responsibility therefore for each of you,
worthy of the human person’s dignity. At
and your colleagues, is to evoke among
times, however, the value of the Church’s
the young the desire for the act of faith,
contribution to the public forum is
encouraging them to commit themselves
questioned. It is important therefore to
to the ecclesial life that follows from this
recall that the truths of faith and of reason
belief. It is here that freedom reaches the
never contradict one another (cf. First
certainty of truth. In choosing to live by
Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic
that truth, we embrace the fullness of the
Constitution on the Catholic Faith Dei
life of faith which is given to us in the
Filius, IV: DS 3017; St. Augustine, Contra
Church.
Academicos, III, 20, 43). The Church’s
Clearly, then, Catholic identity is not
mission, in fact, involves her in
dependent upon statistics. Neither can it
humanity’s struggle to arrive at truth. In
be equated simply with orthodoxy of
articulating revealed truth she serves all
course content. It demands and inspires
members of society by purifying reason,
much more: namely that each and every
ensuring that it remains open to the
aspect of your learning communities
consideration of ultimate truths. Drawing
reverberates within the ecclesial life of
upon divine wisdom, she sheds light on
faith. Only in faith can truth become
the foundation of human morality and
incarnate and reason truly human,
ethics, and reminds all groups in society
capable of directing the will along the
that it is not praxis that creates truth but
path of freedom (cf. Spe Salvi, 23). In this
truth that should serve as the basis of
way our institutions make a vital
praxis. Far from undermining the
contribution to the mission of the Church
tolerance of legitimate diversity, such a
and truly serve society. They become
contribution illuminates the very truth
places in which God’s active presence in
which makes consensus attainable, and
human affairs is recognized and in which
helps to keep public debate rational,
every young person discovers the joy of
honest and accountable. Similarly the
entering into Christ’s “being for others”
Church never tires of upholding the
(cf. ibid., 28).
essential moral categories of right and
wrong, without which hope could only
conscience which, enriched by faith,
wither, giving way to cold pragmatic
opens a sure path to inner peace and to
calculations of utility which render the
respect for others.
person little more than a pawn on some
It comes as no surprise, then, that not just
ideological chess-board.
our own ecclesial communities but
With regard to the educational forum, the
society in general has high expectations
diakonia of truth takes on a heightened
of Catholic educators. This places upon
significance in societies where secularist
you a responsibility and offers an
ideology drives a wedge between truth
opportunity. More and more people –
and faith. This division has led to a
parents in particular – recognize the need
tendency to equate truth with knowledge
for excellence in the human formation of
and to adopt a positivistic mentality
their children. As Mater et Magistra, the
which, in rejecting metaphysics, denies
Church shares their concern. When
the foundations of faith and rejects the
nothing beyond the individual is
need for a moral vision. Truth means
recognized as definitive, the ultimate
more than knowledge: knowing the truth
criterion of judgment becomes the self
leads us to discover the good. Truth
and the satisfaction of the individual’s
speaks to the individual in his or her
immediate wishes. The objectivity and
entirety, inviting us to respond with our
perspective, which can only come
whole being. This optimistic vision is
through a recognition of the essential
found in our Christian faith because such
transcendent dimension of the human
faith has been granted the vision of the
person, can be lost. Within such a
Logos, God’s creative Reason, which in
relativistic horizon the goals of education
the Incarnation, is revealed as Goodness
are inevitably curtailed. Slowly, a lowering
itself. Far from being just a
of standards occurs. We observe today a
communication of factual data –
timidity in the face of the category of the
“informative” – the loving truth of the
good and an aimless pursuit of novelty
Gospel is creative and life-changing –
parading as the realization of freedom.
“performative” (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). With
We witness an assumption that every
confidence, Christian educators can
experience is of equal worth and a
liberate the young from the limits of
reluctance to admit imperfection and
positivism and awaken receptivity to the
mistakes. And particularly disturbing, is
truth, to God and his goodness. In this
the reduction of the precious and delicate
way you will also help to form their
area of education in sexuality to
management of ‘risk’, bereft of any
Catholic universities and schools. First,
reference to the beauty of conjugal love.
let me thank you for your dedication and
How might Christian educators respond?
generosity. I know from my own days as
These harmful developments point to the
a professor, and I have heard from your
particular urgency of what we might call
Bishops and officials of the Congregation
“intellectual charity”. This aspect of
for Catholic Education, that the reputation
charity calls the educator to recognize
of Catholic institutes of learning in this
that the profound responsibility to lead the
country is largely due to yourselves and
young to truth is nothing less than an act
your predecessors. Your selfless
of love. Indeed, the dignity of education
contributions – from outstanding research
lies in fostering the true perfection and
to the dedication of those working in
happiness of those to be educated. In
inner-city schools – serve both your
practice “intellectual charity” upholds the
country and the Church. For this I
essential unity of knowledge against the
express my profound gratitude.
fragmentation which ensues when reason
In regard to faculty members at Catholic
is detached from the pursuit of truth. It
colleges universities, I wish to reaffirm the
guides the young towards the deep
great value of academic freedom. In
satisfaction of exercising freedom in
virtue of this freedom you are called to
relation to truth, and it strives to articulate
search for the truth wherever careful
the relationship between faith and all
analysis of evidence leads you. Yet it is
aspects of family and civic life. Once their
also the case that any appeal to the
passion for the fullness and unity of truth
principle of academic freedom in order to
has been awakened, young people will
justify positions that contradict the faith
surely relish the discovery that the
and the teaching of the Church would
question of what they can know opens up
obstruct or even betray the university's
the vast adventure of what they ought to
identity and mission; a mission at the
do. Here they will experience “in what”
heart of the Church’s munus docendi and
and “in whom” it is possible to hope, and
not somehow autonomous or
be inspired to contribute to society in a
independent of it.
way that engenders hope in others.
Teachers and administrators, whether in
Dear friends, I wish to conclude by
universities or schools, have the duty and
focusing our attention specifically on the
privilege to ensure that students receive
paramount importance of your own
instruction in Catholic doctrine and
professionalism and witness within our
practice. This requires that public witness
to the way of Christ, as found in the
from the path of truth and genuine
Gospel and upheld by the Church's
freedom, the consecrated person’s
Magisterium, shapes all aspects of an
witness to the evangelical counsels is an
institution’s life, both inside and outside
irreplaceable gift. I encourage the
the classroom. Divergence from this
Religious present to bring renewed
vision weakens Catholic identity and, far
enthusiasm to the promotion of vocations.
from advancing freedom, inevitably leads
Know that your witness to the ideal of
to confusion, whether moral, intellectual
consecration and mission among the
or spiritual.
young is a source of great inspiration in
I wish also to express a particular word of
faith for them and their families.
encouragement to both lay and Religious
To all of you I say: bear witness to hope.
teachers of catechesis who strive to
Nourish your witness with prayer.
ensure that young people become daily
Account for the hope that characterizes
more appreciative of the gift of faith.
your lives (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) by living the
Religious education is a challenging
truth which you propose to your students.
apostolate, yet there are many signs of a
Help them to know and love the One you
desire among young people to learn
have encountered, whose truth and
about the faith and practice it with vigor. If
goodness you have experienced with joy.
this awakening is to grow, teachers
With Saint Augustine, let us say: “we who
require a clear and precise understanding
speak and you who listen acknowledge
of the specific nature and role of Catholic
ourselves as fellow disciples of a single
education. They must also be ready to
teacher” (Sermons, 23:2). With these
lead the commitment made by the entire
sentiments of communion, I gladly impart
school community to assist our young
to you, your colleagues and students, and
people, and their families, to experience
to your families, my Apostolic Blessing.
the harmony between faith, life and
culture.
Here I wish to make a special appeal to
Religious Brothers, Sisters and Priests:
do not abandon the school apostolate;
indeed, renew your commitment to
schools especially those in poorer areas.
In places where there are many hollow
promises which lure young people away