Pope Benedict XVIth's busy schedule during his trip to the United Kingdom is studded
with important events. He is to meet the Queen and the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury,
he will meet with leaders of other religions and celebrate a number of Masses as well
as preside over the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.One thing that stands
out is his focus on Catholic education in England. On the second day of the visit,
Pope Benedict is going to St. Mary's University College, Twickenham, where he begins
the day praying with representatives of religious congregations, particularly those
who have a charism for education and a history of education. He will then go and meet
3,000 young people - schoolchildren, students - to celebrate Catholic education. The
former abbot of Ampleforth Abbey and College in Yorkshire explains why the issue of
Catholic Education in England is so high on the Pope’s agenda…
"...The richness
of the British tradition is that it creates the environment for really powerful, academically
respectable, formation in catholicism and understanding of its teaching... "
"...
I think one of the reason he (the Pope) has chosen to celebrate catholic education
in England is that "A": it's a success story. "B": I think that the system we have
in Britain is distinct from what we have in other countries. And I think that there
is something we can celebrate with a good deal of conviction because it incorporates
not just part of the church..."
"... Education is your most precious formation.
If you don't have a good education system, then where is it that you are going to
teach your values, encourage your moral behaviour?..."