More space for spiritual formation in Catholic schools in India
(Novwember 23, 2010) The Bishops Conference of North East India has asked all
Catholic schools in Assam to give due importance to spiritual formation and to accept
the applications of all Catholic students in the neighbourhood. The recent appeal
was launched by the Conference’s North Eastern Education Commission, NEEC. Sister
Elizabeth George, joint NEEC secretary, said: "Faith formation and spiritual formation
in schools should have a place of prime importance. This would imply creating space
for catechetical instruction in every Catholic school”. Noting that we live in times
of rapid economic and social change, which impact the lifestyle and even the faith
dimension of the people, she said that we are at the same time privileged to have
in our hands a powerful tool, that of Catholic education with its inherent values
and its spiritual and pastoral dimension. Explaining that the NEEC conducts training
courses for educators of faith, particularly for the benefit of Catholic schools,
Sr. George invited everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to train teachers
for faith education, and make them effective messengers of Christian values. Fr.
V. M. Thomas, NEEC secretary, said that Catholic schools, in particular, afford the
opportunity to meet young people in an environment which favours their Christian formation.
He said "All our students live a personalized faith in God and with mutual respect,
celebrate cultural and religious diversity. We are motivating the students to stand
for truth, justice, peace and probity to build a new India", the priest added.