VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI addresses Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for Catholic Education: “teaching is an expression of the charity of Christ and it is the first spiritual work of mercy to which the Church is called”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On Monday 21 January the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI received in audience the participants at a Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for Catholic Education and in his address he highlighted the plenary themes of “great interest and relevance”, “to which the Church, especially at this time in history, turns her attention”.
Benedict XVI began by recalling that “the sector of education has always been dear to the Church, called to make Christ's concern her own … Tradition has always seen teaching - and more in general in education- as a concrete manifestation of spiritual mercy, one of the first works of love the Church in her mission offers humanity”. The Pope said “it is most opportune in our day to reflect on how to render effective and relevant this apostolic task of the ecclesial Community, entrusted to Catholic universities and especially to ecclesiastical faculties”.
Looking at the themes examined by the Plenary Assembly the Holy Father mentioned first of all the revision of ecclesiastical studies in philosophy, “an undertaking now nearing completion, which cannot fail to emphasise the metaphysical and sapiential dimension of philosophy”. Then “just as useful will be to assess the opportuneness of a reform of the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia christiana”, the magna charta of ecclesiastical faculties which serves as a basis for the formulation of criteria of assessment of the quality of these institutions. “The school too must reflect on its mission in the present day social context - the Pope continued -, marked by an evident educational crisis. The Catholic school, whose primary mission is to form the pupil in an integral anthropological vision, while being open to all and respecting the identity of every individual, cannot fail to propose her own educational, human and Christian perspective”. The new challenge, rendered more urgent by globalisation and pluralism, is determined by the encounter of “religions and cultures in the common quest for the truth… because all authentic cultures are oriented towards the truth and the good of mankind. So, people from different cultures can speak to one another, understand one another beyond spatial and temporal distances, because in the heart of every person there are the same great aspirations for good, justice, truth, life and love”.
Another theme for discussion by the Plenary Assembly was revision of “Ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis” for Seminaries. “The present atmosphere of society with the massive impact of the media and spreading phenomenon of globalisation, has changed profoundly- the Pope said -. It would therefore seem urgent to consider the opportuneness of a revision of the Ratio fundamentalis, which should underline the importance of a correct articulation of the different dimensions of priestly formation from the view point of Church-communion, following the indications of Vatican II. This implicates sound formation in the faith of the Church, true familiarity with the revealed Word, given by God to his Church”.
With regard to the formation of future priests, Pope Benedict XVI stressed the need to offer guidelines for dialogue with present day cultures; human and cultural formation must be intensified “also with the help of modern sciences”; also necessary “adequate formation to the spiritual life, which renders Christian communities, parishes especially, ever more aware of their vocation and able to respond adequately to the demand for spirituality coming especially from young people”. Last of all attention for vocations, especially vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life which “involves the whole ecclesial community: bishops, priests, consecrated persons, but also families and parishes”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/1/2008; righe 44, parole 586)