Pope’s greeting to the world of Catholic Education in the Chapel of St Mary’s University
College in Twickenham (London Borough of Richmond, 17 September 2010)
Celebration of Catholic Education St Mary’s University College, Twickenham Address
of the Holy Father to teachers and religious
17 September 2010
Your
Excellency the Secretary of State for Education, Bishop Stack, Dr Naylor, Reverend
Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am pleased to have this opportunity to
pay tribute to the outstanding contribution made by religious men and women in this
land to the noble task of education. I thank the young people for their fine singing,
and I thank Sister Teresa for her words. To her and to all the dedicated men and
women who devote their lives to teaching the young, I want to express sentiments of
deep appreciation. You form new generations not only in knowledge of the faith, but
in every aspect of what it means to live as mature and responsible citizens in today’s
world. As you know, the task of a teacher is not simply to impart information
or to provide training in skills intended to deliver some economic benefit to society;
education is not and must never be considered as purely utilitarian. It is about
forming the human person, equipping him or her to live life to the full – in short
it is about imparting wisdom. And true wisdom is inseparable from knowledge of the
Creator, for “both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and
skill in crafts” (Wis 7:16). This transcendent dimension of study and
teaching was clearly grasped by the monks who contributed so much to the evangelization
of these islands. I am thinking of the Benedictines who accompanied Saint Augustine
on his mission to England, of the disciples of Saint Columba who spread the faith
across Scotland and Northern England, of Saint David and his companions in Wales.
Since the search for God, which lies at the heart of the monastic vocation, requires
active engagement with the means by which he makes himself known – his creation and
his revealed word – it was only natural that the monastery should have a library and
a school (cf. Address to representatives from the world of culture at the “Collège
des Bernardins” in Paris, 12 September 2008). It was the monks’ dedication to
learning as the path on which to encounter the Incarnate Word of God that was to lay
the foundations of our Western culture and civilization. Looking around me today,
I see many apostolic religious whose charism includes the education of the young.
This gives me an opportunity to give thanks to God for the life and work of the Venerable
Mary Ward, a native of this land whose pioneering vision of apostolic religious life
for women has borne so much fruit. I myself as a young boy was taught by the “English
Ladies” and I owe them a deep debt of gratitude. Many of you belong to teaching orders
that have carried the light of the Gospel to far-off lands as part of the Church’s
great missionary work, and for this too I give thanks and praise to God. Often you
laid the foundations of educational provision long before the State assumed a responsibility
for this vital service to the individual and to society. As the relative roles of
Church and State in the field of education continue to evolve, never forget that religious
have a unique contribution to offer to this apostolate, above all through lives consecrated
to God and through faithful, loving witness to Christ, the supreme Teacher. Indeed,
the presence of religious in Catholic schools is a powerful reminder of the much-discussed
Catholic ethos that needs to inform every aspect of school life. This extends far
beyond the self-evident requirement that the content of the teaching should always
be in conformity with Church doctrine. It means that the life of faith needs to be
the driving force behind every activity in the school, so that the Church’s mission
may be served effectively, and the young people may discover the joy of entering into
Christ’s “being for others” (Spe Salvi, 28). Before I conclude, I wish
to add a particular word of appreciation for those whose task it is to ensure that
our schools provide a safe environment for children and young people. Our responsibility
towards those entrusted to us for their Christian formation demands nothing less.
Indeed, the life of faith can only be effectively nurtured when the prevailing atmosphere
is one of respectful and affectionate trust. I pray that this may continue to be
a hallmark of the Catholic schools in this country. With these sentiments, dear
Brothers and Sisters, I invite you now to stand and pray.* * * * *Bishop Stack, I
would ask you, as Chairman of the Board of Governors of Saint Mary’s University, to
receive, on behalf of the College, this gift of a mosaic of the Blessed Virgin Mary.